Bolshoi vs. Kremlin Ballet (ENG)

Hello,

Since i am the expert in the field, i felt it was my duty to enlighten you and compare for you the best Moscow has to offer in terms of deviuchkas jumping around in tutus and mens doing entrechats in tights!

As such, i was priviledged enough to see Swan Lake TWICE in a week, performed by the acclaimed Bolchoi on the Saturday and the...er...less-acclaimed Kremlin ballet on the Wednesday.

At the Bolshoi, Svetlana Youareanidiotova's épaulé-jeté are a rare tour de force and amongst the finest in the world!

...did anyone buy these????


Anyway, here's a more accessible comparative study

Price: 7 quid at the Kremlin from an official ticket booth against 22 for the Bolshoi via a ticket tout, operating almost in the hall of the theatre!! Welcome to Russia! Kremlin 1 - Bolshoi 0

Settings: The official Bolshoi theatre being refurbished, shows are the "new stage", newer, smaller and less impressive (i hope!) The Kremlin ballet company dances....in the Kremlin, in a Stalinist (read BIG) theatre that i reckon can accommodate 6 to 8,000 people with Sovietic frescoes! That's what we like! Kremlin 2 - Bolshoi 0

Costumes: not very daring in both cases. Felt all a bit dusty. Although the Kremlin was the only one who brought out the tutus!! Am afraid it's Kremlin 3 - Bolshoi 0

The dance itself: the Kremlin ballet felt like a big schoolplay in places! Ouch! It did feel like they dance better at the Bolshoi and Prince Sigfried was certainly jumping higher and further!! Kremlin 3 - Bolshoi 1

Overall experience: my sh*t seat at the Bolshoi allowed me to see only one third of the stage, twisting my neck even but it's the Bolshoi!! The settings at the Kremlin were grandiose but does the actual dancing compare to the Bolshoi. Ok it's a tie so Kremlin 4 - Bolshoi 2

Conclusion: unless you are an expert in tutus(Alex Mex?), have the dough to cough up for a orchestra seat and you visit Moscow in 09 when the old Bolshoi will be re-opened, i would suggest you don't bother and watch a ballet at the Kremlin!