Word: bolshoi
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...part of "the largest American cultural exchange ever to take place with the Soviet Union," musicians from Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre will perform tonight at Sanders Theatre...
...cliche goes that the Bolshoi aims for outsize spectacle and athletic feats. If some vulgarity creeps in -- well, that's show biz. If you want pure artistry, go to Leningrad and see the Kirov. If you want to explore classicism stretched into infinity, catch the New York City Ballet. What the Bolshoi does best now is Grigorovich's signature ballets, the socialist-realist works like Spartacus and The Golden Age that dramatize episodes in class warfare. The dancers command extraordinary energy and seem in total, avid sympathy with the choreographer. Unfortunately, American audiences may find these mighty pageants simplistic...
...Bolshoi has a potent secret weapon. The major revelation of the tour is the U.S. debut of Irek Mukhamedov, 27, a thrilling performer whose presence almost legitimizes all the excesses of Soviet realism. Perhaps the best offering in the tour repertory is the second act of Spartacus, which closes the "Highlights" program. The choreography is little more than an astounding series of leaps and runs. Mukhamedov's entrance is a cadenza of high, bullet- fast jumps. He becomes a projectile of the Roman slaves' insurrection, ending the torrid first scene by rushing downstage to the footlights in an embodiment...
...Fair as she is dark, he is attentive, handsome and gallant. By keeping things simple and performing on a common impulse, the pair gave several performances that were more satisfying than their showier elders'. At least in the context of this tour, they seemed to reassert values that the Bolshoi would do well to remember...
...Bolshoi Ballet brings its bravura style to the U. S. after an eight- year absence, but classical standards have slipped...