Snow Maiden, Russian State Ballet Of Siberia: Darlington Civic Theatre

BASED on the Russian folk tale Snegourochka, The Snow Maiden ballet is something of a curiosity. With a lyrical Tchaikovsky score dating from 1873, the story is of a delightful snow princess, daughter of Father Frost, who yearns for the company, and the love, of humans. Against her father’s wishes, she ventures from the forest to a nearby village, where she turns the head of a young merchant, Mizgir, already betrothed to Kupava, a beautiful village maiden.

Needless to say, disaster ensues. Kupava’s heart is broken as her fiancé pursues the Snow Maiden, and then in turn, Mizgir drowns himself, when too long in the spring sunshine, the Snow Maiden melts clean away. However, the moral of the tale is that life goes on as winter turns to spring, and Kupava finds new love with young shepherd, Lel, an altogether more satisfactory suitor.

This is a pretty ballet with some gorgeous visual moments ( the snowflake headdresses are worthy of a particular mention), and some of the pas de deux lifts were breathtaking, especially when Mizgir nearly dropped Kupava in the first act. The folk dancing and jesters make for a charming work, but this will never be a classic. It is very much a throwback to an earlier era of dance, and along with some of the wigs worn by the Russian peasants, it is in need of a rework. That doesn’t detract though from some beautiful ballet moves, particularly from the girls in the company, which brought forth much applause at the close of the show.

* Darlington Civic Theatre. Box Office 01325-486555 or darlingtoncivic.co.uk

January 29, Sleeping Beauty 7.30pm; January 30 to 31, Swan Lake, Sat 2.30pm and 7.30pm; Sun 2.30pm

Marj Nelson