Nijinsky

What word describes an experience that leaves you elated, humble, and awed by prodigious talent? I want Stupendous, but critics bestowed that on Joan Sutherland.

Vaslav Nijinsky was to ballet what Mozart was to music: a child prodigy; accomplished creator in his field; and his brilliant career was cut short (in Nijinski’s case by the onset of mental illness). In parallel with Mozart, Nijinsky earned international star status as both dancer and choreographer.

Neumeier’s ballet portrays his career and achievements backwards from Nijinsky’s last public appearance at a grand villa in St Moritz, at age 29. By then the dancer was developing an advanced mental problem. (He died in 1950 at 60 years of age.)

One dancer brilliantly portrays Nijinsky throughout (Alexandre Riabko, and Otto Bubeniček – 27^th) while a host of dancers equal his standard as characters that Nijinsky established in ballet history: Harlequin in Carnaval; the Spirit in Spectre de la Rose; the Golden Slave in Scheherazade; the young Man in Jeux; the Faun in L’Après-midi d’un Faun; and as Petruschka. All shine in their parts.

Hamburg Ballet has brought 60 dancers – and so much else is happening in all scenes that it’s impossible to ignore their grand part in the overall impact of this piece, especially since so much of it is emotional and physical interpretation of the classical music chosen by Neumeier.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Jay McKee.

Images: Alexandre Riabko, Anna Polikarpova and Otto Bubenicek & Otto Bubenicek and Anna Polikarpova. Photographer: Holger Badekow.