N E W S ...&... R E V I E W S
Recent Review

Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007

By Matthew Erikson
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH – By the standards of most ballet companies, the Metropolitan Classical Ballet's double-bill Saturday evening at Bass Hall was unusual: the Bolshoi staple La Bayadère followed by the Broadway-inspired Notes on My Life.

But it exemplifies the unique dual vision of the Arlington-based company and its worldly co-artistic directors, the Bolshoi-trained Alexander Vetrov and Balanchine protege Paul Mejia.

For this particular performance, the formula worked a few wonders.

The first two acts of La Bayadère seen on Saturday -- staged by Vetrov based on Marius Petipa's original choreography -- packed all the drama of grand opera. Set in ancient India, the ballet contains an Aida-like love triangle with a Orpheus-esque visit to the underworld.

All of the performers helped give compelling life to the ballet's story. Olga Pavlova danced voluptuously in her role as the title character Nikiya. In her death dance, Pavlova displayed gorgeous extensions, which nicely complemented the amazing physicality of dancers like Anatoly Emelianov (the Golden god). Andrey Prikhodko and Marianna Ryzhkina were elegantly paired as the warrior Solor and the rajah's daughter Gamzatti.