The Three Tenors, says Janet-Street-Porter, brought opera to an entirely new audience, using popular material performed in arenas, not concert halls. Can former Royal Ballet star Ivan Putrov do the same for ballet?
His brilliant idea is an evening of spectacular dancing, Men in Motion. The biggest draw, after a tumultuous week in which he walked out of starring in the Royal Ballet’s next production, was 21-year-old Sergei Polunin, in Narcisse, a spectacular tour de force that showed off his athleticism to perfection. Ivan Putrov is a lyrical performer, who, like Polunin, came to find the Royal Ballet too restricting. He is enchanting in a solo set to Gluck and in a new work, designed by Gary Hume, which he also choreographed.
The show-stealer is the subtly hypnotic Daniel Proietto, in the beautiful AfterLife (Part One). The running order is a bit odd and the event needs to end on more of a high note, but it’s a step in the right direction, and shows that classical ballet needn’t focus around anorexic women in tutus. Ivan’s concept can easily be expanded with other soloists and merits a wider audience.
Polunin is ballet’s next rock star.
Photo: from left Daniel Proietto, Sergi Polunin, Ivan Putrov
At first glance, it seems impossible that the fate of the world economy rests in Mario Monti’s hands — says Time magazine. The Prime Minister of Italy has the aura of a gentlemanly grandfather — the polite demeanor, the soft voice, the smiling eyes — not the tough taskmaster Italy so desperately needs to escape 
