I will never understand why I like Anna Nikulina, but I do. I really really do. Her classical technique is terrible, but I can't stop watching her and liking her.
My thoughts while watching the most recent broadcast of Spartacus featuring Svetlana Zakharova, Anna Nikulina, Artemy Belyakov, and Igor Tsvirko
Artemy Belyakov’s opening as Crassus is unbelievable. His jumps, flexibility, turns, stage presence, acting, literally everything was flawless. His Crassus is much different from Vladislav Lantratov’s who we saw in the 2013 broadcast. It’s powerful, strong, rough, bold, in your face. Lantratov’s is more suave yet strong, seductive and cunning. Both very masculine, but in two very different ways. Lantratov’s Crassus could convince you he was a friend, but Belyakov’s absolutely could not.
I wish I was better at blocking out memories of other dancers in roles because in my mind, Tsvirko did not stand a chance to come close to Mikhail Lobukhin’s Spartacus. Tsvirko’s opening monologue was very well done; he feels emotions better than he physically dances, but I still enjoyed it. You could feel his pain, but it came across as slightly contrived once or twice, like overacting. I didn’t like how his movement was more stiff and staccato compared to Lobukhin, but that is a stylistic choice. His technique was the best I’ve ever seen from him, I’m honestly impressed at the huge improvement he’s made. I do think he needs to work on building his emotions. He starts with them so high in every scene that there’s nowhere for them as the rest of the scene starts to grow and get bigger.
Anna Nikulina’s Phrygia has gotten even better and I did not think that was possible. I am 100% convinced that this role is absolutely the sole reason why she is a principal, no one currently dancing can come close to her.
I was...curious to see how Svetlana Zakharova’s Aegina would hold up as she got older, but I was entirely incorrect in any concern I had. She is sexy, spicy, haughty, and technically still perfect. She absolutely did not look over 40, the only difference I saw between this performance and the 2013 was a few stylistic changes, with maybe a few of the repeated jumps being slightly lower. I love her Aegina so much omg.
Zakharova and Belyakov are a match made in Spartacus heaven. His sheer powerful brute masculinity paired perfectly with her seductive, haughty, and sexy femininity and created a true power couple. Physically, they compliment each other perfectly with beautiful lines, height, everything, and technically they cannot be beat. Simply superb.
I don’t like Nikulina and Tsvirko together. At all. Technically they have issues and the connection just isn’t there for me. Nikulina’s Phrygia is not a fragile flower, but Tsvirko’s Spartacus wants to overshadow and over protect her, as opposed to Lobukhin and Nikulina who danced like true partners, both technically and characterwise.
