Swans fail to take flight

The Kirov Ballet could do Swan Lake in its sleep, so ingrained is the trusty stalwart on the muscle memory of this famed ensemble. But familiarity can breed complacency and this opening production in the Kirov's London season is distinctly short on fireworks.

True, the dancers never put a foot wrong and the languidly elegant Uliana Lopatkina lives up to her star billing with a glacially impressive outing as Odette/Odile. But Swan Lake has been so imaginatively made over in recent years that this humdrum reworking of Petipa's century-old choreography feels rather like going through old motions.

It's the lack of passion that takes the lustre off the glittering footwork. For Swan Lake to take flight, you need to sense the chemistry between the heroine and the hapless Prince Siegfried but Daniil Korsuntsev is no more than a blank backdrop to Lopatkina's feathered diva. Her haughty demeanour - she scarcely gives the Prince a second glance - emits toxic levels of self-absorption and sends a chill through the heart of the action.

Still, given their undoubted technical mastery, it will be fascinating to see the Kirov give its own spin to a programme of works by the master of post-modern ballet, William Forsythe. The Forsythe programme, which gets two performances on Sunday, is the odd one out in a season of heavyweight classics such as Romeo & Juliet and La Bayadere.

According to Aaron Sean Watkin, the Forsythe company man who translated the great man's steps for the Russian dancers, the Kirov Ballet is keenly aware of the need to pep up its image with contemporary pieces.

'Obviously they've got a wonderful history as the best classical company in the world but they know they can't live forever on that,' Watkin says. 'I found the dancers, particularly the younger ones, were really hungry for change.'

The Forsythe programme of four key works is not only a chance to catch fine dancers stretching beyond their comfort zone, it's also the programme least likely to bust your budget, with all tickets costing less than £50.

In rep until Aug 6 (Swan Lake next perf today and tonight), Royal Opera House, Bow Street WC2, various times, £7.50 to £110. Tel: 020 7304 4000. www.royalopera.org Tube: Covent Garden

The Kirov Ballet: Swan Lake