I'm going to start back to front. We have just returned from supper - sweet little place, sorry I don't know the name, but it is just up the road from here.
We had tapas and a great Rioja - a mere £25.
The reason we were in such high spirits was that we had escaped a fate worse than filling out a visa entry form. It's hard to believe we walked out of anything the Bolshoi could do - even on a bad day - but we did. Actually, Creation was not truly a Bolshoi production: it was a combined effort on the part of the Bolshoi and Ballet Preljocaj.
From the opening stomp of fifteen pairs of bare feet on bare boards to the accompaniment of some electronic burps, we knew we were in trouble. By the time two dancers, teetering like Naomi Campbell on platform heels - silver from head to toe - made their way downstage amid swirling monolithic slabs of grey polystyrene there was only one thing to do: leave. And in the wake of several other disenchanted members of the audience.
According to the programme notes, the choreographer, Angel Preljocaj, had originally named his conception, Apocalypse, given that the theme was taken from St John's Revelations, but somehow it had morphed into Creation. Here are a few of his own words.
"... the very word Apocalypse... evokes the idea of revealing, unveiling, or highlighting elements that could be present in our world but are hidden from our eyes. It should thus evoke what is nestled in the innermost recesses of our existence, rather than prophesizing [ shouldn't that be prophesying?] about compulsive waves of catastrophe, irreparable destruction, or the imminent end of the world."
I rest my case.
But, I put to you, is the destruction of the human race really an appropriate subject for a ballet? Where have all the sylphs gone? Could we please see some arched feet in pointe shoes and a great looking guy in tights with a big jump.
Just before Curtain Up.
Happily for us, we had seen several pairs of arched feet in pointe shoes earlier in the day - no men in tights though. Thanks to Gail's son, Mark - the ballet critic for The Daily Telegraph - we were invited to watch a company class. There were only a handful of dancers, this being the third day back after the summer break, but among them was Osipova, of whom more shortly. Class was taken by Marina Kondratieva whose voice barely rose above a whisper yet managed to convey the most complicated sequences of steps. With her delicate hands and exquisite epaulement it was easy to see the great dancer she once was.
It seems the place you occupy at the barre reflects your standing in the company, and the two dancers on either side of Osipova were fantastic. Yet even they paled against the incandescent Osipova. I swear her legs can revolve a full 360 degrees in their hip sockets, and, if that isn't enough, she can hold her extension for many seconds. She is the consumate ballerina. How privileged we were to have seen her.
Once class had finished, we stayed on to watch a rehearsal of the Czardas from Swan Lake, Act III. Sadly, we do not know the soloist's name but she was, somewhat predictably, amazing.
Here is a fuzzy photo of her.
Here's a better one of some of the company with Sue and Gail.
After rehearsal we were taken by Elena and Mikhail from the Press Office to the Bolshoi Theatre itself, which is being renovated. The grand opening is set for summer next year.
We three with Elena.
I have more to tell you but exhaustion and jet lag have set in.
Night-night.
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