Moiseyev Ballet at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar, Costa Rica

[Ballet fan]

Hello, everybody. This will be my first review of a live performance. As you all know live ballet performances in Central America are exceedingly rare so I jumped at the chance to watch a performance of the Moiseyev Ballet of Lavrovsky's Romeo and Juliet.

So first of all let me say I found the whole performance sub-par. The production seemed to be like it was for a high school performance of Shakespeare's famous love story.

As for the choreography, I did recognize passages of Lavrovsky's choreography, which I saw in the wonderful video with Galina Ulanova. But there were some passages that were obviously additions and not very good ones. At the beginning there was no heated fight between the families, just a little lousy mock fighting. The duel between Mercutio and Thybalt, and later Romeo and Thybalt was much better choreographed and performed.

Anna Ivanova played Juliet and Aleksandr Alikin was her Romeo. And here is what I have to say about their performances: while Ms. Ivanova was a self-absorbed Juliet that barely made eye contact with her Romeo, Mr. Alikin at least seemed to be interested in his character and tried to delineate and give humanity to Romeo, even if he overacted at times.

Overall I wasn't really satisfied with the whole performance because I really couldn't feel Shakespeare's drama, save a few moments.

[Natalia]

Thanks for your wonderful first report, Ballet fan! This is very interesting, as I had no idea that the Moiseyev Ballet performed classical works...unless this is different from the world-reknowned Igor Moiseyev Ballet of folk dancing. Is it the Igor Moiseyev? A classical offshoot of the folk dancing groupe?

[Richka]

What do you mean 'The Moiseyev Ballet'? Obviously this is not Igor Moiseyev's Russian Folk Dance company. Do you think this was a kind of 'pick up' company from Russia, capitolizing on the Moiseyev name? I never heard of these dancers and very likely unknown, even in Russia. From your review it does not sound of much interest, and are they giving credit to choreography by Lavrovsky? If so, how come making changes? This is is considered very unprofessional to do that. Thanks so much for giving your report.

oiseyv

Thanks for your wonderful first report, Ballet fan! This is very interesting, as I had no idea that the Moiseyev Ballet performed classical works...unless this is different from the world-reknowned Igor Moiseyev Ballet of folk dancing. Is it the Igor Moiseyev? A classical offshoot of the folk dancing groupe?

[Natalia]

I am guessing that this might be the Moscow-based 'pick-up company' led by Vladimir Moiseyev, a former Bolshoi character dancer from Grigorovich era.