Giselle

Giselle
chor. Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot (1841); Marius Petipa (1884)
version: Sir Peter Wright (1987)

Royal Ballet
with Natalia Osipova (Giselle) and Carlos Acosta (Albrecht)

cinema rebroadcast from London
27 January 2014

Reviewer Judith Mackrell (The Guardian, 19 January 2014) was ecstatic about Natalia Osipova's Giselle though she found her interpretation of the role took "some drastic licence with the choreography's phrasing”. 

Natalia Osipova was dramatically and emotionally brilliant in the challenging role of Giselle — in turn girlishly cute, infatuated, distraught as the tragedy unfolded, then a protective and loving ghost amidst a host of vengeful willies. It was a wonderful production.

Carlos Acosta danced well, but was perhaps miscast as Albrecht. A younger partner would have been more suitable.

Jewels (simulcast)

Jewels
Драгоценности 
chor. George Balanchine (1967)

Bolshoi Ballet
Балетная Труппа Большого Театра

with Semyon Chudin, Olga Smirnova (Diamonds); Vlad Lantratov, Anna Tikhomirova (Emeralds); Vyacheslav Lopatin, Ekaterina Krysanova (Rubies)

simulcast from Moscow
19 January 2014

George Balanchine’s ballet gems, inspired by Van Cleef & Arpels, were brilliant in this performance with a large complement from the corps de ballet and strong principals in each segment. Memorable were the pas de deux of Vlad Lantratov and Anna Tikhomirova (Emeralds) and Semyon Chudin and Olga Smirnova (Diamonds), with virtuoso moments especially for Lantratov and Chudin. Costuming for the Bolshoi production was freshly conceived after consultation with the original French jewellers whom Balanchine admired.