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[leonid]

Ostrich, on Oct 25 2005, 03:28 AM, said:

Quote

Four of today’s greatest dancers take center stage for an incomparable display of the power and prowess of the male dancer. American Ballet Theater’s Angel Corella and Ethan Stiefel, Johan Kobborg of The Royal Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet star Nikolay Tsiskaridze will each dance world premiere works by some of today’s most sought-after choreographers, as well as breathtaking solos from beloved classical ballets. Additionally, all four stars join in a brand new work by Christopher Wheeldon.

While I'm dying to see Kings of the Dance, I have serious doubts about whether such a performance will really be good for ballet as an art. Won't it turn into a virtuosity competition? Comparisons between the 4 dancers will be inevitable and the result could be very much the same as the "3 Tenor" situation - lots of technique, but not much art.

You are quite right to point out the marketing comparison with the 3 tenors and I agree with your
evaluation of those performances. I doubt if many seasoned ballet goers would consider any of the four dancers to be 'great' in historical terms. I think 'very fine'. 'exciting'. 'most interesting' would be better. Perhaps only Kobborg might be considered, ' important ' or 'serious artist'. The others dancers, most entertaining in their way and very well received by audiences, but 'Kings of the Dance', surely not. However I have to confess I am more familiar with the work of Kobborg than I am with Corella, Stiefel and Tsiskaridze.