The Ballet Icons Gala, now celebrating its 20th year, is firmly established as a highlight of London’s ballet year. In a special anniversary year it was a particularly splendid line-up.
The evening opened with Daniil Simkin and Iana Salenko in Le Corsaire pas de deux, and they set the highest of bars for those who followed. What technicians both are, but both are artists, especially Simkin whose delightfully charming personality always fills the auditorium. I overheard several people in the interval remarking that they had wondered how anyone could follow this glittering pair! Luckily there was plenty of joy to follow.
It was a pleasure to see Edward Watson back on stage in Asylum, a solo choreographed by Antonia Franceschi. Watson’s flexible muscularity remains undimmed, and as always his charisma immersed us in the work. I also liked the solo Uhuru danced by Sarah Chun of Northern Ballet. She has a fierce technique and brought a pleasing clarity and precision to the Forsythian style of Mthuthuzeli November’s choreography. Other choreography new to me included the lovely Finding Light by Edwaard Liang, whose choreography always glows with classical beauty; it was given a gorgeous performance here by Matthew Golding and Lucia Lacarra. There was a world premiere, Postscript, choreographed and danced by James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight, who are carving out a deservedly well-regarded niche with their engaging pieces, always beautifully danced.
Jean-Christophe Maillot’s work is too infrequently seen in London. As Artistic Director of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo he has produced several enchanting versions of grand classics, and the pas de deux from his Nutcracker, which I have not seen, tempts me to book a flight! It was superbly danced with sincere love and passion by Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko, La Scala’s most admired luminaries.
Much-loved youngsters Margarita Fernandes and Antonio Casalinho gave a flawless account of Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky pas de deux. Casalinho’s mature technique never fails to astound, and the pair sailed through the challenges of this lovely pas de deux with aplomb.
The pas de deux from Diana and Acteon danced by Madeline Woo and Francesco Gabriele Frola was entertaining but not without pitfalls, perhaps due to the rigours of a very long flight and an eight-hour time difference (they are with San Francisco Ballet). Eleanora Abbagnato and Paul Marque of the Paris Opera Ballet were stunning in the pas de deux from Le Parc by Angelin Preljocaj, another choreographer whose work is, sadly, rarely seen here.
The Royal Ballet was brilliantly represented by Anna-Rose O’Sullivan and Reece Clarke in Spring Waters, Sae Maeda and Marcelino Sambé (outstanding as always) in Chroma, and Fumi Kaneko and Vadim Muntagirov in the Black Swan pas de deux. For me this was the most rewarding performance of the evening, stunning in the quality of interpretation, both technically and artistically. If you are looking for commitment and passion overlaying classical purity, this couple are exemplars.
The evening ended with an intriguing presentation of the Grand Pas from Don Quixote danced by Marianela Núñez and The Royal Ballet’s newest principal, Patricio Revé, with Chloe Keneally and Anna Nevzorova from English National Ballet. Keneally’s trajectory has been slower than I would have anticipated: she is still a First Artist at the company and is clearly capable of much more, with her clean lines and strong stage presence. Nevzorova has been on my dancers-to-watch list since I first saw her at the Bolshoi School in 2013, and I am delighted to be able to see her here with ENB. She has beautiful legs and feet, a lovely open upper body in the Russian style, and has shown that she can impress in modern work as well as classical. She will dance Aurora with ENB in the summer.
As for Núñez and Revé, they seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as we were. Lovely dancing and highly entertaining flirtatious interpretation from both.
It is never easy for any performer involved in a gala; frequently you will be partnered with someone from a company halfway across the world, and rehearsal time will be limited and hectic. So plaudits are due to all dancers, the orchestra under Maria Seletskaja, and to Olga Balakleets and her team for their continuing dedication and industry in keeping this most enjoyable gala alive and thriving. Here’s to next year.
