ROH Live: Anastasia

Anastasia, Kenneth MacMillan’s powerful and compelling full length ballet based on the true story of the lost Russian Grand Duchess was captured live on Wednesday 2 November. Evocative sets and stunning costumes by Bob Crowley transport audiences to the glittering heart of the Russian royal court and to the stark surroundings of a disturbed mind.

In its first performance by The Royal Ballet in over a decade, the cinema screening of Anastasia features a stellar cast of critically acclaimed Principal dancers. Russian star Natalia Osipova takes on the title role with Marianela Nuñez as Kschessinksa, Federico Bonelli as ‘Her Partner, Edward Watson as ’The Husband’ and Thiago Soares as the sinister Rasputin.

As war and revolution ravage Russia, the glamorous excesses of the Romanov dynasty come tumbling down around the young Grand Duchess Anastasia. Years later, a woman named Anna Anderson, a disturbed and withdrawn psychiatric patient locked away in an asylum, is haunted by the nightmares of her past. Fact and fantasy become indistinguishable as her conviction of her true identity helps her to survive her grim reality. This heart wrenching three-act ballet will leave audiences to decide for themselves if Anna’s claims are legitimate.

Choreography ~ Kenneth MacMillan
Music ~Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky and Bohuslav Martinů
Electronic music ~ Fritz Winckel and Rüdiger Rüfer
Production realization ~ Deborah MacMillan
Designer ~ Bob Crowley
Lighting designer ~ John B. Read
Performed by The Royal Ballet

The performance lasts about 2 hours 45 minutes, including two intervals.