A piratical carry-on: English National Ballet revives Le Corsaire

By Graham Watts, 10 January 2020

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“Frola brought more than a hint of Errol Flynn with his insouciant bravado and mighty leaps”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 8 January 2020

Le Corsaire (Anna-Marie Holmes, Marius Petipa, Konstantin Sergeyev)

English National Ballet

Gavin Sutherland, Conductor

Bob Ringwood, Set Designer, Costume Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

Erina Takahashi, Dancer

Francesco Gabriele Frola, Dancer

Jeffrey Cirio, Dancer

Shiori Kase, Dancer

Brooklyn Mack, Dancer

Michael Coleman, Dancer

Eric Woolhouse, Dancer

Firecrackers at the 15th Ballet Icons Gala

Margaret Willis, 26th January

An evening of sparkle and bravura at London's international ballet gala.

***11

Wildly offensive, but wildly entertaining too: ABT's Le Corsaire

Ivy Lin, 11th June

Perhaps ABT's disclaimer in the program notes should have simply said: "When you watch Le Corsaire, prepare to be both offended and entertained. We hope you'll be more entertained than offended."

****1

“The spirit of Margot” celebrated in The Royal Ballet's Fonteyn gala

Graham Watts, 8th June

A memorable and important event in the history of British ballet, sensitively and sentimentally performed.

****1

Polina and Friends gala wins Berlin balletomanes

Katja Vaghi, 17th May

Organised by Berlin State Ballet audience’s darling, the principal dancer Polina Semionova, the gala Polina & Friends and its stellar cast literally left the house roaring from enthusiasm.

*****

San Francisco Ballet's 85th Season Gala

Carla Escoda, 18th January

San Francisco Ballet gives a rousing account of Justin Peck's ground-breaking Rodeo, newcomers Ana Sophia Scheller and Ulrik Birkkjær make waves, and Carlo DiLanno wins my vote for MVP at this season's gala.

***11

A Surprise Corsaire Debut

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 5th June

There was complete assurance in Skylar Brandt's performance and there’s no doubt that she’s a bona fide contender for a future slot as a principal dancer.

****1

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.