Dance Review by Nicholas Dromgoole

NEW ERA

The last two ballets in the welcome Bolshoi season at the Coliseum were Swan Lake and Don Quixote. (And spare a drop of gratitude that we have gallant impresarios like Victor Hochauser prepared to undertake the financial risks in bringing this noble company to London for our delectation)...

Those with long memories will recall that epitome of aristocratic elegance, Nikolai Fadeyechev, when the Bolshoi first came to London. His son, Alexei, was himself a distinguished principal dancer in the company, and is now its director. How other companies must envy such continuity and tradition. Alexei Fadeyechev gave us his 1999 version of Don Quixote (first choreographed by Petipa for this very company in 1869, there’s tradition for you) and a very satisfying production it was too, combining the best of what had gone before, rather than breaking new ground. Just froth and colourful fun, it needs superb dancing to keep at its best, and with Nina Ananiashvili at her starry finest, that is exactly what a delighted Coliseum audience got, ably supported by Andrei Uvarov jumping as if laughing gravity off the stage as her Basil, and Mark Peretokin exuding charisma and eroticism at every opportunity as a sultry toreador.