"Theme and Variations, set to Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 3, is a throwback to the grandeur of imperial Russian ballet; yet, at the same time, it represents a significant step in the genesis of what was to become American ballet, in which Balanchine was instrumental. A piece for 13 couples in glittering tutus pristine white for the lead couple, pale gold for the four solo couples and salmon for the corps (designs by Roberta Guidi di Bagno, who's also responsible for the rather tatty chandeliers)"
"On the evening I went (the unusual clash of opening nights between English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet required critics to do a bit of juggling), the lead couple was Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw. Both very tall and elegant, both very musical and preternaturally attuned to each other, here she was a slightly aloof queen, he her adoring cavalier. Something transcendent always happens when they dance together, and it happened again then. I found them mesmerising."
R:Evolution presents a four-stage mixed bill portraying ballet's evolution and revolution. The programme pairs Balanchine's Theme and Variations (1947) with Martha Graham's Errand into the Maze (1947), contrasting classical imperial Russian grandeur and emerging American modernism. Theme and Variations uses Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 3 and features 13 couples in color-coded tutus with designs by Roberta Guidi di Bagno, demanding pure classical lines and flawless coordination. Lead couple Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw delivered an elegant, musically attuned performance that was mesmerising, while the soloists and corps offered a creditable, occasionally rousing rendering, albeit missing a certain American edge.
Read at www.london-unattached.com
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