On The Edge: Diana Vishneva
Diana Vishneva is a world famous Russian ballet dancer, star of the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg. She has danced every role in the classical repertoire and is as close to dance perfection as it is possible to be.
In a recent programme at the London Coliseum of two contemporary ballet pieces, On The Edge, Vishneva gave us a new insight into her maturity with what were almost solo performances. The first piece, Switch, concerned the dancer herself, a driven performer comparing her hard disciplined existence with that of an unthinking happy couple who simply enjoy life. Life or Art versus Life and Art. Are they compatible or mutually exclusive? Vishneva's pale metallic costume was specially created by Karl Lagerfeld for the production.
The second piece Woman in a Room speaks of solitude and identity. Vishneva danced around a table whilst putting on and taking off a series of different dresses reflecting her changing mood. By the end she is cutting up lemons which she shared with her audience.
Much of the evening was obscure even allowing for the intricacy of the choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Carolyn Carlson which though striking was unengaging.
Vishneva received a rapturous reception - she could achieve that just by walking onto to the stage and off again. For me though, Vishneva's place is at the centre of a grand finale on a brilliantly lit stage, surrounded by dancers in gorgeous costumes and a magnificent set with music rising to a tumultuous climax. By contrast, On The Edge seemed rather ordinary.
For future Diana Vishneva performances, www.vishneva.ru/en
In a recent programme at the London Coliseum of two contemporary ballet pieces, On The Edge, Vishneva gave us a new insight into her maturity with what were almost solo performances. The first piece, Switch, concerned the dancer herself, a driven performer comparing her hard disciplined existence with that of an unthinking happy couple who simply enjoy life. Life or Art versus Life and Art. Are they compatible or mutually exclusive? Vishneva's pale metallic costume was specially created by Karl Lagerfeld for the production.
The second piece Woman in a Room speaks of solitude and identity. Vishneva danced around a table whilst putting on and taking off a series of different dresses reflecting her changing mood. By the end she is cutting up lemons which she shared with her audience.
Much of the evening was obscure even allowing for the intricacy of the choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Carolyn Carlson which though striking was unengaging.
Vishneva received a rapturous reception - she could achieve that just by walking onto to the stage and off again. For me though, Vishneva's place is at the centre of a grand finale on a brilliantly lit stage, surrounded by dancers in gorgeous costumes and a magnificent set with music rising to a tumultuous climax. By contrast, On The Edge seemed rather ordinary.
For future Diana Vishneva performances, www.vishneva.ru/en