Multiplicity: Forms of Silence and Emptiness

The Mikhailovsky Ballet company performing at the London Colliseum. 
Images courtesy of Groupon, The Times, The Guardian and BalletandOpera.com

I have always wanted to watch a ballet performance to compensate for my two left feet. Dancing has always been my weakness but I can and do appreciate wonderfully choreographed performances. I am in awe of ballerinas particularly because of their grace and poise and their unbelievable flexibility, contorting their bodies in positions beyond what the normal human being can do.

On April 6th, Sherill and I watched our first ballet show here in London. Russians have always been known not just for their brilliant gymnasts but also of their ballet companies. The Mikahilovsky ballet company of St. Petersburg had their season performance for 2 weeks at the London Colliseum. We were lucky enough to get discounted tickets from Groupon (yes, I am a patron) and boy, we had a good view of the stage even if we were seated near the far right side of the dress circle.

Our view from the dress circle row H. Not bad for £20, isn't it?

English National Opera House. Very different from the Royal Opera House where we first thought the show was.  Funny thing is, the gentleman at the ROH box office gave us a pre-printed map with directions to ENO which meant that a lot of people do get confused like us with the two venues.

The performance was entitled Multiplicity, a two-act ballet featuring J.S. Bach's pieces (I love Bach!!!). It was about Bach's (played by Marat Shemiunov) passion for music which was personified by the company wearing simple black costumes dancing as if they were the musical notes in his compositions and acting like musical instruments which the musical maestro "played" with gusto. There was even one scene where he was depicted playing a cello--a human cello at that (played by Sabina Yapparova) which had a somehow erotic choreography with a tinge of humour which amused most of the audience. 

For a first-timer like us, the show was different as it did not have the usual ballerinas in tutus or extravagant dresses like what they had in The Nutcraker or Sleeping Beauty. Much like the title, the stage was simple likewise were the costumes but the storyline was deep with some tinge of darkness in the end as Bach was conquered by death (played by Polina Seminova) while still clinging on his passion for music. The over-all choreography was excellent and the musical scoring will capture the hearts of many especially those who love classical music. There would be times that you will just freeze in awe while the company dance their hearts out on the stage. 

They had two curtain calls at the end of the show which they definitely deserved. It may not be at par with musicals like Miss Saigon or Les Miserables in terms of curtain calls but Mikhailovsky's performance really deserves 5 out of 5 stars. Well, why so? When you can't get over what you just have seen and get carried away by the music and the story until post-show dinner and when you rush to the nearest cash machine to get a £10 note and go back to the theatre to buy the souvenir program (as they did not accept credit/debit cards) would you not be convinced that it deserves the highest marks?

This will definitely not be the last but just the first of many ballet acts that I will add to my to-watch list.

Pictures taken with a point-and-shoot camera. Our first time as well without a DSLR. Had some boo-boos with the low-end gadget but still had wonderful shots and yes, we think it has built-in photoshop.

Souvenir programme. Cash payments only. Worth the rush to the nearest cash point machine.