Lincoln Center FestivalInsurgents, a Russian specialty

When the Bolshoi Ballet last brought Spartacus to the Metropolitan Opera House in July 2005, they draped Lincoln Center with billboard-sized hanging posters that were fierce red, evil black, and conquering gold. There was no mistaking who was in town.

During that same month, insurgents were continuing to rise up in Iraq and had just invaded the London transit system killing scores of innocents in retaliation for Britain’s presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. Insurgents thousands of miles away had us all thinking about our own safety.

Skip forward to 2014 – the Bolshoi Ballet brought no big red hanging posters to Lincoln Center with their Spartacus. Instead, a modest sidewalk poster outside the theater featured the company's one American, a tall cool blond in a cool blue scene from Swan Lake. For this visit, it may have been a little risky to highlight any current connection of Russia to insurgents when the townspeople were unlikely to be empathetic. It isn’t very pretty what a town without pity can do, wailed Gene Pitney.

But Saturday night, Yuri Grigorovich’s production had us rooting for both the Thracian gladiator and the Roman Republic, because each side danced just as magnificently as the other and they frequently did the same steps. Most often in ballets that we see in New York, we are accustomed to the women boring us with repetitive steps, such as the ubiquitous tombe, pas de bourree, glissade (or worse, petit temps de fleche), saut de chat in Balanchine’s work. In Spartacus, the major corps work was not performed by leaf-light ladies in pink tights who adorned the stage perimeter but by sweaty, handsome hunks with raging testosterone who were holding sharp weapons. It was hard not to pay close attention to what they were doing – over and over again.

Denis Rodkin, fairly new to the title role, gave a superb, intensely dramatic, utterly convincing performance. His "chain dance" during Act I conveyed the magnitude of his despair and desperation so well that Haglund completely forgot that he was watching a ballet rather than listening to someone’s story. At the end of Act I when Rodkin's Spartacus incited revolt among his warriors and they all marched to the front edge of the stage with their fists and weapons raised – right then and there – Haglund was ready to sign up with the insurgency. Just slap a Callaway hybrid sword with graphite shaft in his palm and he’d help chase Crassus down hole after hole. Dare we say, there were not many in the audience who wouldn’t have followed Rodkin wherever he wanted to lead them.

Not like the well-known squatty Spartacuses (early Vasiliev and current Vasiliev) or the impossibly virile, meaty Spartacus of Irek Mukhamedov, Rodkin possesses the lean elegance and broad shoulders of an NFL wide receiver. His high flying, space devouring grand jetes suggested that he would give Jerry Rice (pre-DWTS) a run for his money.

Rodkin stunned with his partnering power and passion. Haglund had seen a brief video clip of his debut in the role last year during which the dramatic, strength-sapping one-arm lift was carefully steadied with the second arm. In Saturday’s performance, however, caution was replaced with steely resolve and Superman strength. His power came from the lightening fast, efficient coordination that has been a trademark of Bolshoi lifts since the early Grigorovich days. When Crassus’ army finally caught this Spartacus and dispatched him, the swords hurt us all. This was a Spartacus as gripping as those seen here nine years earlier in the Bolshoi’s incredible performances at the Met Opera House.

Maria Vinogradova’s Phrygia, also newly minted a year ago, is a dancer of expansive, exquisite harmony and beauty. Who thought that an elbow and wrist broken over the top of the head could convey such sadness and passion? While the repetitiveness of some of the men’s choreography brought boredom, Haglund never got tired of watching this Phrygia’s high developpe battements a la second that fell forward into deep battement attitudes with the back leg. Her bourrees in her Act III solo matched the lightness and sweetness of the flute’s notes while her generous port de bras opened up to reveal the passion in her heart. What a beauty and what sincerity in her character.

Vladislav Lantratov as Crassus had fabulous moments of fierce dancing but wasn’t always convincing as a ruthless Roman. That may have contributed to the conflicting loyalties one felt when watching this cast. Both Spartacus and Crassus had characteristics that we liked and feared. It was thrilling to watch from a safe distance as they faced off dramatically, and yet, we didn’t want to see either one lose. When dancing with his Aegina, Ekaterina Krysanova, Lantratov’s Crassus turned into a puppy, eager to receive what Aegina offered instead of taking it from her as one would expect an ego-driven Crassus to do. But his dancing was superb with especially admirable grand jetes in which the torso was straight and high off the legs.

Ekaterina Krysanova was a seductive and entitled Aegina who just needed to show more ruthless feminine ambition. Her portrayal was more Rubies tall girl than Roman courtesan, although the personality types do overlap in places. One couldn’t quibble with her dancing, however. Extraordinary length, flexibility, and physical power were on display.

What a surprise it was to see that the New York State Theater stage could accommodate a Bolshoi production of Spartacus – maybe not as impressively as the Met stage, but there was plenty of room for the dancers to power through this remarkable production. There is nothing schlocky about this Spartacus - a description that some tend to throw around. It is a huge undertaking of a grand story that requires a sustainable high level of physical and dramatic energy that few companies can muster. It is a thrilling ballet. Here’s hoping that the Bolshoi brings it to us again soon, but accompanied by Marco Spada and some more recent acquisitions.

The H.H. Pump Bump Award, a Gladiator sandal with protective shin guard, is bestowed upon Denis Rodkin (who one confused but very excited audience member kept referring to as Dennis Rodman) for his gripping portrayal of Spartacus.

Comments

[Tiffany]

I wish America had a classical ballet company just as good as the Bolshoi. I hope the Bolshoi doesn't take another 7+ years to come back on tour.

[Haglund]

Tiffany, I hope they come back soon, too. But I'm not interested in seeing them load-in as guest artists at ABT.

[Jennifer]

LOVE the protective shin guard!

[Haglund]

It never hurts to have a little extra protective gear when you're a gladiator.

[Ellen Mason]

Haglund,

I was at the same performance as you, and what will last in my mind forever are the beautiful feet of the two leading women: such pointed toes, such exquisite arches, such perfect placement on the stage. They made ABT's female dancers look so loose and lazy by comparison. It was a great night and I agree with you about the men.

Ellen

[Haglund]

Hi, Ellen.

It seemed that most people in the audience were thrilled with what they saw on stage. I know I was.