I love ballet – always wanted to be a prima ballerina. We went to the Grand Theatre in Blackpool on 7th January to see the Raymond Gubbay production of Don Quixote performed by the Russian State Ballet and Orchestra of Siberia, under the musical direction of Anatoly Tchepurnoi. Sergei Bobrov was the artistic director and set and costumes were by Christina Fyodorova. Ekaterina Bulgutova and Ivan Karnaukhov were superb in the roles of Kitri and Basil the young lovers, Arseniy Bormotov was Don Quixote, with Denis Pogorelyy as Sancho Panza. There is something for everyone in this delightful production of the Tchaikowsky/Petipa ballet adapted from the fairy story by Hoffmann. It was very difficult to pick out one dancer - I especially enjoyed the amusing antics of Don Quixote (Arseniy Bormotov), Sancho Panza (Denis Pogorelyy), Lorenzo (Alexander Kiumov) and Camacho (Vyacheslav Kapustin). Anastasia Koreshnikova danced a very lively gypsy dance, using some moves I thought I recognized from my shimmy lesson from Burlesque entertainer Kassandra Killjoy. The Street Dancer Natalia Vyskubenko and Mercedes Anastasia Kazantseva were also a joy to watch.
The wedding pas de deux at the end is one of my favourites and was beautifully danced. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening – dancing, music, costumes, set, comedy and of course the gorgeous decor of Blackpool’s Grand Theatre. Judging by the applause at the end, so did the packed house.
If you have the chance, do try to go and see one of these outstanding ballets – it is so lovely to be entertained in the old-fashioned way by a full orchestra with harp, huge drums, oboe, violins, cellos, etc. as well as by the full corps de ballet and star dancers.
Here until 31st March, the tour takes in Oxford, Liverpool, Leicester, Hull, Darlington, Croydon, Cambridge, High Wycombe, Wimbledon, Sheffield, Leicester, Dartford, Bristol, Plymouth, Ipswich, Malvern, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Swindon, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Blackpool again for one night on 23rd March to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the re-opening if the theatre, Aylesbury, Basingstoke and finally Buxton.
A big thank you to Raymond Gubbay and also to everyone involved with the Russian State Ballet of Siberia who bring the company out to ballet lovers who live outside London. Lucy London
