Anna Karenina

About

This production of Anna Karenina is a two-act ballet choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky to Rodion Shchedrin's score. Originally created for the Royal Danish Ballet in 2004, this revised version was presented by the Mariinsky in 2010. The staging is a co-production with Poland’s Opera Narodowa (Teatr Wielki, Warszawa). The design, by Mikael Melbye (Set and Costumes) and Wendall Harrington (Video Graphics), uses elegant multimedia projections instead of elaborate sets, with selective three-dimensional objects serving symbolic functions. Key images include a projected train that swivels to reveal its illuminated interior, signaling a sense of foreboding. Critical reception has been divided: some praise the clarity, ensemble strength, and passionate distillation of Tolstoy, while others fault the emotional depth and find the score and choreography episodic.