Review: Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra’s Stunning Performance of La Bayadère at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra wowed guests with the classic Russian story of La Bayadère in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Marius Petipa created La Bayadère for the Mariinsky more than 140 years ago. The story takes place in India and follows Nikiya, a temple dancer, as she faces the betrayal of the warrior Solor and battles her arch-enemy Gamzatti. It is an intense dancing drama about finding love and seeking revenge.
Alina Somova danced as Nikiya and is a principal dancer for the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg. Her flexibility, form, and strength were outstanding as we saw her character’s passion within every breathtaking adagio. Somova was born in Leningrad and graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 2003. In 2003 she was admitted to the Mariinsky Ballet and one year later was promoted to soloist and principal since 2008.
Award-winning dancer Kimin Kim, lept as Solor to a standing ovation on his solo performances, in which he defied gravity with grace. Attendees left Kim overwhelmed with gratitude and repeat applause breaks for his spell bounding performance. Born in Seoul, Kim graduated from the Korea National University of Arts. He was a soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet from 2012, and since 2015 he has been a principal dancer.
The ‘Kingdom of Shades’ scene did not disappoint and was simply one of the most brilliant performances you will ever see. This magnificent scene of perfectly synchronized tutus cascading across the stage mixed with the emotion behind Nikiya’s death stirred rich emotion with the beautiful cascade of dancers.
The intricate costumes designed by Yevgeny Ponomarev sparkle against the elaborate backdrops as Mikhail Sishliannikov showcases the beauty of India in the set design. Gavriel Heine conducts the music of Ludwig Minkus. To enjoy this performance before its gone, you can purchase tickets for at the Segerstrom Center of the Arts website.
Performance dates and times:
Friday, October 18, 2019, at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 19, 2019, at 1pm
Saturday, October 19, 2019, at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 20, 2019, at 1pm
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