Diaghilev Triple Bill/ Kirov Ballet Royal Opera House, London CLEMENT CRISP

By Clement Crisp, Financial Times
Published: Jul 30, 2003

I take it as a happy portent that the Kirov Ballet is reclaiming the old Ballets Russes repertory. A few Diaghilev works originated on the Mariinsky stage: the impeccableChopiniana a prime example. Others, such as the company's awful Petrushka, were Soviet-era misapprehensions. But re-identifying Fokine, Nijinsky, Nijinska and - most significant - Balanchine as Petersburg creatures (all educated on its blessed stage) is worthwhile.

Petersburg roots, Mariinsky attitudes, are there as grain of the artist, if not always the output. So, fascination at the Kirov triple bill on Monday night, which brought the first London showing of the troupe's newest acquisition, Nijinska's Les Noces, framed by an ancestral treasure, Chopiniana, flawlessly done, and by that bedizened old ghost Sche{'}he{'}razade.

The grand interest of Noces was to see (and hear) Russian artists in this most Russian of works. The score was superb: four spiffing Kirov Opera soloists, plus chorus and pianists, brought total conviction to the music under Mikhail Agrest's baton. And a Russian cast knowing exactly what the sung text meant - tremendous.

There were some individualistic problems with the effects Nijinska created from mass dances: more rehearsal (the staging is a month old) is needed to arrive at that unified pulse the movement must have. The final scene is over-populated, though the soloists - Elena Sheshina and Maxim Khrebtov - were tremendously good.

This version differs in slight detail from the 1964 staging made by Nijinska for the Royal Ballet, but it is Les Noces given with love, understanding and a blazing masterpiece about Holy Russia is honoured.

TheChopiniana was perfect, and introduced a ravishing newcomer, Daria Sukhorukova, all delicacy and imponderable grace, phrasing with the night breezes, deliciously responsive to the score. Irina Golub and Irina Zhelonkina were also very fine.

And to end the evening, Sche{'}he{'}razade, more harem-scarum than ever, with Farukh Ruzimatov exuding passion like Valentino on Viagra, and Svetlana Zakharova pulsating with desire. Mad. Wonderful. The chief eunuch, though, must be tied down, or heavily sedated. Tel +44 20 7304 4000