Swan Lake/English National Ballet, Coliseum - review

Even if Derek Deane's adaptation doesn't thrill, the inherent drama in Tchaikovsky's classic tale is enough
Lyndsey Winship8 August 2012

Swan Lake shares the problem of most three- and four-act ballets: too much first-act filler; all the interminable scene-setting and dancing villagers and courtiers. To his credit, Derek Deane — who adapted this production from the 1895 Petipa/Ivanov choreography, and from his own 1997 in-the-round version — keeps things moving and keeps the geometry interesting and the company are shipshape, but really, sometimes you just want to stand up and shout: “Cut!”

Luckily, the swans, the deceit and the tragedy are not too far behind. Leading couple Erina Takahashi and Zdenek Konvalina replaced advertised dancers Daria Klimentova and Vadim Muntagirov on opening night (things have not been smooth behind the scenes, it seems) and Takahashi is a safe pair of hands. There is an elegant restraint about her dancing. While as the conniving black swan Odile she lacks the crackle of seductive evil you might hope for, she’s pretty wily nonetheless, and her line and control are always lovely.

As Odette, Takahashi is the saddest white swan you have ever seen (for being a woman trapped in the body of a swan is not a happy lot) and Konvalina’s Prince Siegfried is just as miserable, another mournful soul adrift. Presented with a parade of possible brides by his mother, a veritable all-you-can-eat-buffet of princesses, he looks like a man who has seriously lost his appetite. They’re a well-matched couple and Konvalina is another pure and precise mover, reeling off deliciously smooth turns. Their partnership works, even if it doesn’t thrill, but the ballet’s inherent drama is enough. A good, solid Swan Lake, once you get past those pesky courtiers.

Swan Lake runs until 11 August (020 7845 9300, eno.org).

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