Marguerite and Armand with Tamara Rojo and “terrifically handsome” Sergei Polunin
The big news for this revival is the debut of Sergei Polunin as Armand.
Although Ukrainian by birth and Royal Ballet School trained, he dances in the Russian manner so comparisons with Nureyev are inevitable. Polunin, who is terrifically handsome, bears more than a passing resemblance to his famous predecessor and he dances Armand with a palpable mix of passion and anger. There is a muscular excitement to his immaculately executed moves, and a thrilling romantic sweep that takes the breath away.
Tamara Rojo is no less brilliant, her Marguerite a wondrous combination of frailty and unbounded joy. Together, they turn Ashton’s stylish ballet into a red-hot tale of love won and lost.
via The Times
Photo: Rojo and Polunin – ROH/Tristram Kenton
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
