Thoughts on Masha Bulanova's O.O debut. I watched some videos, and I really like them, she did an amazing job!
Hello Anon! I also thought Bulanova had a strong debut, but it wasn't easy to find footage from the entire performance. Clips of Bulanova's Odile were plentiful while Odette not so much. I did eventually find some — and pored over them. For Kuznetsova'a debut the opposite was true! Obviously, people were sharing the best impressions of each. Anyway, what I liked is Bulanova's characterizations—she didn't play Odette as this fragile, tremulous victim, but she entered the stage as a Swan Queen who never surrendered her regality even under Rothbart's spell. Her Odile was beguiling without the wholly unnecessary vampiness that some dancers embrace. (Khoreva is the worst culprit of this…I really do not like her Odile.) Bulanova's epaulement was very sophisticated and she was technically assured throughout. Were the turns a ala seconde necssary, no? But they were exciting and well-executed. BUT…a critique that I had throughout was that Bulanova sometimes lacked the plasticity in her back that gives Odette/Odile such lush, swan-like movements. And there were quite a few moments when her hands lacked the right texture. They looked flat like she was doing Leonid Yacobson's "Dying Swan" (see photo below of Daria Kulikova.) But there were times when she had beautiful hands, so It's not a consisistent critique. Someone with Bulanova's level of training should have a gorgeously pliant back and fluttering fingertips that make Swan Lake such a revelation. However, between her fan base and her current form, I'm sure that she'll get more chances at this role and I look forward to seeing improvements.
📹: Хлеба и зрелищ via TG (Bulanova's debut in Swan Lake, Mariinsky) 📸: Stas Levshin (Daria Kulikova in Leonid Yacobson's Dying Swan, Yacobson)
