JOFFREY BALLET'S ANNA KARENINA

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2019 - Chicago's own Joffrey Ballet premiered it's highly anticipated adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina at the Auditorium Theatre to much fanfare. And, I must say, well deserved fanfare as it is a visually delightful and imaginative production that condenses a nearly 1000 page novel to two hours of dance.

 

Presented by artistic director Ashley Wheater, through the use of a dizzying number of stage transitions, the ballet progresses through the eight segments of the novel in two acts and thirteen scenes. Don't blink or you'll be at once in a bedroom and then in a train station.

 

Russian born choreographer Yuri Possokhov and fellow Russian composer Ilya Demutsky once again* collaborate to give this new production the feel of an old Tchaikovsky ballet; indeed Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy were contemporaries. [*Yuri and Ilya last worked together on Nureyev for the Bolshoi]

The story remains the tale of lust, love, betrayal, rejection, tragedy and joy. Countess Anna (performed by Christine Rocas) is in a loveless marriage to the older Alexey Karenina (Miguel Angel Blanco) - a Russian nobleman.

 

At a debutante ball where Kitty Scherbatckaya (Jeraldine Mendoza) is hoping to snag the dashing Alexey Vronsky (Dylan Gutierrez) after rejecting Konstantin Levin (Graham Maverick), Anna catches the eye of Vronsky instead. After the encounter with Vronsky, Anna realizes she can't stand being with her husband any longer and begins an affair with Vronsky.

 

Count Karenina learns that she has feelings for Vronsky at a derby when Vronsky gets injured. But in the second act he forgives Anna's cheating ways when she falls gravely ill; he even forgives Vronsky who isn't to happy with the situation and want Anna and the count to divorce. Anna recovers and she and Vronsky continue their relationship while her husband tends to parliamentary proceedings that will change the immigration laws of the land. This is where the scenes change in rapid succession from sensuous love dances between Vronsky and Anna, to combative political chambers, to joyful dances between Kitty and Levin, to dances of anguish as Anna and Vronsky are rejected by other Europeans.

 

The story is expressed dutifully and coherently even for someone unfamiliar with Tolstoy's story. The most moving scenes - when Count Karenina takes their son (Oliver Reed Libke) from Anna, Anna and Vronsky's intimate encounter, and Anna's tragic demise - are well paced and perfectly timed. Though the large ensemble dances lack the group precision of other productions, the principles exude effortless energy and absolute grace to their numbers.

 

With the exception of what seemed like an overly long Act One prologue, you will find much to love with Wheater's adaptation. The costuming is magnificent and the set changes are cleverly precise as a Swiss watch movement. Together with the video enhancements we are presented with several mesmerizing 3-D moments.

 

Anna Karenina" is presented at the Auditorium Theatre through February 24. Tickets range from $35 - $179.   -- GRADE A --   GEOFF BURTON

 

GEOFF BURTON

 

 

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