Alina Cojocaru charms as Aurora in ENB's Sleeping Beauty

By Mark Pullinger, 07 June 2018

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Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 6 June 2018

The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa, Sir Kenneth MacMillan)

English National Ballet

Gavin Sutherland, Conductor

Peter Farmer, Set Designer

Nicholas Georgiadis, Costume Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

Alina Cojocaru, Dancer

Joseph Caley, Dancer

James Streeter, Dancer

Begoña Cao, Dancer

Daniel McCormick, Dancer

Connie Vowles, Dancer

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***11

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Roman Mejia and a raft of soloist debuts galvanized Peter Martins' Sleeping Beauty. An elegant production with some incidental messiness and the structural liability of a princess' dependence on a kiss.

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Alina Cojocaru charms as Aurora in a Sleeping Beauty lacking lustre