There’s something quite special about going to see The Nutcracker after Christmas. It’s like that elusive last Christmas present that got lost in the post. Just as you’ve forgotten all about the joys of the festive season, it lands on your doorstep and you find yourself wanting to sing carols and roast chestnuts by the fire all over again.
Ok, maybe not quite but you get the idea. It’s a treat when such a far-flung and well-respected company like Moscow City Ballet visits Nottingham. Even more so when you realise that the last few years have not been easy for this company.
In 2013, just before its silver anniversary, the company lost its beloved founder and artistic director, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, following his long battle with cancer. He established MCB in 1988 following a twenty-year career with Russia’s premiere ballet company, the Bolshoi, and then as chief ballet-master of the Odessa State Opera and Ballet Theatre.
His wife, Ludmila Neroubashchenko has led MCB for the last few years and, given the circumstances, it’s impressive that the company managed to successfully complete its silver anniversary tour last year. Looking at its website, you’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps the entire company had ceased to exist after that point. Few pages are up to date and there is no new tour information.
But who needs technology? It’s the dance that’s important and it’s good to see that under Neroubashchenko’s direction, MCB continues to thrive in this respect.
Accompanying MCB on tour is the Moscow City Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Igor Shavruk. Even for those who have never seen ballet, Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Nutcracker score is instantly recognisable. To hear it played live is a real pleasure. The orchestra sets the atmosphere and as the curtains open to reveal the spectacular painted scenery, featuring a gigantic Christmas tree at its centre, it’s like being transported straight into the heart of a fairy tale.
The story sticks mainly to tradition, with the occasional twist. Slightly odd is the battle between Clara’s godfather, the magician Drosselmeier (Daniil Orlov), and the Nutcracker Prince (Talgat Kozhabaev) over Clara (Anna Ivanova). Drosselmeier’s reaction when Clara chooses to dance with the strapping Nutcracker Prince rather than himself is one of disappointment and longing, but it is he who brought her Nutcracker Doll to life in the first place!
Stand out moments come with the national dances. In the story these are the personifications of tea, coffee and chocolate, but in MCB’s version the regions of Spain, Russia, China and the East are represented in costume and dance. The Chinese dance in particular offers some humour and a performance by the most bouncy pair of male dancers I’ve seen. They certainly stole the limelight from their female lead.
The corps de ballet also give an excellent performance in both the Waltz of the Snowflakes and the Waltz of the Flowers, testament to their undoubtedly rigorous Russian training.
It’s unrealistic to expect a touring company to be faultless – the constant travelling would leave very little rehearsal time to perfect difficult lifts, or to stick to any sort of exercise regime to ensure tight muscles are stretched out. But if you can look past the occasional wobble, MCB’s Nutcracker is thoroughly enjoyable.
Moscow City Ballet performed at the Royal Concert Hall on Friday 6 February 2015.
Moscow City Ballet website
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
