THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411200089
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Dance review
SOURCE: BY SUE SMALLWOOD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
It was an auspicious occasion: the world premiere of a new production of the classic ``Nutcracker,'' presented by the Moscow State Ballet of the Natalia Sats Theatre. It felt like a dress rehearsal.
Announcement of a door prize, an uncalled for preamble by a shuffling children's chorus, absence of program notes and glitches in the canned musical accompaniment set the amateurish mood that would taint the ballet company's grand efforts Friday evening at Portsmouth's Willett Hall.
Yet nothing could diminish the sheer luxuriousness of the production. Oleg Averyanov's rich sets and Vera Deveava's fabulous costumes lavishly complemented Natalia Ryzhenko's bold and vital choreography, which made smart use of mime and did not shy from incorporating a flexed foot, rigid port de bras or non-traditional posture to develop character or advance the narrative.
The Moscow State Ballet's first act stays close to the conventional ``Nutcracker'' storyline, revolving around a lively Christmas party at which a young girl (in this case, Masha) is given a nutcracker doll by a magician (Drosselmeyer). After the party, the doll springs to life as the Prince who foils the Rat King, given evil animation by the lithe Sergey Kozlov.
The child Masha, danced with surprisingly mature expression by Elena Shevtsova, is transformed into a princess, portrayed by Svetlana Smirnova. Deftly partnered by Michael Negrobov as the Prince, the lissome Smirnova was elegant, displaying outstanding control during frequently daring lifts and successions of solid turn work throughout the program.
The second act in this ``Nutcracker'' - set in a palace court rather than the customary candy kingdom - boasts a divertissement with international flavor, helmed by the tireless Igor Chirkov as Drosselmeyer.
A Spanish pas de deux featured crisp turns. Dmitry Bugaev amazed with lofty jumps in the spirited Russian interlude. Alsu Kondraleeva's long, serpentine lines were superb in the role of the exotic Arabian.
In a nod to Rudolf Nureyev's ``Nutcracker'' choreography, Masha dances the celebrated Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux with the Prince. The pair are eventually joined by the entire cast and corps, which included more than 50 local children, for a colorful, extended finale. by CNB