Музыка и песни Gartside Bennet, ballet danseur / Гартсайд Беннет, солист балета

This special collection from The Royal Ballet includes nine of Frederick Ashton’s most loved short ballets, which showcase the range of his style. The pure classical perfection of Symphonic Variations is contrasted with the light-hearted exuberance of Voices of Spring. Both are complemented by the passion and drama of Marguerite and Armand and the romance and comedy of The Two Pigeons and The Dream. The collection is completed by Rhapsody, La Valse, Monotones and Méditation from Thaïs, four of the most iconic abstract works created by The Royal Ballet’s founding choreographer. "...a bill which revealed the variety of the Royal’s founder choreographer from the perfumed sway of La Valse, to the lyrical loveliness of the Thais pas de deux, and the audacious joy of Voices of Spring. Monotones I and II, on the other hand, show his geometric modernism and his ability to conjure a kind of mysterious beauty by the simplest of means... the performances throughout the evening made the choreography look as fresh and important as ever." (The Daily Telegraph) "Frederick Ashton's 1962 ballet is swooningly romantic and unashamedly old fashioned. The Parisian artist's garret setting might be a cliche but the action is alive with invention. What begins as a comic ballet glides imperceptibly into a more serious realm as the two immature lovers come to terms with erotic distraction and locate the adult within themselves. Ashton's birdlike steps, with flapping elbows and nodding heads are sharp and funny at first as the dancers shake a tail feather across the stage before softening and stretching into gestures of greater poignancy." (The Stage - The two Pigeons 5 Stars)

Swan Lake has a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory. This new production by Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett features additional choreography whilst remaining faithful to Petipa and Ivanov’s classic. John Macfarlane’s opulent designs provide an atmospheric, period setting for this enthralling love story, illuminated by Tchaikovsky’s sublime score. Marianela Nuñez brings both poignancy and glitter to the dual role of Odette / Odile, with Vadim Muntagirov as the yearning Prince Siegfried, while the corps de ballet are showcased at their spellbinding best as the enchanted swans and cygnets. “What a magnificent achievement this is. The young choreographer Liam Scarlett has given Covent Garden its first new Swan Lake in 30 years, and it’s a winner. Big, bold and beautiful, it’s completely distinctive — Scarlett has put his stamp all over this production — yet it honours the traditions of the Royal Ballet." (The Times ★★★★★) “From glittering court acts to the misty romantic lakeside, it balances spectacle, storytelling and powerful dancing from the entire company, with Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov on glorious form in the leading roles.” (The Independent ★★★★★) “… it stands out from so many other Swan Lakes in its attention to dramatic detail … Macfarlane beautifully transforms the stage to a blasted lake and a Turner-esque moon” (The Guardian ★★★★) Artists Marianela Nuñez (Odette/Odile), Vadim Muntagirov (Prince Siegfried), Elizabeth McGorian (The Queen), Bennet Gartside (Von Rothbart), Alexander Campbell (Benno), Akane Takada (Prince Siegfried’s Younger Sister), Francesca Hayward (Prince Siegfried’s Younger Sister) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Koen Kessels, choreography by Liam Scarlett after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov