#TBT: Maria Alexandrova in "The Pharaoh’s Daughter" (2007)

Sandstorms, opium, lions, snakes—plot devices in The Pharaoh’s Daughter read like a list of clichés about Ancient Egypt. Though 19th century ballets set in the Far East (ahem, Bayadère) tend to emphasize grandeur over cultural accuracy, the dancing is dependably show-stopping. In this clip, Bolshoi Ballet principal Maria Alexandrova performs Princess Aspicia’s Act II solo from Pierre Lacotte’s 2000 version (after Petipa’s 1862 original). With no visible effort—or springs attached, that I can see—she jumps with stunning ballon in the first sissonnes. When the music changes meter, she développés crisply and then enveloppés slowly for a playful contrast. Lacotte choreographed some devilish transitions in and out of pirouettes but, as the 30 seconds of solid applause confirm, Alexandrova retains her regal poise throughout.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MH6it-YF05c%2520

Alexandrova was grappling with a serious injury in the midst of the Bolshoi’s acid attack scandal in 2013. Though typically media-shy, she decided to open up in the HBO documentary Bolshoi Babylon and in a rare interview with The New York Times. As a revered artist—a principal with the Bolshoi for over a decade—when Alexandrova speaks, the world listens.