Written by Hawra Al Fandi
Manama, Mar. 5 (BNA): Bahrain hosted two immortal musical and dance performances that dazzled the masses by watching them with interest in a wonderful atmosphere.
The Imperial Russian Ballet Company brought two of the Bahrain World’s Fair fairy tales to life in four performances over the weekend.
The performances featured a full orchestra accompanied by gorgeous ballerinas as they performed the stories of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
The music for both tales was composed by the famous Tchaikovsky and has been used in many ballets over the years.
The music was full of drama and emotion, the choreography was amazing, the costumes the dancers wore were amazing, and the sets were beautiful. The landscaping and lighting helped create an enchanting atmosphere that is sure to captivate audiences. No move by the performers is lacking in elegance.
The combination of music, dance, and fashion made for a truly magical time. From the romantic duets to the dramatic solos, the entire show was quite an experience. When brought to an engagement space like the Bahrain World Expo, performances were a great thing to keep. And we all did.
Dr. Anna Artsybashev of Common Ground International confirmed that the shows came out perfectly thanks to the support of the Bahrain Tourism Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) for the events to develop a variety of entertainment for the residents of the Kingdom and guests.
“We are honored to start and continue the international cultural Common Ground project in Bahrain and look forward to many more events in the future,” said Dr. Artsybashev.
She also appreciated Gulf Air for handling the safe and timely transportation of the 150 artists and their loads, and Dr. Debbie Christiansen, ASM Global presenter who worked to make this project logistically possible.
Two of the performances included tutorials under the famous Russian ballerina and director Gediminas Taranda, who taught the audience the basics of conducting an orchestra or ballet, how to choose the right music for a performance, and how to conduct the orchestra. The piece and how the dancers play.
Russian Imperial Ballerina and Ballet Academy professor Yulia Usanova said it was great to see the exchange of cultural knowledge.
“The course that I prepared with Technical Director Taranda as a charitable act by the organizers of the event was important for me personally,” said Osanova.
“We were able to see the joy that the next generation of ballerinas get from learning the characteristics of the classical style of Russian ballet, and to be able to guide them through the movements and emotions that were once felt—that is the true heart of ballet.”
Tickets for the four performances, which were completely sold out, confirmed the positive turnout and interest of Bahraini viewers, residents and guests of all ages, including children.
And a girl of seven years old, dumbfounded with delight, commented, in her own simple words, that if she were out of ten, she would surely give her ten out of ten.
Ivan Titov, Prince Desire from Sleeping Beauty, was amazed at the audience’s reaction.
“The willingness to open their hearts to receive and receive a wide range of new feelings was really inspiring to see,” he said.
“But most of all – watching the children – the joy on their faces during the shows and their curiosity about the culture – was the greatest reward.”
Ballet and Orchestra is a classic combination of music and dance that has captivated audiences for generations.
Common Ground International has done a great job of presenting timeless classics in a way that, for a fleeting second, never fails to impress.
All around me I saw how experienced ballet lovers and beginners were dazzled by the beauty and grace of amazing performances.