The Night I Saw Zakharova

Svetlana Zakharova as Nikiya in La Bayadère, The Finnish National Ballet. Choreography and production: Natalia Makarova. Photographty (c) Mirka Kleemola / FNB. 

Svetlana Zakharova. First, I have to admit that I've never been a fangirl of the Russian ballerina. Despite her perfect physicality, 180° turnout, sky-high extensions, incredible feet and crystal clean technique. Her dancing is no doubt awe-inspiring and amazing, but I'm not that crazy for over-split developpés and grand jetés, certainly not in the most classical repertoire. A bit of upward curve goes a long way, but why shorten the line to make an exposition of extreme flexibility? The aesthetic of an extremely over-split jump is lost on me. Having said that, it would be very odd and unfair to dismiss a star like Zakharova because of the way she uses her extraordinary physical abilities. Albeit, she is not the first to ruffle traditionalists' feathers, the great Sylvie Guillem did it long before her. And I do adore Guillem, who does bear a physical resemblance with Zakhraova.... Anyway, ballet thrives on exceptional talent, discipline and artistry - all qualities that Svetlana Zakharova has in abundance. When it was announced that she would guest perform in The Finnish National Ballet's production of La Bayadère, dancing the role of Nikiya, I knew it was the event I could not miss. I was very lucky to get tickets.

When we entered the Opera's foyer, you could sense it right away: a tangible buzz in the air, excited anticipation, and familiar faces everywhere. Ballet students of all categories, retired dancers, working dancers, teachers, Zakharova-fans, aficionados and balletomanes. Not just any audience. I'm sure the dancers must have felt it too. The electricity. When SZ made her first entrance, stepping down the stairs of the temple, huge applause. But the Finnish audience did not bestow this honor on Zakharova alone. Her partner of the evening, Michal Krčmář, was welcomed just as warmly, and rightly so. Even Desislava Stoeva, who danced the role of Gamzatti, was applauded on her first appearance - something that I don't see happening in a regular performance. Like I wrote, special audience, special show.

I was seated five rows and one orchestra pit away from the stage, and had it not been for the tall blonde sitting in front of me, I would have been in ballet heaven. The moment she leaned back, her head completely obstructed my view of center stage. I'm 1,61 cm tall, and my shoulders at level with the edge of the seat. Hers were almost two widths of a hand higher. I should have gotten an extra cushion for elevation, but that evening all cushions had been employed to the left side of the entrance. Let's just say that my neck received an extra workout. I tried to respect the space of the woman sitting next to me, and apologized for my neck-craning exercise. She was nice enough to understand, and did not seem to mind. As I was seated closer to the right side than the middle, I did have better vision of the dancers' left stage. Luckily, I came with a friend, and whenever I needed to stretch my neck to the left, I could bump head to head. I did my best to keep up with the action on stage and not miss anything, but it did keep me from fully immersing into the magic. Still, whenever Zakharova was in my vision, I could not keep my eyes off her.

A ballet expert later commented that she did not hit all of her balances in the first act, but I do not know the temple dance variations that well. All I saw was perfection in execution, musicality, a port de bras that is otherworldly, and feet to die for. There is something undeniable magnetic in watching a ballerina who has it all. The height of her arabesques - without compromising turnout: unbelievable. Her pointe technique: beautifully articulated. Yes, extensions were high, but not over-split or flashy. In the second act "scarf pas de deux", Zakharova's developpées into seconde almost touched the scarf, and I held my breath as Michal Krčmář stretched his arms high above his head to accommodate Svetlana's incredible reach. The pas de deux was executed flawlessly, there were no entanglements. As for Zakharova's grand jetés: I would be a happy dancer with half of her split and hang time. My initial preference for a 180° grand jeté remains. The classical line is, in my humble opinion, more beautiful than folding legs up on each end. Although, a slight upward curve initiated with the front leg can look absolutely stunning. It is a question of degrees really. I have to say that I expected SZ to execute her grand jetés in rhythmic gymnastic style, but at least there were no glaringly obvious over-splits. Not that it would have mattered that much. It's never just about one step or saut. One more note about her physicality which I was not alone to make: Zakharova's arms look very thin, almost to the point of distraction. A freak of nature, as one viewer commented, or a product of genetics, training and life-long discipline. Their fragile shape do lend SZ a quality that is most suited to the portrayal of swans, sylphs and other not-of-this-world fantastical creatures. Her port de bras is wonderful: sensitive, musical, expressive.

Technical perfection aside, Zakharova's portrayal of Nikiya came across as somewhat reserved. I have noticed this quality before, and wonder if it's rather a question of personality, not interpretation. Perhaps the reserve is intentional, a reflection of her star status, a way to retain mystery. Then again, despite the glitzy mid-riff baring costume, Nikiya is a temple dancer, not a show-girl. She has committed her life to servicing the gods, falls head-over-heels in love with Solor, is betrayed by said love of her life, and reduced to an after-life vision. Other than the falling-in-love part, there's not much to make light off. Zakharova's Nikiya looks happy in her first act pas de deux with Solor, then tragically heartbroken, then unattainably solemn. Still, sitting in 6th row, I would have expected more of an emotional impact. Perhaps I payed too much attention on her feet when the tall blonde was not in the way of my vision.

Svetlana Zakharova, Desislava Stoeva and Michal Krcmar. Photography (c) Mirka Kleemola / FNB.

Desislava Stoeva, on the other hand, displayed no reserve in her interpretation of Gamzatti. Stoeva has strong features, which were emphasized by even stronger make-up, and she projected all the way into the nosebleed section. At times, I felt, almost too much. Gamzatti's confusion, indignation and pain at seeing Solor reacting to Nikiya's presence was played in hands-off-my-man-bitch looks and deathly stares at Solor. Fierce, and a big hit with the audience, but veering on caricature. Gamzatti is royalty, not reality TV. Both female protagonists love and want the same man, both are betrayed by him. And just as Nikiya is not a show-girl, neither is Gamzatti a "common" woman. But I have to applaud Stoeva for holding her own, for entertaining the audience, and for dancing all of Gamzatti's showy variations with elegant bravado. Ms. Stoeva has certainly earned her promotion to Principal Dancer, which was announced after curtains and made public the next day.

As the audience was giving standing ovations to Zakharova and the evening's stellar cast, another announcement was on the way. When you see the artistic director and entourage walk on stage, you know to expect something special. Kenneth Greve, AD of The Finnish National Ballet, first presented Svetlana Zakharova with a huge bouquet, then proceeded to give a celebratory speech... leading into the presentation of the prestigious Edward Fazer Award to Etoile Dancer Michal Krčmář. The Fazer Award is given biannually, and is considered one of the highest recognitions of artistic merit. Furthermore, Michal was not only awarded for his considerable skill and artistry, but also for advocating and coaching the next generation - even though he is still himself part of that generation! I'm fortunate enough to have seen Krčmář on stage and also met him in person, and I can only say that the award could not have gone to a better dancer. His exuberance on stage, the ballon of his grand allegro, the double cabrioles, the dare-devil turns and manège - all despite a lingering ankle injury.. Fantastic! Not to mention his boyish charm, his joy in partnering Zakharova, the face of Solor when he realizes his mistake... I'm always happy to see him perform!

Michal Krcmar and Svetlana Zakharova. Photography (c) Mirka Kleemola / FNB.

In the light of Zakharova's bright star, one could almost forget to write about the fourth star on stage: the corps de ballet. But, there is no Bayadère without the 2nd act Kingdom of the Shades, no otherworldly magic without the Shades' mesmerizing entrance, one of the most beautiful scenes in ballet. The corps of FNB danced beautifully, and I was delighted to be in direct eyeline with the right line, at the end of their entrance. I was also relieved that the tall blonde had decided to switch places for the second act, so I did not have to crane my neck back and forth. One tiny gripe: there was a rather noticeable difference in the height of arabesques between the first, second and third shade. To be more precise, the arabesque of Shade Number Two was considerably lower throughout. Clean, controlled, beautiful - but not matching the Shades arabesquing before and after. I know that the corps is arranged primarily according to height, to create an illusion of uniformity, but the steps need to be identical as well. I do not know if this difference presented itself in earlier performances, and it's a very minor gripe anyway. Not really a complaint, more of an observation. The Shades Act is one of the most hardest choreographies for a corps de ballet, and to be part of it a tremendous accomplishment and milestone for any dancer... Also, considering that there were young apprentices among the corps, it was very well danced indeed! The three solo Shade variations were all performed with aplomb. I especially liked Rebecca King's Second Shade variation: the arabesque balance at the end of her first cabriole diagonal, and the following two compound steps where she turns back to the audience, and holds her balance. Often it's danced so that the audience sees only the back, or the half turn is more of a quarter, but King really presents the steps to the audience. A lovely detail! Kudos also to Frans Valkama's Bronze God in the last act. After seeing the rehearsals, I have renewed awe and respect for this incredibly difficult variation!

To summarize the experience: I left the ballet star-struck, if not in love. It was an amazing, mesmerizing evening. I feel privileged to have seen one of ballet's biggest stars live on stage, at such a close range too. Thankful to all of the artists of FNB for turning an ordinary day into an extraordinary evening, lifting both body and soul. Believe me when I say that we had dance in our steps and dreams long after you guys went home. Thank you all!!

Finnish National Ballet: La Bayadère / Bajadeeri. January 29th, 2016.
Photo: my own. 

A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Finnish National Ballet

A Midsummer Night's Dream, choreography by Jorma Elo. Pictured: Samuli Poutanen as Puck, with students of the
Finnish National Ballet School. Photography by Sakari Viika, courtesy of Finnish National Ballet.

Stars sliding down from the sky, moonlit fairies, a secret forest, magic love potion, confused lovers, dreams and awakenings, mirth and happy endings... It was a wonderful evening, set to Mendelssohn's music, sparkly like the cava I had during intermission, sensual like a midsummer breeze, a breath of fresh air into the world of ballet. I had seen Jorma Elo's work before, so I knew to expect innovative and exciting choreography - but Midsummer Night's Dream is his first full-length story ballet... How do you even translate a play into dance? Seated in the audience of the second cast dress rehearsal, I tried to recall what Shakespeare's play was about... I had not done my homework on purpose, because a choreography should be able to stand and dance on its own.

The curtains open, and Puck appears. Bare-chested, green tights, with devil's horns on his head. He is holding a big red folder, marked "PLAY", and goes about contorting his body, sniffing and tasting the air. One wicked half-grin, and the entire audience is sold. I was lucky enough to see both casts, at the rehearsal and premiere, and I have to say this: both Pucks are fantastic. Frans Valkama is a natural choice, in appearance (that grin!) and personality. Samuli Poutanen (first cast, premiere) was equally marvellous. Some facial expressions were perhaps more pronounced (compared to Valkama), but I was seated closer that time. As a dancer, you have to project into last row - subtle does not show. In movement, Poutanen appeared more forceful, especially when he hurtled himself across the stage in breath-taking grand sauts I don't even know the names of. Both Poutanen and Valkama are technically very strong dancers, but it's always been their expressive personalities that have appealed to me the most. Hint to the Artistic Director: Put these two Pucks into a gala dance-off!

After Puck's introduction, a free-standing stone wall with ancient Greek drawings comes to life - we literally see characters stepping onto stage. It's far more traditional than what I expect. Dancers are posing, walking. A marriage proposal is mimed by pointing to the ring finger of the extended hand, just like it has been in every other story ballet. All very elegant and beautifully presented, including a refined pas de deux, but to me it lacked Elo's trademark innovativity. Prologues should set the mood and give background information, but personally I'm weary of anything involving mime. I talked with a few audience members and they shared my initial bewilderment. That's when a very old gentleman told us to "always do our homework!" But is it really necessary to be well versed in Shakespeare before you can view a ballet based on his play? One lady told me that she soon gave up trying to understand every twist, turn and motive. She simply sat back and enjoyed the dancing.

Nicholas Ziegler as Theseus and Daria Makhateli as Hippolyta, with artists of FNB. Photo by Sakari Viika, courtesy of FNB.

After the premiere (my 2nd viewing), I thought about it some more. The duke of Athens (Theseus) and the queen of Amazons (Hippolyta) are supposed to represent order, in contrast to the dream-like world of Puck and the fairy queen Titania. What could be more orderly than purely classical ballet? When the stone wall turns again, the ballet comes back to live. This time, the narrative is carried by the dancing: a young couple (Hermia and Lysander) is in love and wishes to marry. But Hermia's father wants her to marry another man (Demetrius) instead, which she refuses. Then there's Helena who is in love with Demetrius, but he wants Hermia... The father asks for the king's (Theseus, Duke of Athens) support and Hermia is commanded to obey. I like how the characters have distinct choreography. Demetrius (Johan Pakkanen and Tuukka Piitulainen) especially stands out, an angular contrast to the softness of Hermia and Lysander. Ilja Bolotov and Eun-Ji Ha, a couple in real life as well, bring their young love sweetly to life. Elo takes full advantage of Eun-Ji Ha's fearless and secure technique (her balances are breathtaking), and she delivers. Petia Ilieva (2nd cast) is a beautiful Helena, her dancing effortless and lush... She is a woman in love. How could Demetrius be so blind? Linda Haakana's Helena feels younger, a sweet but silly teenager compared to Ilieva's more mature Helena. I'm happy with both interpretations. Ballet needs personalities, not clones!

Eun-Ji Ha as Hermia, with Ilja Bolotov as Lysander. Photo by Sakari Viika / Finnish National Ballet.

The scenery so far has been sparse: a black background with single illuminated stone wall. But as we enter the forest, stars descend from the sky like leaves on a tree. It is a beautiful vision. Fairies come alive, moving as multicellular organisms, framing their queen Titania in odd and wonderful patterns. Jorma Elo recycles and repurposes time-honored steps, then adds is his own movement: organic, angular, witty, ingenious. Port de bras and port de têtes are intricate, rich in texture. As a result, everything feels revitalized, lush and joyful. There are whimsical details you could almost miss: the stars sliding from the sky, literally. Those stars (or fairies) are small ballet students wearing illuminated pouffy skirts and hats. It is not entirely clear what their function is, but they are adorable. The one thing that I do miss: more light. The corps de ballet appears as if it were lit only by moonlight, which makes dancers' faces almost disappear. By comparison, Queen Titania stands out (as she should).

Tiina Myllymäki as Titania, with artists of the Finnish National Ballet. Photo by Sakari Viika, courtesy of FNB.

Tiina Myllymäki as queen Titania is everything you could ask for, and more. Expressive, musical, tender, yet fierce. She takes Elo's choreography and makes it her own. Sergey Popov and Michal Krcmar are perfectly cast as Oberon, impossible to decide which one I liked better. Popov is tall, elegant and blond... Krcmar boyishly handsome, athletic, charming. Both have beautiful lines and mad technical skills, in leaps and turns, and partnering. Popov danced the premiere with Tiina Myllymäki, Krcmar partnered Rebecca King in the dress rehearsal. Rebecca King did well, rising from understudy to leading role. That's ballet for you: one dancer's injury is another's opportunity. King definitely rose to the occasion, her dancing strong and secure. But my award for "Dream Team" has to go to the first cast, because of the beautifully expressive Tiina Myllymäki.

Wilfried Jacobs and Tiina Myllymäki. Photo by Sakari Viika, courtesy of FNB.

One character is still missing: Bottom. Wilfried Jacobs prances around with his folksy theatre ensemble, in preparation of the royal wedding (as alluded to in the prologue). It's a merry group, providing comic relief amidst the love-sick. It liked that Elo uses dancers' indivdual strengths. Instead of both casts dancing the exact same choreography, he lets two men do their own thing: Xiaoyu He pulls of acrobatic breakdance moves (and I lack that particular dance vocabulary to describe it), while Alfio Drago fouettées like there's no tomorrow. In Elo's dream, the entire corps - men and women - gets to dance at their maximum ability. There is no standing in lines and formations, only dancing. I love it! But back to Bottom. When Puck bestows him with the head of an ass, I could not help but fall a little in love - even without magic potion. Jacob's ass is heartbreakingly funny (and I bet that's a sentence he never expected to read). He partners the enchanted Titania with an endearing and hilarious mix of bewilderement and how-lucky-am-I. Their pas de deux is one of the ballet's highlights.

Meanwhile, love-lorn lovers are bewitched and bewildered - Puck confuses the young athenians and sprinkles the magic onto Lysander, who falls in love with the first woman he sees: Helena. Things get even more confusing when in attempt to fix things, Demetrius is also enchanted - and now falls for Helena. It would seem that affections and lust are easily interchangeable. In the end, the spell is lifted, and lovers reunited. Order is restored. The scenery changes from blue-toned midsummer night to sunny day, with golden and amber colors. A triple-wedding ensues and the story ends in a firework of dance. It feels like a celebration, all the way into last row. But who wants to wake up from this dream?


- Johanna Aurava


More notes and observations:
- The music by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy - absolutely magnificent.
- The world premiere of Jorma Elo's Midsummer Night's Dream was at the Vienna Staatsoper in 2010.
- Nicholas Ziegler a most regal Theseus, and Daria Makhateli as Hippolyta... Oh my, what stunning extensions - a true Amazon queen! I've had the good fortune of taking class with Nicholas Ziegler - he's a really good teacher! It's always weird seeing someone you know in character, on stage.
- When Titania wakes from her enchanted dream and realises she's been with an ass, she's almost too quick to shove him off her bed. Realisation and reaction are simultaneous, the comic timing feels off. But perhaps it was not meant to be that funny. By the way, I felt really sorry when Bottom the Ass was discarded so ruthlessly. Titania is not the nicest lady.
- The Indian Princess. Again, without knowing the play (where the princess is a prince instead), it's unclear who she is and why Titania and Oberon fight over her possession. She is moved around like a chess pawn, always in the same pose, not giving the young girl much to dance.
- I got to meet Jorma Elo! He is so cool... Down-to-earth and really nice. Not that I let it affect my review or anything.
- You don't have to understand ballet to enjoy ballet. But I would advice reading at least a summary of Shakespeare's play. A bit of homework makes the experience even richer. 

Michal Krcmar as Oberon and Frans Valkama as Puck. Photo by Sakari Viika / FNB.