Based on music from the opera by the same name but with a score recreated by Yuri Krasavin specifically for this production, Yuri Possokhov’s “Queen of Spades” premiered at the Mariinsky in July 2024. Describing the ballet, Possokhov stated, “It’s a fantasy. For me the most important thing is to give the production the meaning that I want the audience to understand.” This rather dark ballet thus focuses mainly on the story of the hero, German, his unquenched thirst for the secret of winning cards, and the concept of fatal love. Possokhov states that he offers an author’s stage interpretation of a literary work using a unique libretto by Valery Pecheykin. That libretto, seemingly set in the 19th century, takes the overall themes of the luck of fate, and the power of gambling addictions to distract human beings from the most important parts of life, and turns them into visual vignettes over a two-hour program.
On the 20th of July, “Spades” featured a cast led by several Honored Artists of Russia from the Bolshoi Ballet troupe: Vladislav Lantratov as German, Denis Savin as the Countess (Queen), Anastasia Stashkevich as Liza and Artem Ovcharenko as Tomsky (the latter two both People’s Artists of Ossetia-Alaniya). Maria Vinogradova danced Polina alongside Mark Orlov’s Eletsky. This all-star cast infused the ballet with various levels of dramatization.
Lantratov’s powerful interpretation of German etched the image of a dashing young man enraptured by the mystery of the cards, the secret that the Queen of Spades is said to hold, and on an earthly level, by the beautiful Liza. Lantratov’s smooth mastery of this unique choreography demonstrates his academic professionalism: double assemblés en tournant soar, turns in attitude float effortlessly, and split jetés are tossed in as if sprinkling sugar on a cake; suave swivels of the leg à terre add earthiness, and sharp head and arm gestures accent the cards he plays. But what makes him stand out is his acting prowess. Each one of German’s thoughts and feelings become palpable through Lantratov’s expressive gestures. We see the excitement in his eyes at the prospect of a card game, the determination and hunger with which he approaches the Countess to learn the secret, and the anguish and yearning that fills his dancing in the duet with Liza following the Countess’ death. This sort of acting distinguishes Lantratov’s talents and make him the top cast for any and all dramatic roles in addition to his usual classical repertoire.
Anastasia Stashkevich’s clean lines proved to be the most flawless of the leading roles, and when Lantratov lifts her in a cabriole backwards, light as a feather, to the sounds of piano notes with a jazzy trombone, it’s clear the couple are in love. She depicted her rejection of German after the Countess’ death with apt outrage, racing across the stage lost and distraught. 
We witnessed Viktoria Brilyova, who left the Mariinsky for the Bolshoi years back, as the elegant Countess in her Youth, a mysterious seductress who dances in the vignette from the past while the hero, Lantratov, echoes the movements of St-Germain (Mikhail Lobukhin) on the other side of the stage.
This theme of mirroring extends throughout the ballet: Lantratov’s German looks through window glass observing Liza indoors before they officially meet. The Elderly Countess later looks into the upstage mirror, seeing her image as Brilyova –the youthful version of the Countess—performs the same movements. And Lantratov later shoots the image of himself in that same mirror, bringing the “glass” crashing down. This theme of reflection leaves one thing to the viewer: the idea of self-reflection, absent from the work but necessary in order for the hero to avoid his fate. With this piece missing, his ending is predictably tragic.
As Tomsky, Artem Ovcharenko embodied an unusually happy-go-lucky demeanor, his long bangs falling in his face and a freedom-loving sense of urgency beginning each movement. His bouncy jumps expressed the impetuousness of his role. In contrast, Stashkevich’s tender, lyrical and careful personality created the essence of Liza’s “ideal” female character.
The “cards” are performed by dancers as well: the three cards are ladies with plastic red ponytails – Ekaterina Evdokimova, Maria Mishina and Stanislava Postnova. And the seven cards by a set of three couples and the Ace danced by Igor Gorelkin.
The score for “Spades” will be familiar to most experienced balletomanes: echoes from the hippodrome section of Ratmansky’s “Anna Karenina” usher in card players at more than one point, and the portion of Tchaikovsky’s score used in Balanchine’s “Diamonds” is cut up, orchestrated, and inserted back in a different order. This distracts the experienced viewer since one must fight to avoid choreographic comparisons with the other productions.
Nevertheless “Spades” is at least a new addition to the Bolshoi repertoire, offering a new look at the Pushkin classic.
Photos courtesy of the Bolshoi Theatre, by Natasha Razina and Mikhail Vilchuk (c) 2024.