SPECTACULAR JULIJA GURVICA AS ANNA KARENINA IN RIGA

The Latvian National Ballet presented Boris Eiframs ballet Anna Karenina to Peter Tshaikovskijs wonderful music Saturday Spetember 25th. With an outstanding cast, headed by Julija Gurvica in the titelrole, closely followed by her two gentlemens, Raimondas Martinovs as Vronsky and Ringolds Zigis as Karenin. It was an expressive, spectacular and very demanding performance for the leading three dancers and corps des ballets.

Life in the Karenin family goes by slowly and calmly. But the heart of Anna, the lady of the house, beautifully, spectacular danced and performed by Julija Gurvica,

Julija Gurvica

is suddenly inflamed by passion, which destroys their tranquil routine and the comforts of domestic harmony. Anna surrenders to her love for Vronsky, powerful and beautiful danced by Raimondas Martinovs

Raimonds Martinovs

, and leaves her husband, – splendid performed by Ringolds Zigis, and beloved son, branding her with society’s mark of shame. But her decisions do not lead to happiness…

Boris Eifman: “Anna Karenina became dependent on corporal love

. This dependence gradually becomes a disease, which, as a logical outcome, leads to suicide. I see Anna as a wolf-woman, a combination of two people: the socialite known and loved by her husband and son, and a woman overcome with passion. What is more important: surrendering oneself to an illusory domestic bliss or to the passion of true feelings? Do we have the right to destroy our family and abandon our children, all because of the desires of the body?”

The performance showed dancers of very high quality performing demanding and very expressive dancing parts. Boris Eiframs is an excellent choreographer in describing sexually details with discrete movements. Spectacular, expressive and dramatic lifts
. The choreography is during the way brutal, in high speed, full of intrigant steps and movements patterns, which the leading dancers managed perfectly and the corps des ballets were quite succesfully in their performance. The history is during the way not allways easy to follow, but because of good lighting by Gjebs Filstinskis and video projections by Aivis Neimanis, in the decoration by Martins Vilkarsis and together with beautiful and well functioning costumes by Vjaceslavs Okunevs, this functioned very well, and is a success for the company.

Ringolds Zigis

The Latvian National Opera Orchestra sounded brilliant conducted by Farhads Stade, with good soloparts, and I enjoyed very much his fresh tempis in the performance.