Mariinsky Ballet

It is 50 years since what was formerly known as the Kirov Ballet — now Mariinsky Ballet — paid its first, legendary visit to London. Thanks to the commendable efforts of Viktor Hochhauser, the impresario who made that first visit possible, the company has become a familiar focal point of the London summer dance season. This year is no exception, with a rich programme of both classical and modern ballets. For its opening last week, the celebrated Russian company chose the work it is traditionally associated with: Swan Lake.

Konstantin Sergeyev’s 1950 production might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it remains a classic in the ballet’s performance history. Pleasantly dated, it highlights with its simplicity the sheer beauty of the choreography and the magnificence of the corps de ballet’s work. The performance I saw stood out because of the elegant symmetries, perfect unison and stylistic unity. The entrance of the swans and the choral numbers that followed were everything a serious balletomane dreams of, and a far cry from those Western productions in which the swans are all different heights, shapes and…weights.