BOLSHOI BALLET, GISELLE, TOKYO BUNKA KAIKAN, TOKYO, OCTOBER 11, 1999

Ballet on Stage: Dance Review by M. Moriyama

BOLSHOI GISELLE

It seems that Ananiashivili has reached the summit as a dancer. Her previous performances were something which lacked emotion and delicacy. Due to these, I was sometimes disappointed with her performance like character of Giselle.

However, this time, her Giselle was brimming with emotion from her well-controlled body and showed the finest performance of romantic ballet, filling the stage with the spirit of romantic ballet.

In the mad scene, her acting seemed excessive at previous performances. However, the quality of her acting has changed. She did not express "mad" just with movements. She calmly retreated to her inner self and isolated herself from outside world. It seemed her Giselle stopped to be alive.

In Act I, from her first appearance, her Giselle expressed her pining for love with her steps. In act II, her Giselle changed to a spirit itself. Her perfect technique and very delicate emotion could make these possible and her performance has attained the acme of romantic ballet, Giselle.

S. Filin supported her very well. In act ll, they created another world (world of spirit) when she was lifted.