On stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, over five nights, this September, Nureyev, Legend and Legacy, is a collection of nine ballet excerpts which have marked in some way or other the career of Rudolf Nureyev (1938/ 1993) defected Russian ballet dancer, director and choreographer.
The opening performance was introduced live by Dame Monica Manson (director of Royal Ballet) who had personally met and worked with Nureyev, and Ralph Fiennes (actor, director) who directed and starred in “The White Crow”, a tale of Nureyev's career and life. The event is curated by Nehemiah Kish (former Royal Ballet Principal) and supported by the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation.
The staging presents the instruments (40 pieces) – Royal Ballet Sinfonia – on the background of the stage acting as lungs, giving air and rhythmic breaths to the leading ballet dancers, performing front stage.
Stand out in act one the Pas De Deux “Flower Festival in Genzano” performed by Francesco Gabriele Frola and Ida Praetorius (for Emma Hawes on the 5th performance) which shows the audience precision and perfect cadence on the music, it almost felt music was produced by the dancers movements instead of the orchestra.
The stand out in act two is the excerpt from the “Don Juan” interpreted by Alina Conjocaru and Alexandr Trusch. This dramatic representation is performed flawlessly. It almost leaves you wonder if Miss Alina is being pulled up by strings or she is simply so light that some breeze would make her flow up and down the stage ever so gracefully and gently; but no, no magic or tricks required: these two ballet dancers are just so skilful, strong, resistant and talented to make it look effortless which reminds us of Rudolf Nureyev incredible talent, passion and ability to move audiences with this art form.
The total cast of twenty-two ballet dancer also include: William Bracewell, Yuhui Choe, Cesar Corrales, Guillaume Côté (12th September), Benjamin Ella, Emma Hawes, Francesca Hayward, Daichi Ikarashi, Oleg Ivenko, Germain Louvet (5th and 6th September), Natascha Mair, Maia Makhateli, Vadim Muntagirov, Yasmine Naghdi, Natalia Osipova, Xander Parish, Iana Salenko, Marcelino Sambé, Marianna Tsembenhoi - (representing companies which include The Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and the English National Ballet) all of them portraying excellence, talent and passion.
Photo: Andrej Uspenski