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Articles by Hanna Weibye
Men in Motion III, London Coliseum | reviews, news & interviews
How to sum up this sort of sprawling mixed bill? I’d love to make one of those imaginary Tube maps that are all the rage nowadays. There would be a line for Hot Germans, and another for Nijinsky Classics (intersecting at Rainer Krenstetter in a slightly tame Aprés Midi d’un Faune), while the line Blues Rock would connect Sinnerman, 3 with D and Äffi (music by Nina Simone, Dan Gillespie Sells and Johnny Cash respectively).
Crystal Pite, Flight Pattern, Royal Ballet
Can thirty minutes of contemporary ballet say something meaningful about the modern refugee crisis? It has been the surprise of the season to find myself asking this question not once, but twice, at the Royal Ballet. In Wayne McGregor's Multiverse, premiered in November, images of refugees on boats suggested a critical agenda but the dancing stayed abstract and impersonal.
Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet, Sadler's Wells review - heart-stopping drama
Your first thought on hearing there's a new Matthew Bourne Romeo and Juliet might well be 'doesn't it exist already?' So obvious does this marriage of high drama, lush iconic score, and Britain's premier dance maker seem that you might well be forgiven for assuming it had happened years ago. In fact, the show Bourne presented at Sadler's Wells this week is brand new this year. So is it a worthy addition to the choreographer's stable of reimagined ballets? Up to a point.
The Bright Stream, Bolshoi Ballet review - a gem of a comedy
Why is Alexei Ratmansky one of the greatest living choreographers of classical ballet? Well partly because, as last night's performance of The Bright Stream by the Bolshoi proved, he can do comedy. To adapt the famous aphorism for ballet: sententious abstract dance is easy, even Swan Lake is comparatively easy, but doing physical comedy well enough to raise belly laughs from a very smart, high-culture crowd is hard, hard, hard.
Spartacus, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House review - no other company could pull this off
The Bolshoi juggernaut has rolled into town and will be dominating the thoughts of ballet fans in and around the capital for the next three weeks. And what could be more dominating - or more quintessentially Bolshoi - than Yuri Grigorovitch's 1968 Spartacus? From the moment the curtain rises on the Roman soldiers' muscular, triumphant caperings in front of their captured slaves, you know that subtlety is not the aim in this story of freedom fighters versus decadent imperialism.
Spartacus, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House review
The Bolshoi juggernaut has rolled into town and will be dominating the thoughts of ballet fans in and around the capital for the next three weeks. And what could be more dominating - or more quintessentially Bolshoi - than Yuri Grigorovitch's 1968 Spartacus? From the moment the curtain rises on the Roman soldiers' muscular, triumphant caperings in front of their captured slaves, you know that subtlety is not the aim in this story of freedom fighters versus decadent imperialism.
The Firebird triple bill, Royal Ballet review - generous programme with Russian flavour
You can’t accuse the Royal Ballet of lightweight programming: the three juicy pieces in the triple bill that opened at the Royal Opera House on Tuesday add up to a three-hour running time. That’s a lot of ballet for your buck. Whether they actually go together is another question. Russian-ness is a rather tenuous thread to link the mythic extravaganza of The Firebird, the torrid claustrophobia of Ashton's Month in the Country and the faceted neo-classicism of Balanchine's Symphony in C.
San Francisco Ballet, Shostakovich Trilogy, Sadler's Wells review
Alexei Ratmansky stands out among contemporary choreographers for two reasons: he still creates genuinely classical dance, and he's more conscious than most that art is dependant on the society it's created in. His Shostakovich Trilogy, which received its UK premiere on Wednesday night at Sadlers Wells, should have been a triumphant opener for San Francisco Ballet's London season, a vehicle for the company to show off its technical proficiency and its artistic seriousness.
San Francisco Ballet, Shostakovich Trilogy, Sadler's Wells review - less than the sum of its parts
Alexei Ratmansky stands out among contemporary choreographers for two reasons: he still creates genuinely classical dance, and he's more conscious than most that art is dependant on the society it's created in. His Shostakovich Trilogy, which received its UK premiere on Wednesday night at Sadlers Wells, should have been a triumphant opener for San Francisco Ballet's London season, a vehicle for the company to show off its technical proficiency and its artistic seriousness.
Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Sadler's Wells - vivid, enchanting
The Matthew Bourne Swan Lake has become a classic. And – lest that word conjure up dusty tomes and a niggling sense of obligation – this is definitively not the old-but-worthy, improving-but-dull kind of classic. This is the "where has this been all my life" kind, the "I've got to tell all my friends and relations" kind, the "blimey, I'd forgotten dance could be so good" kind.
Swan Lake, Royal Ballet review - beautiful, heartfelt
A new Swan Lake at the Royal Ballet is a once-in-a-generation event. Liam Scarlett, choreographer of the production that opened this week, was a babe in arms when its predecessor was created by Anthony Dowell and Yolanda Sonnabend in 1987, and – given the evidently lavish investment in the new show – the Royal Opera House accountants at least will be hoping Scarlett is a pensioner before his interpretation is retired.
Ballet's Dark Knight - Sir Kenneth MacMillan, BBC Four review - hagiography and home videos
If you came to this programme knowing nothing about the choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, you may have learned a few things. That he died, tragically and rather dramatically, of a massive heart attack during a first night performance of one his own ballets. That he was "interested" in sex and death, and frequently choreographed violent forms of both in his ballets. That in later life he had a wife and daughter whom he loved.
Voices of America, English National Ballet review - a punchy programme of contemporary ballet
A new William Forsythe ballet is quite a coup for English National Ballet; the choreographer hasn't made a piece in Britain in 20 years. Premiered last night as part of ENB's Voices of America triple bill at Sadler's Wells, Forsythe's Playlist (Track 1, 2) makes a rousing finale to a punchy programme of contemporary ballet delivered with the style we've now come to expect from this classy, confident company.
Bernstein triple bill, Royal Ballet review - epic ambitions unfulfilled
The Royal Ballet last night presented an evening of Bernstein-scored ballets, two of them premieres by Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon and the other a revival of Liam Scarlett's 2014 Age of Anxiety. Celebrated and accessible composer; celebrated and accessible choreographers; nice centenary bandwagon to hitch them to - surely a recipe for triple success? Or triple...not-success.
Giselle, Royal Ballet review - beautiful dancing in a production of classic good taste
The run of Giselle that opened at the Royal Opera House last night was completely sold out before it even started, and no wonder. Pair Sir Peter Wright's eerie production with some very fine casts and the reliable classiness of the Royal Ballet's corps de ballet and you have an enchanting package indeed.
Song of the Earth/La Sylphide, English National Ballet review - sincerity and charm in a rewarding double bill
The unifying theme of this new Coliseum double bill is death, but don’t let that put you off. Kenneth MacMillan’s Song of the Earth and August Bournonville’s La Sylphide may seem like odd bedfellows, but both are a great deal more uplifting than their plot summaries might suggest, and in the hands of English National Ballet the evening is joyous, even life-affirming.
Dance reviews, news & interviews
Britain's reputation as one of the world's great ballet nations has been swiftly won, as home-grown classical ballet started here only in the 1930s. Yet within 30 years the Royal Ballet was recognised as the equal of the greatest and oldest companies in France, Russia or Italy.
Sylvia, Royal Ballet review - Ashton rarity makes a delicious evening
On paper, the appeal of a Sylvia revival is questionable. If even the choreographer (Frederick Ashton) wasn't sure his 1952 original was worth saving for posterity, do we really want to watch a 2004 reconstruction posthumously pieced together from rehearsal tapes? Especially given that, with its arcadian setting, it totters delicately on the dividing line between delightfully arch and camp as the Queen Mother's curtains?
Does religion have a place in a progressive public sphere?
Contemporary Western liberals often assume that theological and political worldviews are competing discourses. Religion, when it enters the political arena, is cast as just another ideology vying for power. But treating the theological and the political as warring forces stops us from looking at the more surprising ways that they interact and inform each other.
Can Reason Make Room for Religion in Public Life?
Contemporary Western liberals often assume that theological and political worldviews are competing discourses. Religion, when it enters the political arena, is cast as just another ideology vying for power. But treating the theological and the political as warring forces stops us from looking at the more surprising ways that they interact and inform each other.
Can reason make room for religion in public life?
Contemporary Western liberals often assume that theological and political worldviews are competing discourses. Religion, when it enters the political arena, is cast as just another ideology vying for power.
La Bayadère, Mariinsky Ballet review - a parade of delights
There are half as many performances of La Bayadère in this Mariinsky tour as performances of Swan Lake (four vs eight). The preponderance of Swan Lake is driven by audience demand, but if audiences knew what was good for them, they'd demand more Bayadère: this lavish, thrilling production catches the spirit of the Mariinsky far better than their rather pallid Swan Lake.
Don Quixote, Mariinsky Ballet review - gentle charm, impressive principals
One of the most Russian things you can do in ballet is dance Don Quixote, which is 100 percent set in Spain. Don't think too hard about it, and definitely don't think too hard about the plot (which is barely there).
Woolf Works, Wayne McGregor, Royal Ballet
On my way to the Woolf Works opening last night, I made the mistake of reading The Waves, Virginia Woolf’s most experimental novel. It was a mistake because even the briefest immersion in Woolf’s prose was a thousand times more exhilarating than the 90 minutes of treacly sludge served up by Wayne McGregor and Max Richter in this, the choreographer’s much-hyped first full-length work for the Royal Ballet.
Ashton triple bill, Royal Ballet review - fond farewell to Zenaida Yanowsky
Nicely covering the many bases of Frederick Ashton's genius, the Royal Ballet triple bill which opened last night is a chance to see both the company and its founder choreographer on top form. The Dream shows Ashton at his narrative best, handling comedy and kisses with equal aplomb. Symphonic Variations displays his slightly less well-known talent for abstract ballet, and is one of the most enjoyable 20 minutes in the entire repertoire.
Koen Kessels: 'there's a joke in ballet we only have two tempi' - interview
Koen Kessels is on a mission to change the culture around music in ballet. Anyone who has heard the Belgian conduct will know that he is the right person for the job: Kessels makes the classic scores come alive in the pit like nobody else I’ve heard. I will never forget a performance of Swan Lake with Birmingham Royal Ballet in which he had us all pinned to our seats with excitement, shaping every phrase of the familiar music as if it had never been heard before.
Mayerling, Royal Ballet review - 'every ballet fan should see this'
Sure there are things not to like about Kenneth MacMillan's Mayerling. Confusing plot. Plethora of characters. Un-sympathetic (anti-)hero. Borderline melodramatic choreography. Tense, scary dénouement. But to be at the Royal Opera House last night was to be convinced that Mayerling's merits far outweight its demerits.
Pina Bausch's Rite of Spring, English National Ballet, Sadler's Wells
Is English National Ballet's current predilection for acquiring European repertoire some kind of anti-Brexit statement, or just smart brand positioning?
Carlos Acosta, The Classical Farewell, Royal Albert Hall | Dance reviews, news & interviews
This is it. This is absolutely, definitely, finally Carlos Acosta's farewell to classical ballet. He has managed to spin out his retirement celebrations for almost a year: he gave his last performance on the Royal Opera House main stage last November, and there have already been two versions of the gala show which opened at the Royal Albert Hall last night, one at the Coliseum last autumn and a touring one during the spring and early summer of this year.
Swan Lake, Australian Ballet, London Coliseum | Dance reviews, news & interviews
Graeme Murphy's 2002 Swan Lake for Australian Ballet stitches together plot elements from Swan Lake, Giselle and Lucia di Lammermoor, among other things. No bad thing, that; such mash-ups can work well (see Moulin Rouge), and Matthew Bourne proved way back in 1995 that Swan Lake's story can be totally reconfigured and still work gloriously (we do not talk about the 2011 film Black Swan).
theartsdesk in Berlin: Three Ballets
Wednesday night saw the opening of a new run of John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet, with Polina Semionova as Juliet, at the Deutsche Oper, Thursday a performance of Artistic Director Nacho Duato's Multiplicity: Forms of Silence and Emptiness at the Komische Oper, while last night the Schiller Theater was packed out for Giselle with the Stuttgart ballerina Maria Eichwald guesting in the title role. To my mind, a company's Romeo and Juliet is almost as important a flagship as its Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker, Royal Ballet
The production is the result of research into the St Petersburg original, as well as revisions added 15 years ago to incorporate ideas from the Nutcracker Wright did for Birmingham Royal Ballet, but it feels as effortless, inevitable and magical as a fairytale's "once upon a time".
A Streetcar Named Desire, Scottish Ballet, Sadler's Wells
Tall ballerinas do become principals, but, especially in smaller companies, they don't often get to dance the Auroras and Odette/Odiles, the big female roles that carry a ballet and get all the glory; instead they get secondary, albeit powerful, roles as mothers, queens or witches.
Listed: The Very Best of 2015 | Listed reviews, news & interviews
Don't on any account miss anything that you are about to read about. Our rival outlets are currently bludgeoning you into submission with long lists of the many many cultural highlights of the coming year. They won't all be good, and you certainly won't get to all of them. We've taken a different tack, and distilled the concept down to an essence of excellence. We asked our critics to nominate the one indispensable, sell-your-granny-to-get-a-ticket event in their art form in the coming 12 months.
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