Prima Ballerina Absoluta Galina Mezentseva.
(Large jpg - 31K)
Prima Ballerina Galina Mezentseva joins the cream of St Petersburg's ballet stars to perform the classics at the prestigious Mariinsky and Hermitage Theaters throughout the summer.
This world famous dancer, who epitomizes Russian classical ballet, recently appeared at the Hermitage Theater on June 27 to a select audience of German, French, American and English tourists.
The evening's two-part program, which included excerpts from "Swan Lake", "Harlequinada", "Les Sylphides", "Don Quixote" and "Tarantella", opened with Mezentseva taking center stage with dancer Sergei Berejnoi for act II scene II of "Swan Lake."
Despite her advancing years, Mezentseva looked incredibly fit when I met her shortly before her performance. And on stage it was immediately apparent why this woman is considered the greatest ballet dancer in the world.
Her grace, poise and elegance were faultless and her posture perfect right down to her finger tips. This is not just an incredibly talented dancer, this is an accomplished actress, a legend who used every muscle in her body to portray the emotional agony of death in her famous rendition of the short ballet the "Dying Swan," which rounded off the evening's lineup.
It was quite clear from that performance that Mezentseva can interpret a role using the depths of her emotions which she skilfully translates into dance. As the famous Russian choreographer Leonid Yakobsen once said, "Many can dance brilliantly, but very few can speak the language of dance." Mezentseva clearly can.
Excellent performances were offered, in the intimate surroundings of the former Imperial family's baroque theater, by Irina Shapchiz and Mikhail Zavyalov who danced a pas-de-deux from Minkus' "Don Quixote." Along with Mezentseva, they proved the stars of the show and earned a standing ovation.
Dressed in red and white, the couple demonstrated some beautifully precise movements which were only marred at one point by Zavyalov's all too obvious slipped step. Their triumphant finale more than compensated the mistake.
Amusement was reflected in the faces of the spectators when Kirsanova and Petuhov took the stage in the cheeky "Harlequinada." Here love is treated as a game of hide-and-seek in which the two dancers perfectly interpret the innocence and freshness of love's first bloom.
The electric energy and ecstatic frenzy danced by Kullik and Kim in Balanchine's "Tarantella" raised the tempo with joyful
expressions and movements and a gleeful freedom. That they love every minute of the dance is evident, and his dance is so full of energy it is as if he wants to explode. But where was his kiss at the end?
The Gypsy Dance from "Don Quixote" with performers Sherstneva and Timofeyenko added a Bohemian touch to the evening. He is arrogant and cavalier but the passion and intensity between the two dancers is evident.
The stars of the Russian ballet will be appearing until the end of August at the Mariinsky and Hermitage theaters, an evening of entertainment and education not to be missed.
Mezentseva - stunning. (Large jpg - 13K)