2008 Woodie Awards
Russian troupe spices up "Carmen" for Lied stage
Johnna Hjersman
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Features
English theater, French opera and Russian dance come together this weekend as the original star-crossed lovers and a seductive, Spanish gypsy pirouette, sashay and leap across the Lied Center's stage.
The St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre will perform "Romeo and Juliet" tonight and "Carmen" Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th and R streets.
"It's a unique experience - a different experience - to see these stories interpreted with movement, colorful costumes and very dramatic effects," said Charles Bethea, executive and artistic director of the Lied Center. "If you think about ballet, the thing that will always come to your mind is big, Russian ballet."
While "Romeo and Juliet" will exhibit the classical technique and discipline for which Russian ballet is known, "Carmen" will feature ballet that has a much more modern feel than what audiences might be expecting.
"The (Lincoln) audience will see two completely different styles," said Yuri Petukhov in Russian, artistic director for the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre, during a phone interview. He said their version of "Carmen" is oriented toward a younger audience and is a kind of "kitsch" of style.
"There are so many versions of 'Carmen' made in the world. We tried to find something that would be our own," Petukhov said.
Petukhov was able to do so by combining both modern and traditional elements from different cultures.
The ballet shoes worn by the ballerinas in "Carmen" feature heels, which allow them to incorporate the stomping of Latin dancing with the tip-toe "en pointe" posture of traditional ballet. The music of "Carmen" is based on Russian folklore and uses traditional Russian instruments.
"It's usually strange at first, but the audience enjoys it a lot later," Petukhov said.
Another difference between this version of "Carmen" and the more traditional versions is that the main character is not Carmen but her lover Don Jose, who is played by one of two dancers from the company.
Michel Schaller, St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre's company manager, explained that each of the two ballet's lead role characters has two to three dancers who are all able to perform. Schaller said that on the day of the performance Petukhov will assign which dancer will be performing that night.
The company has 46 dancers, 38 of whom will perform in "Romeo and Juliet" and 39 of whom will perform in "Carmen."
Schaller said the company's U.S. tour showcases three other ballets in addition to the two to be performed at the Lied: "Swan Lake," "Giselle" and "Russian Season," which is a mix of three different ballets. By the end of the tour, the company will perform in 120 U.S. cities.
Bethea said the Lied has hosted the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre in the past, and each occasion was a "rousing success." This year's performances come near the end of the Lied's season.
"We like to end with something that's memorable," Bethea said. "Ballet is always memorable. It's a great 'date night,' and if you want to impress somebody, this is great for that."
johnnahjersman@dailynebraskan.com
Alina Selyukh contributed to this article.
The St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre will perform "Romeo and Juliet" tonight and "Carmen" Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th and R streets.
"It's a unique experience - a different experience - to see these stories interpreted with movement, colorful costumes and very dramatic effects," said Charles Bethea, executive and artistic director of the Lied Center. "If you think about ballet, the thing that will always come to your mind is big, Russian ballet."
While "Romeo and Juliet" will exhibit the classical technique and discipline for which Russian ballet is known, "Carmen" will feature ballet that has a much more modern feel than what audiences might be expecting.
"The (Lincoln) audience will see two completely different styles," said Yuri Petukhov in Russian, artistic director for the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre, during a phone interview. He said their version of "Carmen" is oriented toward a younger audience and is a kind of "kitsch" of style.
"There are so many versions of 'Carmen' made in the world. We tried to find something that would be our own," Petukhov said.
Petukhov was able to do so by combining both modern and traditional elements from different cultures.
The ballet shoes worn by the ballerinas in "Carmen" feature heels, which allow them to incorporate the stomping of Latin dancing with the tip-toe "en pointe" posture of traditional ballet. The music of "Carmen" is based on Russian folklore and uses traditional Russian instruments.
"It's usually strange at first, but the audience enjoys it a lot later," Petukhov said.
Another difference between this version of "Carmen" and the more traditional versions is that the main character is not Carmen but her lover Don Jose, who is played by one of two dancers from the company.
Michel Schaller, St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre's company manager, explained that each of the two ballet's lead role characters has two to three dancers who are all able to perform. Schaller said that on the day of the performance Petukhov will assign which dancer will be performing that night.
The company has 46 dancers, 38 of whom will perform in "Romeo and Juliet" and 39 of whom will perform in "Carmen."
Schaller said the company's U.S. tour showcases three other ballets in addition to the two to be performed at the Lied: "Swan Lake," "Giselle" and "Russian Season," which is a mix of three different ballets. By the end of the tour, the company will perform in 120 U.S. cities.
Bethea said the Lied has hosted the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre in the past, and each occasion was a "rousing success." This year's performances come near the end of the Lied's season.
"We like to end with something that's memorable," Bethea said. "Ballet is always memorable. It's a great 'date night,' and if you want to impress somebody, this is great for that."
johnnahjersman@dailynebraskan.com
Alina Selyukh contributed to this article.
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