Review: ONEGIN, Royal Ballet And Opera

John Cranko's Onegin returns to the Royal Ballet and Opera stage for a second block of shows this season, and it's largely good news for all involved.

As a ballet it's accessible for audiences, and offers decent roles for the four lead artists. Dancers need new roles, especially narrative ones, in order to keep developing, and we see more debuts taking place as the ballet returns.

Vadim Muntagirov debuted as Onegin, and at 35 it feels like the right time. Muntagirov is an understated dancer, and I'd say the same for his Onegin, especially in Act 1. To overplay is a mistake, but to underplay also runs the risk of lacking tangible communication.

Act 2 felt more piquant, but the storyline helps there. And Act 3 saw things really start to come together. The exhaustion/desperation on his face was much more than just skilled make-up, so let's see where else he goes with the character and development throughout the ballet in future performances.

Fumi Kaneko tackled Tatiana for the first time, and it wasn't a runaway success for me. Kaneko is a precise dancer of quality but her dramatic skills are still a work in progress. Again Act 3 was the strongest work, with her maturer Tatiana having more presence and grounding, but I believe she needs a rethink in relation to drama in dance. Her current approach suggests she's thinking more about showing emotion rather than embodying it, and it all ends up feeling a bit lost and discombobulated. She's a fine dancer so doesn't have to worry about execution - therefore the focus should be on development elsewhere.

The roles of Olga and Lensky were also debuts, by Ella Newton Severgnini and Marco Masciari respectively. There's a buzz about Severgnini, and I can understand why as her dancing has a freshness and naturalism that's very watchable. Personally speaking I'd like to see more finesse in the use of feet and hands, but I'm sure we'll keep seeing her featured on the main stage.

Masciari also has an energy around him, and he's clearly an extremely capable dancer. He brought valuable drama to Act 2 in scenes calling for both aggression and melancholy, but Act 1 needs a little more analysis. Lensky is a poet, so the character needs a specific air, however Masciari's entrance and Act 1 characterisation felt a tad too caricature. I'd also be wary of hyper extension - especially where it isn't necessary or part of the narrative/choreographic arc.

Onegin is a narrative ballet, and has choreographically interesting moments. But without rich, deep storytelling throughout it can verge on lightweight. I wasn't moved on this Saturday matinee, but I'm also not in denial of the calibre of dancing, and the fact that none of the debuts suggested lack of preparation. 

In closing; the male corps de ballet excel in Act 1 with heady exuberance and big dancing, James Large as a senior (in relation to age) ballroom guest was spot on with his body language and slight comic turn. And Caspar Lench draws the eye whenever he's on stage. Fact.

Onegin continues at Royal Ballet And Opera until 12 June

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