Peter and the Wolf

Sergei Prokoviev's 'Peter and the Wolf' is one of his most famous works and his most frequently performed and recorded. It is not hard to see why, as far as Prokoviev's music goes it is by far his most accessible work in terms of playing (though there are difficult stretches, Prokoviev is not kind to the horns and Peter's capture of the wolf all the way through to the ending are also less easy, but certainly not unplayable, bits) and listening.

It is also a perfect introduction for children to classical music (it was one of my first classical music pieces) with a great story that's easy to follow and narration that really guides the story without over-explaining or spoon-feeding. This is my second exposure to 'Peter and the Wolf' performed as a ballet and my opinion still stands that it works very well performed as a ballet, the symphonic fairy tale with narration spirit is maintained while also having the interest of choreography to go with it. The other one is the 1997 version with Anthony Dowell as the grandfather and narrator and Martin Harvey as the wolf. If nobody has seen that yet, it is highly recommend. So is this version, which to me is not quite as good but it is close.

Visually, it is appealing. The sets are simple but colourful and appropriate, the lighting is atmospheric and the costumes fit the characters beautifully, particularly the bird and the duck. The production is a winner on the choreography front too. It's very dynamic with the music and suits the characters' characteristics beautifully, such as the doddering nature of the grandfather, the rebellious spirit of Peter, the freaky gestures of the wolf, the balletic movements of the bird and the slinky ones for the cat.

A great job is done with changes of scenes and settings with the Corps De Ballet representing the meadow, pond, trees and hunters, like with the earlier aforementioned ballet production. That for the wall is ever so slightly static and vague but the others are very charming and have degrees of tension and humour.

Musically, the production and the orchestra do Prokoviev's music justice. Most of the main themes are beautifully played, particularly the lush strings for Peter, the slinky and playful clarinet for the cat, the truly ominous and well blended and tuned (particularly difficult for this theme) sound of the three horns for the wolf and the foreboding but triumphant drums. The flute playing for the bird could have been a little more sprightly and less careful. The conducting allows the story to breathe but doesn't sacrifice momentum.

The principal performances are all round excellent, particularly Sergei Polunin's genuinely frightening wolf (one of the oldest and more experienced dancers but the quality of the dancing is nowhere near as wide a divide as that indicates), Laurine Muccioli's feisty bird and Chisato Katsura's almost seductive cat.

Killian Smith plays Peter's rebelliousness and likability with confidence and Charlotte Edmunds as the duck particularly relishes her chemistry with Muccioli and her scene with the wolf (you can tell that she finds that lift a dream as indicated in the very informative short film that is one of the bonuses). Will Kemp is imposingly charismatic as the grandfather and his delivery of the narration is also blameless (do miss Richard Baker's gulp before the "swallowed her" part on the 1971 recording though).

Overall, splendid ballet version. 9/10 Bethany Cox