Oklahoma's Tulsa Ballet made its UK debut at the Royal Opera House's Linbury theatre, showcasing 70 years of tradition under Italian artistic director Marcello Angelini. The programme, featuring three distinct works, highlighted the company's technical finesse and adaptability.
The evening opened with Yuri Possokhov's 'Classical Symphony', set to Prokofiev. Lead dancers Nao Ota and Jun Masuda delivered challenging neoclassical choreography with effortless grace, blending precision with subtle hip movements and off-kilter details.
Nicolo Fonte's 'Divenere' followed, set to Ludovico Einaudi's emotive piano music. The choreography mirrored the music's shifts, with Masuda's solo standing out as particularly compelling. The piece demonstrated the dancers' ability to convey mood and narrative through movement.
The programme concluded with Andy Blankenbuehler's 'Remember Our Song', a swift 15-minute musical theatre piece condensing a wartime story of sailors and sweethearts. While the choreography effectively mobilised the ensemble, the brevity limited character development. Teague Applegate shone in the central role, displaying elegant verve in jazz and swing styles.
