"THE FOUNTAIN OF BAKHCHISARAI"
(music by Boris Asafyef 1884-1949)
By the Perm Ballet Company
at the ROYAL OPERA HOUSE MUSCAT (Oman) 29 November 2015
I Usualy don't use "hate" in my vocabulary, but Jeez, I really hate that Soviet theater and this kind of "Drama ballet" especially! Omg! Okay, the positive things first!
It was very clear that the technical quality of all ballet dancers was very high! The program tells us that Perm is amongst the Bolshoi and Marinsky (former Kirov) top ballet companies of Russia. Could be true! I haven't seen any of them the last 30 years. The sets and costumes, copies of the 1934 Kirov World Premiere production were "lavishly" done. The pinks and turquoise, the red - blue -orange - canary yellow and the whiter than white costumes were all over the place, especially in act one. :D
The sets, mainly flat, hung, and with a deep perspective were another Lenin or Stalin award worthy. The story after a poem by Pushkin - if you like hopeless stories - might make you sobbing. So, what can I say...
It was ABSOLUTELY not my cup of tea! The choreography was bluntly IMO awful, almost a parody. The program tells us that the original choreographer was a master of his time? :/ Perhaps he was in those Soviet 1930's days, but today... :( I have REALLY no clue why they've put this awfull work back on their repertoire. :/ There is a strong suggestion that this was the original 1934 choreography but I really question that. Who knows the original choreography of a piece that hasn't been in repertoire for 80 years? It's possible that there's some Kirov film footage in the archives of the now Marinsky theater, but I guess that it would be mentioned if there was original footage.
The program book is nevertheless interesting if you like history! :) About the composer - I've never heard of - : he composed 28 ballets, 11 operas, dozens of symphonic and chamber works, wrote books and articles on various (mainly Russian) composers like I.e. Tchaikovsky among others, was honored with many distinguish prices by Lenin and Stalin,... <sigh> Confirming my disgust for the man's music. I found the music absolutely awfull! Bombastic, simplistic and BORING!
Okay, to end:
This experience was an experience on its own! :D
The acoustics of the Royal Opera House at row 8, dead center of the house (if not with electronic reverb enhanced) were absolutely great.
The Omanis are very nice, friendly and helpful people and so were the ushers! :)
It's likely the safest opera house: you have to go trough metal detecting porches and purses have to go trough an X-Ray device just like at airports. No, no kidding! The first time it was a big surprise and I had to go back 3 times before I was cleared! :D
A young girlfriend of us tonight, had to ware a kind of cape because her beautiful black cocktail dress wasn't long enough! :D Oh well... paradise on earth doesn't exists! ;)
(More pics : we had a private, guided tour of the theatre 3 days ago!)
