An intimate partnership. By Kevin Ng. Special to The St. Petersburg Times
Obraztsova and Shklyarov onstage in ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ at the Mariinsky Theater.
Yevgenia Obraztsova and Vladimir Shklyarov are two rising young dancers in their early 20s whose partnership is now one of the most exciting in the Mariinsky Theater. They are also the best of friends offstage. Last weekend, Shklyarov celebrated his 22nd birthday while on a Mariinsky Ballet tour to Ludwigshafen in Germany. Three weeks earlier, Obraztsova celebrated her 23rd birthday more prominently, while dancing on the Mariinsky Ballet’s tour to Washington DC.
Obraztsova’s birthday got a mention from Washington Post dance critic Sarah Kaufman. Reviewing Obraztsova’s performance as Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” opposite Mariinsky star Andrian Fadeyev, Kaufman wrote: “Her Juliet combined childlike innocence and spontaneity with a mature sense of scale… Her emotional clarity and the quality of her dancing - light and silky, rather than forceful - suited the soft tone of this ballet.”
So how did Obraztsova celebrate her birthday in Washington? I asked her when I met her and Vladimir for afternoon tea in the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg. “Actually I wasn’t feeling very well on that day. In the evening I went to watch Vladimir’s Romeo performance [with Olesia Novikova].”
It was Shklyarov’s debut as Romeo, as he had not danced the role at home in St. Petersburg. Obraztsova said: “I watched his whole performance. Vladimir is a most appealing and natural Romeo. And I entirely believed in his acting. I really think that Vladimir is one of the best Romeos in the Mariinsky Theater now.”
Shklyarov acknowledged with gratitude the help that he got from Obraztsova before his debut as Romeo in Washington. Obraztsova has already been dancing Juliet for four years.
“I didn’t have much time for rehearsals,” Shklyarov said. “Yevgenia helped me a lot. She was really most kind to help me go through some of the steps late at night after the rehearsals, when our theater’s studios were free. It was a big help. And we also frequently discussed the technical aspects of the role.
“Before the New Year, I took a short vacation to Verona. I saw for myself Juliet’s tomb as well as the Capulets’ house. It was good timing, because Yevgenia was guesting in Verona at that time and dancing in ‘Cinderella.’ So I spent New Year’s Day in Verona. It was my first time celebrating the New Year outside Russia. A friend who is superstitious said that this means that I’ll spend a lot of time abroad this year. I’ll see.
“I’ve read Shakespeare’s play. And Yevgenia suggested that I watch Zefferelli’s movie. I think that this is the best movie of ‘Romeo’ and it has inspired me a lot. I’ve actually incorporated some moments of the movie into my interepretation - in that sword-fighting episode with Tybalt. I’ve always preferred dramatic ballets, as acting is more interesting to me than just technique.”
Shklyarov added: “I always enjoy guesting with other companies to gain more experience. But sometimes it’s not always possible, due to clashes with the Mariinsky’s performances at home and abroad.”
Obraztsova had to decline an invitation to dance in the UNICEF gala in Rome last week organised by the Italian star Roberto Bolle, because of the Mariinsky’s German tour.
Both Obraztsova and Shklyarov have been quite prominently cast in the past year, each adding a number of new roles to their repertoires. Shklyarov made debuts as Lankedem in “Le Corsaire,” Albrecht in “Giselle,” and Matteo in “Ondine,” and last week on the German tour, he danced a new role in the William Forsythe ballet “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.”
Obraztsova has guested twice with the Rome Opera and in Florida. At home in the Mariinsky Theater, she made her debut as “Cinderella” at the beginning of this season in September, and last November also made her debut as Maria in “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai.” More significantly, Obraztsova danced Ondine in the premiere of that ballet at the Mariinsky Ballet Festival last March.
Obraztsova has also appeared in two French movies - Cedric Klapisch’s “Russian Dolls” and Bertrand Normand’s documentary “Ballerina.”
Which new roles do the young dancers particularly desire to dance? Obraztsova answered without hesitation: “Giselle. But of course it’s entirely the management’s decision whether to let me dance.”
Shklyarov said: “I most want to dance “Swan Lake”, and I hope that my teacher Sergei Berezhnoi will help me.”
They have also danced together regularly in “La Sylphide.” Last November, Obraztsova finally made her Mariinsky debut in the classic “The Sleeping Beauty,” and was glad to be partnered by Shklyarov who had first danced the ballet a year before.
“We wish to dance together more in future,” said Obraztsova. “Partnering is a sensitive issue. A good partner can normally encourage me to dance better.”