An Imperial ballet for the 21st century

By Jenifer Sarver, 14 May 2018

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“What a wonderful gift this ballet is”

Reviewed at Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston on 11 May 2018

The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa, Sir Frederick Ashton)

Boston Ballet

David Walker, Set Designer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

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Jenifer Sarver

Jenifer Sarver was the first American to be hired as soloist with the ballet of the Teatr Wielki in Lodz, Poland, and has also been a soloist with Ireland’s Cork City Ballet, a member of the Slovene National Ballet (Maribor, Slovenia), the Opera na Zamku (Szczecin, Poland), the San Diego Ballet and the California Ballet. Ms. Sarver has also been a guest principal dancer and performed the complete classical repertoire. She has enjoyed two full-time assistant professorships, served as an artistic director for a regional ballet company and taught, choreographed and set repertoire all over the world.

An Imperial ballet for the 21st century in Boston