Monthly Archive: January 2025

“La Bayadère”
Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón
Teatro Colón
Buenos Aires, Argentina
December 28, 2024 (stream)

by Ilona Landgraf
Copyright © 2025 by Ilona Landgraf

The Teatro Colón wrapped up its 2024 season with a stream of La Bayadère, which had been recorded a few days earlier. The choreography is by Mario Galizzi, the company’s artistic director for the past three years. His new version stays faithful to Petipa’s original and, like in Yuri Grigorovich’s rendition for the Bolshoi Ballet, Act III ends with Solor’s breakdown after he recognizes Nikiya among the Shades. Solor’s and Gamzatti’s wedding, the destruction of the temple, and the apotheosis were omitted.

Act I bode well. The moment the holy fire was conjured, a sense of spirituality filled the temple’s forecourt, which could be felt even on screen. Usually, such energy is only bestowed from higher realms and cannot be taken for granted. But at this performance, everything fell into place. The fakirs (led by Emanuel Abruzzo as Magedaveya) who worshipped the flames, were devoted, the bayadères danced gracefully, and real affection blossomed between Solor (Federico Fernández) and Camila Bocca’s refined Nikiya. Every step and gesture was a testament to their interior bonding.
No such bonding arose between Solor and Gamzattti (Ayelén Sánchez) in Act II. Although Gamzatti was distinguished by rank, nothing about her was special. Warmth, charisma, and empathy seemed foreign to her, and her dancing lacked sparkle. Solor was a dutiful partner, but his solo looked forced and ponderous as if weighed down by despondency. After all, Gamzatti wasn’t the woman he loved. Solor improved once reunited with Nikiya in Act III. Again, their emotional unity was striking. Fernández’s mere presence firmly bolstered Bocca’s balances.

Once they descended the ramp, the twenty-four Shadows moved in sync, but differences in height made it hard to achieve unity in their pas de trois. Synchronicity was also an issue in the first pas de quattre at the feast held for Solor’s and Gamzatti’s engagement. Yet the wild performance of the drummers boosted the spirit. A highlight was Jiva Velázquez’s perfectly snappy and statuesque Golden Idol. Well done! Nikiya’s grief-ridden solo when forced to entertain Solor and Gamzatti was also strong.
The bent and twisted way in which Gamzatti’s slave, Aya (Constanza Colombo), moved immediately revealed her sneaky character. Indeed, it was Aya who handed Nikiya the flower basket in which the fateful viper was hidden—part of the rajah’s (Igor Vallone) plot to assassinate her. The High Brahmin (Nahuel Prozzi), who was in love with Nikiya, tried to intervene in vain. Ultimately, he stood side by side with the ruling powers.

Verónica Cámara designed a tasteful and suitable set, but the décor of the palace seemed to be the result of a limited budget. Of Valeria Montagna’s costumes, I especially admired the headdress of the High Brahmin. It looked like a little, delicate golden temple.
The Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires (under the baton of Manuel Coves) performed a fine rendition of Ludwig Minkus’s score.