Callirhoe, revisited: Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staasballett), January 7th, 2026.

Jan 12

Jan 12 Callirhoe, revisited: Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staasballett), January 7th, 2026.

Callirhoe, revisited: Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staasballett), January 7th, 2026.

Copyright: Ricardo Leitner / a t t i t u d e

“Foreword”:

I had a busy day on January 7th; I did not have enough time to go home before the show at 7 pm. I went directly from an appointment with my dentist to the Opera. As I never eat before a performance, I arrived quite early and decided to take my seat at the Parterre Box to either read a little or check my e-mails. A Gentleman, whom I know from seeing at the Opera, was already sitting on the seat just beside me and after a while, excusing himself, as he had to stand up, he said: „I am going to the ‘Introduction event', are you coming too?“ I normally don’t attend these events that take place just before the show, but since I had enough time, I decided to come along. And this even if I was „revisiting“ the performance. What a good decision.

The presentation/introduction of the piece, to a public who had no idea what to expect, turned out to be quite interesting. Miss Nastasja Fischer (Vienna State Ballet’s Dramaturge) filled the room with her sympathetic voice, manner and humour. In contrast to such „introductions“ which I have witnessed in the past (that is the reason why I do not visit them), she did not, for a single instant, try to „make up the mind“ of the public, remaining strictly by the facts, and not intercalating personal opinions. Chapeau. I like that. This is professionalism at its very best (You may wonder why I am mentioning that, but I solely believe that also all teams backstage should be more mentioned because, and that’s true, without them and their work and dedication, I hardly believe that we would have such an Artistic level in everything concerning a show. I mean it.

As some say: „In every cloud there is a silver lining“ (I mean having arrived too early at the Opera and as the „silver lining“ listening to Miss Fischer’s work). I left the „Mahler Hall“ in a very reflective mood.

As some of you may remember, I used the words „It’s a little bit too much for me“ in my critique of the Première on October 19th

(You can read it here: https://www.attitude-devant.com/blog/2025/10/20/premire-ratmankys-kallirhoe )

and, also, after this introduction event, my first opinion about Mr Ratmansky’s piece was again confirmed to me. As I stood at the back of the room, I could not see Miss Fisher; I just listened to her. As she precisely described the (many) characters, their „interacting“ and „interrelations“ as well as using lots of (very well-thought-out) explanations in her narrative, to describe the plot, I could observe the looks that the spectators exchanged. A bit bewildered by the complicated “storyline”, they were ascertaining that they would also have to read the programme before the show to understand what happens onstage.

This is the phenomenon of such Ballets as „Callirhoe“, and, to give another example to you, McMillan’s „Mayerling“. Too many characters, or too much literature and/or (even historical) information. The „Dance language“ is not present just by itself. It depends on another kind of explanation. This unlike Ballets (to name a few) as „Giselle“, „Swan Lake“, Ashton’s „Marguerite and Armand“, Cranko’s „Onegin“ or even „Romeo and Juliet“ – because even if not knowing who the Capulets and the Montagues are, you walk right in, take your seat and understand the „storytelling“, the plot. And this without “extra help”. The „Dance Language“ speaks for itself and tells it all.

This, of course, is my personal opinion, and not a part of the critique. I could not resist writing about my point of view.

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Well, let us „go back“ to the tale of Callirhoe, a woman of a beauty so surpassing that (as it seems) every man sought to have her for his own.

Being more relaxed because of knowing what to expect (and I mean the many Dancers on stage, the many groups, the reminders of “Spartacus” and the USSR feeling for Aesthetics underlined by Khachaturian’s very strenuous music), I could be „elsewhere“ and was clearly delighted by what I saw.

Without the stress of paying attention to so many details for the first time, I could concentrate more on different aspects of the Mise-en-scène. Some very ingenious, creative and inventive pieces of choreography impressed me most.

Also, what is demanded from the dancers: Corps de Ballet and Soloists. Making a long story short:

The high level of Stamina that must be kept from the beginning to the End of the rendition.

The present Blossoming of the Corps de Ballet is inexpressible, and I mean it very positively. All of a sudden, as a member of the audience, one can identify many (strong) personalities that were quite hidden in demotivated Corps de Ballet formations. Now they are beginning to „shine“. I mean dancers like Katharina Miffek, Isabella Knights, Chiara Uderzo, Kristián Pokorný, Godwin Merano, Gaia Fredianelli and Hanno Opperman, to name a few. Dancers I have hardly mentioned before (or, in some cases, never) who are shining and, all of a sudden, radiating personality, „exist“ onstage.

I can well imagine how much work it takes to find one’s own „solar plexus“ and to learn how to work with it. Good Ballet training, continuously and regularly, does that. But what else can one expect of such a splendid Team that Miss Alessandra Ferri assembled for her first Season as Artistic Director of the Vienna State Ballet? Perhaps I am repeating myself, as I have mentioned this in other reviews, but I am not completely sure that the audience is aware and conscious of this. For it takes, normally, years to reach such „calibre“. Well, this is just for the record.

While watching the show, I caught myself lost in thoughts that made me remember a line that „Emma Jacklin“ (a character played by Anne Bancroft in the Herbert Ross ballet film „The Turning Point“) says just before she performs in a Gala. It goes, more or less, like this: „All the other ladies will be wearing short tutús and will do at least a hundred pirouettes. This not so young lady will be covered to the floor and „act like a storm“ (American English to „display intense emotion“). You may be wondering why I am saying this but think of Ratmansky’s work. I am not really referring to age, that’s not the point, but, very objectively to the fact that his choreographies require „technique and acting“ at the same level. An explosion of feelings, nearly making a spectacle. Think of that.

In my first Critique of „Callirhoe“, a few months ago, I mentioned very laudatorily the work of Rosa Pierro as Plangon, Dionysius' maid. Last Wednesday, she gave a performance that was even „a notch above“. Miss Pierro, apart from a beautiful and very clean technique, wonderful lines (and a beautiful face), has that kind of (nowadays) very rare quality: She is a good actress, not only a beautiful dancer. She unfolds her „Plangon“ into the smallest details, gives herself to the role and performs it viscerally. In times when it’s getting quite difficult to see performances that reveal so much of the inner motives of the characters, it is more than refreshing to be reassured that this level of Artistry still exists. And that it still makes all the difference.

Hermocrates, Callirhoe’s father (and originally a Syracusan General) was played by Igor Milos, who created a believable and convincing character. A father: careful, explosive, perhaps too protective, proud... Another case of good acting based on years of experience and „Savoir-faire“. I remember writing many years ago about some dancers (Mr Milos included) on whom Manuel Legris could always rely – because their level of professionalism was tremendous.

One of the evening’s greatest joys was the display of energy, combined with good technique and an enormously strong stage presence that Duccio Tariello brought to his interpretation of Polycharmos. A very gifted dancer who, in a secondary part, delighted the audience. Its reaction to the curtain calls, which cannot be overseen, confirmed just that.

The next dancer I will mention has been receiving some well-deserved attention since her first performance at the Opera House at the beginning of the 2025/26 Season, dancing on the Corps de Ballet in “Giselle”: Milda Luckuté’s début as the Queen of Babylon last Jan. 7th redefined some stubborn and pre-conceived ideas we all have about certain roles. This young dancer has enormous potential. Also, the word „extension“ gets another significance when applied to her. Due to her height, her very long legs seem “never to end”. Beautiful. But she never, for not even one second, uses the vulgar tendency of present times called „over-stretching “. She respects style and aesthetics while exuding sensuality in the role. Here is another dancer who can „dive“ into the character she is portraying.

In my opinion, Rinaldo Venutti was miscast as Mithridates. An extremely meticulous and gifted dancer, there is no question about that, he somehow did not come to shine in the role as he had while playing/dancing Polycharmos. Mithriades does not show the diversity of Mr Venutti’s talents to the best advantage.

No question that one of the real triumphs of the evening was Masayu Kimoto’s interpretation of Dionysius. I will never tire of saying that I still consider Mr Kimoto one of the most versatile dancers that I have ever seen on stage. In Vienna or elsewhere. One that is never typecast. This time, he gave us a darker side in a beautiful conception and interpretation of the role. Add his wonderful technique to it all, and to add just a small example, think of the way he conquered the difficulty of those never-ending pirouettes in attitude with the bent supporting leg. I have been following Mr Kimoto’s career for the past 15 years, and he still surprises me.

One thing about Mr Kimoto – and the whole cast – is that one can relax, sit comfortably and „put the feet up“ because one doesn’t have to worry about the technical accuracy and if dancers would manage the technical challenges (or not). There is nothing as terrifying as worrying about a performance. In the past, I have seen some Princes Desiré (in Nureyev’s “Sleeping Beauty” version), who not only „played with our nerves“ but also made the company worry. This was not at all the case, which reminds me of Alessandro Frola’s ferocious performance as Chaireas. Filled with “furiosity” as Mr Kimoto, Mr Frola is another dancer who does not make us worry. Not at all. The minute he puts his feet on stage, one feels “safe” through his tremendous self-assurance, which relies upon his gorgeous technique combined with immense energy. Even though I preferred him as Dionysius at the Première, I must say that during this „Callirhoe“ performance, he managed once more to conquer the public and dealt fantastically and sovereignly with all the „reminders“ of Grigovich’s „Spartacus“.

Talking about „conquering the public“, we are coming to the end of this critique and cannot forget or overlook Miss Sinthia Liz’s touchingly fascinating performance in the main role. I am quite careful in using the word „grace“ while writing about a (classical) Ballerina. I believe that this quality should be a conditio sine qua non of the profession. But in relation to Miss Liz, it is definitely not redundant to mention that. On the contrary, it is more of an attribute that comes „in double (or triple) pack“.

Technically extremely strong and secure (even if coming from an injury that hindered her from giving her Callirhoe début last autumn), she manages to portray a certain fragility that is not to be overlooked. And, one should add, a heartfelt vulnerability that, combined with her fascinating lines, pinpointed precision, „interior life“ (Without it she, surely, could not have built the character so exquisitely) and stage presence, allows her also to conquer certain demanding moments of Mr Ratmansky’s choreography, giving its dynamic even more dynamism.

A young, very talented dancer who is technically extremely competent - and when I write this, I don’t mean only lifts, pirouettes and displays of „bravura“ but I refer to the „little things“, the small details, the wanted minimalism of showing less and making the public ask for more.

Admirable, with all these invaluable possessions, is also the way she gives the audience a gentle Callirhoe. Gentleness. Spectacularly efficacious but gentler. A facet of the character that should not be forgotten.

Yes, as simple as that. But extremely difficult. I will leave you with that.

Ricardo Leitner

a t t i t u d e

Vienna, January 9th, 2026