This breathtaking production by the Bolshoi Ballet of John Neumeier’s Lady of the Camellias is full of shattering, overwhelming tempestuous passion that had some audience members in tears at the end.
This is the Neumeier version originally created for the Stuttgart Ballet in 1978 telling the story of Marguerite Gauthier and Armand Duval as in the Dumas novel, the opera la Traviata and Ashton’s ballet. It is a tale of tragic true love interwoven with the story of Manon Lescaut and Des Greiux (for example Marguerite and Armand attend a performance of a ballet version of Manon and identify with the characters). The ballet uses the delicate yet volcanically passionate music of Chopin. The orchestra under the direction of Pavel Sorokin was splendid.
The ballet, set in 1847, is told in flashbacks of Armand’s memories and opens Phantom of the Opera like with the auction of Marguerite’s effects and Armand, distraught, arriving late and confronting his father.
The ballet is structured mostly as a series of all encompassing passionate pas de deux for Marguerite and Armand. Light and shade is provided by the ballroom dances for the ensemble throughout and also the idyllic summer games and celebrations that are the first half of the second act.
Neumeier’s choreography is extremely acrobatic and demanding with huge challenging lifts. Great detail is provided in the characterization throughout.
The set consists of a few tables, chairs and chandeliers with its compactness allowing for fluid scene changes. The stunning costumes are incredibly detailed.
As Marguerite, Svetlana Zhakarova is extraordinary. An elegant courtesan in ravishing costumes she falls unwillingly totally in love with Armand and sacrifices herself for love. In Act 1, at their first meeting, she is in quite feline, sensual and alluring, though her illness is already evident. Margueritte is joyously transformed by her unexpected mature true love for Armand and broken by his father’s harsh demand that she leave him. The pas de deux with Monsieur Duval, who here looks more like Armand’s brother than father, is shattering.
There are hints of Zhakarova’s recent portrayal of Giselle. at times and stuttering, sobbing pointes combine with long swooping lines.
Our Armand is tall, blonde delightfully handsome Edvin Revazov. From the moment he first sees Marguerite he is smitten , mesmerized as if struck by lightning. Technically he is dazzling with tremendous elevation and ballon and a lyrical yet clean finish. His split jetes in Act 2 are amazing.
The relatively minor characters are delightfully portrayed.
The transfer of the ballet from stage to screen worked well with great cinematography employing effective use of closeups at times or pulling back in the large ensemble scenes to enable us to see the patterns of the choreography.
This was a thrilling, marvellously danced, entrancing production
Running time – 3 hours 20 minutes includes interviews in the two intervals.
The Bolshoi Ballet’s presentation of John Neumeier’s LADY OF THE CAMELLIAS screens at selected cinemas from March 12.