As autumn sets in, and following three “Bayaderes” which opened the 243rd season at the Mariinsky Theatre, a short run of “Don Quixote” offered a more upbeat note for local audiences whetting their appetites for more ballet. On September 13th, prima ballerina Oksana Skorik reprised the role of Kitri alongside Timur Askerov’s Basil on the historical stage.
Skorik, known for her impeccable physique, stunning lines and steely determination, may seem outside her typical emploi in this comic, soubrette role. She’s best suited to legato, romantic, lyrical or strictly classical role, but surprisingly, she comes alive as Kitri with an incredible energy, verve and tireless approach to her character. Fighting a minor injury, she nonetheless infused a great sense of vitality and humor into her role in Act I. That she is blessed with such immense physical flexibility no doubt helps – with nose-touching battements and high attitudes, every line remained exquisite.
Askerov, a long time premiere danseur in this theatre endowed with long legs and significant height, seemed most engaged during the “suicide” pantomime scene, which drew laughter from the viewers. He didn’t manage to lift Skorik entirely in the first of two overhead lifts, and later in the evening removed the typical lifts altogether. In each fishdive, the ballerina was forced to reach behind herself and hold his shoulder so as not to fall forward. Throughout the evening, one kept wishing Skorik had a different partner, one who could place her talents on full display instead of restraining her.
The appearance of Nikita Korneev as the suave, debonair Espada renewed our faith in the casting masters, as Korneev has the slick, handsome aura that the role requires along with beautiful feet that certainly do not harm his image. His Street Dancer, Ekaterina Kondaurova, sailed through the sultry choreography with precise bourrées through the knives set up on stage (which is the traditional choreography here, for those who are unaware), and plenty of push-pull flirtation to keep things saucy.
For performances of “Don Quixote” on the historical stage, there’s been an unfortunate shift to non-historical costumes for the corps de ballet men. Former head of the troupe Yuri Fateev shifted the historical costumes to those performances that occur on the new stage, and re-clothed the corps in all-black gilettes that look empty and gaunt against the brighter theme of a ballet comedy. It’s unclear why replicas of the originals could not have been made, and then used on the new stage. To retain consistency and fully adhere to tradition, the historical costumes should be kept on the historical stage, with new ones made for the modern, expansive Mariinsky II auditorium.
In addition to Skorik’s spitfire, targeted, and flawless 32 fouettés in Act 3 performed at incredible speed, several other points in the performance stood out. The Gypsy dance lit up the auditorium with its infectious, brisk energy — Alisa Rusina and Nikita Kopunov embodied the ideal balance of passionate, quick tempered magnetism — while the final act also offered the memorable musical section for the fandango which was performed by Ekaterina Efimova with Alexander Beloborodov. Albina Satinalieva performed an expressive Eastern Dance, embodying an Arabic princess with mystifying appeal in her easily folding spine and hyper-flexible wrists. The Queen of the Dryads, Daria Kulikova, performed her steps cooly, without specific infusion of character. Soslan Kulaev as Don Quixote proved every bit the absent-minded, infatuated elder, adding a reminder that the distinction between illusion and reality, while thin, nonetheless exists.
Top image: Oksana Skorik as Kitri by Natasha Razina (c) Mariinsky Theatre 2020; below: Ekaterina Kondaurova as the Street Dancer with Nikita Korneev as Espada by Mikhail Vilchuk (c) Mariinsky Theatre 2023.