WEBLINKS
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 |  | Reviewed by John Fenner, local actor and theatre reviewer
Many years ago, and I am really going back a long time, the big ballet companies used to tour on a fairly regular basis, and one frequently had the opportunity to see them in Coventry at the old Coventry Theatre.
As I recall, this 2,000 seat theatre was generally well attended for these appearances, particularly for the popular repertoire.
A rare treat
| Μύ |  | The Dutch National Ballet at Sadlers Wells Theatre
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Sadly, escalating costs eventually put an end to these tours and, until the transfer of the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet to Birmingham, we in the Midlands were pretty much starved of this branch of the arts.
Even now, for those unable or unprepared to drive into Birmingham, opportunities are limited because it is next to impossible to return home late at night on public transport.
So it should be potentially attractive for Leamington and district balletomanes to have a touring ballet company turn up on its doorstep, even if it is for only one day and two performances.
The Vienna Festival Ballet
The Vienna Festival Ballet was founded in 1980 by the Austrian dancer Peter Malleck, and aims to provide young dancers with the chance to perform the classical ballets around the world. The average age of the dancers is just 20 years old. The nurturing of young talent is always to be commended and, in this respect, the company is to be applauded. One wonders, however, at the wisdom of performing such grand pieces as Tchaikowsky's Sleeping Beauty with such limited resources.
A compromise
For this reviewer, the absence of a live orchestra is a major detraction. I can see piped music being suitable for many smaller pieces, but this sort of music cries out for the presence of musicians.
Yes, I know the costs would be prohibitive and smaller works would attract smaller audiences. Even for this ballet, the evening performance that I attended was probably only 40% full. So what we have here is a compromise, both musically and in terms of company size. Fair enough.
Lacking in style and detail
Allowing for all this, I still have to say that, for me, the production was lacking in style and detail, such that, at times, had I not known the piece so well, I would have struggled to know what was going on.
Only in the last act was a spark ignited, and we saw some decent ensemble and solo work. Elsewhere the drab settings and less than precise synchronisation by the corps de ballet, who were so few in number they were more of a squad than a corps, failed to impress. Costumes, however, were mostly impressive.
Performance profile
The Red Riding Hood and the Wolf pas de deux was well danced by Emma Brunton and Bryan Mitchell. As Princess Aurora, Liliana Roberta Durlai exhibited good style and lightness of step, although her jumps were a little weak.
Dimitri Rodikov made a fine-looking prince, and partnered Miss Durlai well, most notably in their Grand Pas de Deux.
Audience delight
The audience obviously loved it, because the applause at the end was generous by any standards. I just wish that a little more could have been done with the production, so as the better to show off this young, enterprising company.
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