“I have never been to the Ballet! I don’t like Ballet!”
How many times have I heard that?
“I mean there are no words, how can you know what’s going on? That’s why I have never been to the Ballet”
Swan Lake – Vienna Festival BalletDo we need words to enjoy Ballet?
I would advise anyone to go along to see The Vienna Festival Ballet company perform Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. As I, along with every other member of the audience that filled The Theatre Royal Windsor witnessed a visually stunning piece of art that held the full attention of everyone present from curtain up till the well-deserved curtain call, it was plain to see how the artistic director and world-renowned former ballet dancer Peter Mallek has built such a huge following since he founded The Vienna Festival Ballet in 1980.
Set to one of the most ear-pleasing musical scores ever written, with excellent choreography the tale of love between Prince Siegfried (Dean Rushton) and Odette (Rachel Victoria Hernon) unfolded before our eyes, but true love never runs smooth as the evil Baron Rothbart (David Gutierrez Robles) with his daughter Odile who has an uncanny resemblance to Odette – in fact, the two look exactly alike, trick the Prince into believing Odile is Odette, he publicly declares his everlasting love and the two are now betrothed. Everyone is grief stricken as they can see the Prince has been fooled. Then he sees the spirit of Odette and rushes to the lake.
At the lakeside, the magnificent looking swans dance sadly as Odette is distraught with tears – then the Prince arrives seeking his true love and although Baron Rothbart tries to prevent the couple being reunited he is defeated and the lovers live happily ever after.
The Vienna Festival Ballet perform so well we don’t need verbal narration, they present a visually stunning performance regardless of what language you speak.
The costumes and the makeup were stunning as attention was paid to every little detail. I hate to single any cast member out as I believe a production of this kind is all about team work but I was very impressed by the performance of David Gutierrez Robles, he really brought the villain to life.
The Vienna Festival Ballet company have triumphed again with a performance that captivated the audience and had them spellbound from the first beat until the final curtain call.
Review by Johnny Tait
One of the best known love stories, performed by the ever popular Vienna Festival Ballet. Lavish costumes, stunning scenery, international stars and the glorious music from Tchaikovsky make this a night not to be missed. Swan Lake is the ballet that captures like no other the full range of human emotions – from hope to despair,from terror to tenderness, from melancholy to ecstasy.
Mon 13th Mar – Sat 18th Mar 2017
http://www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/