"Significant and flamboyant, this success reaped by the Ballet Ensemble of the Fantasio Theatre in Constanţa: a corps which has made the proof of less common technical virtues and that of an exceptional graphical grace in maintaining a new (and viable) language derived from interpolating the classical into modern dance…"Flavio Guzzone, La Sicilia, August 1st, 1979 "The Black Sea Ballet of the Fantasio Theatre in Constanţa betokens from the first moves, a high level of artistic instruction, the science of composition in each and every piece of choreography and, furthermore, as an element of surprise, the charm exuded by the youngest corps de ballet in Europe."g.a.p., La gazzetta del mezzogiorno, August 9th, 1979 "…In the first part of the program presented under the directorship of Oleg Danovski by Romania, with a choreographer acknowledged as one of the most magnificent exponents of the classical ballet school, the dancers fleshed out the choreographic 'sketch' in aptly visualizing the music of composers such as Chopin, Bach, Gershwin and Enescu.In the second part, […] Bartok's Mandarin Tree was compelling with its modern and ardent language of high intensity of expression." Ezio Barcone, Il Tempo, March 22nd 1980 "… In Capri, a great ballet company of high standards has arrived, the last offshoot of an ancient tradition of great vitality […] The Ballet Ensemble of the Fantasio Theatre in Constanţa, constantly on the re-think of its own arrangements and staff to achieve actualization …"
Francesco Canessa, Il Matino, July 20th, 1980 "The best Miraculous Mandarin to be seen – choreographed by Oleg Danovski: clever, tense, mysterious and performed with an exemplary technical accuracy.The phenomenon is that of true culture." Michelangelo Zurletti, La Repubblica, August 17th, 1980 "… judging from the innumerable rounds of applause which rewarded the Fantasio Ballet Ensemble in Constanţa, there is no thing better to be seen. One thing is patent: the corps de ballet has been brought to such high form that it could serve as an example to a number of German opera ballets …"Westphalien Blatt, November 21st, 1980 "Choreographer Oleg Danovski has with great knowledge of directing collated the soloist parts with the ensembles, thus magnificently bringing to light both the soloists and the fifty members of the company…" Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, December 12th, 1981 "The Fantasio Ballet Theatre has staged an impressive show […] The four acts were presented full-length at the Freemason's Temple in Scranton, Pa., in vigor and vivacity. The corps performed in a uniformly disciplined manner, with outstanding solo acts […]Ms. Axinte was undisputedly the all-phenomenal performer in Swan Lake; she presented both parts with brilliance and nimbleness, she was nothing less than fantastic…"William McDonald, The Tribune, January 12th, 1982 "The Fantasio Ballet Theatre of Romania is a young, fresh, and technically impressive company, albeit lacking brilliance and a distinctive style …" Renata Strauss, The Seattle Times, February 27th ,1982
"… a true lesson in high professionalism and accuracy…" The Lincoln Star, March 15th, 1982
"Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker – three ballets in the version of super-dancers lead by a superMAGUS: Oleg Danovski…" Zollern-Alb Kurier, December 19th, 1983
"Fantasio – with phantasy!" Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, December 26th, 1983
"A sundry show, colorful and attractive, that of a young company of wide-ranging specter, which embraces both classical and contemporary dance […]." K.P., Tribuna Ludu, October, 1984
"Once more, the Romanian National Ballet Company Fantasio has been invited; the ballet ensemble highly-acclaimed at the International Congress Center presented Tchaikovsky's choreographic fairy-tale The Sleeping Beauty this time. Oleg Danovski's choreography has risen to the level of his classical counterpart […]; the ballet unfolds in a consistent array of climaxes, from the Prologue to the majestic pas-de-deux." Berliner Morgenpost, December 1st, 1985"Choreographer Oleg Danovski has, similarly to Valentin Codoiu – the author of set design – made a perfect, suggestive and ingenious enactment of the fairy-tale world conjured up by the brothers Grimm and by Charles Perrault […]. The show elicited a high artistic quality, technical accuracy and a perfect choreographic placement in space …" Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, January 6th, 1986
"…Romanian ballet has proven to the public that an ensemble of international stature can perform in all is greatness, on a small scene…Noteworthy – the working power, the resilience and perseverance of this young ensemble, which has been on tour since November 1st 1985 and which has presented the 66th show with the exhilaration of a premiere." Südkurier, January 16th, 1986 SWAN LAKE – A PIECE OF REAL ART"…The Fantasio Ballet Ensemble of Romania has offered the Israeli public a number of evenings of genuine artistic enchantment…"Harry Gruenberg, Our Life, Israel, April 3rd, 1987
"…A marvelous show, applauded by a delighted audience…"Amstetter Anzeiger, November 17th, 1987
"…Romanian Ballet has been impressive at ICC. Swan Lake has lived up to all expectations…"Die Wahrheit, Berlin, December 30th, 1987
"Ballet and classical music connoisseurs witnessed a successful staging, which is the best performance of this Romanian ensemble to this day… The Balcony Scene inspired pure enthusiasm…" Westerwalder Zeitung, December 10th, 1990
"Last year, the Fantasio Ballet offered great exultation with Swan Lake. This year, art director Oleg Danovski has surpassed himself in the Christmas-time fairy-tale The Nutcracker…" Westfalische Rundschau, December 12th, 1990
"With a total of one hundred-and-twenty members, sixty of which are ballet dancers, with studios, décors and company-owned costumes, the Classical and Contemporary Ballet Theatre of Romania, led by maestro Oleg Danovski, proves to be unique if compared to other European corps de ballet, which are insufficient in number or part and parcel of opera or theatre ensembles…The performance on Saturday, December 26th, at Neu-Isenburg (a town in Hessen), presenting The Nutcracker ballet […] confirmed the high regard of the German people for the Romanian artists. Exhilarating applause following each soloistic or group performance culminated in repeated curtain calls at the end of the show…" Radio Program – Free Europe, December 29th, 1992
"September this year, the city of Shyian in China made hearty preparations to receive the artists of the Ballet Theatre of Constanţa (Romania) with open arms. This is the company of the highest artistic niveau hosted in the history of the 'city of automobiles'." Weekend, September 5th, 1992
"For its artistic refinement and the technical splendor […] Swan Lake has reaped warm and hefty applause…" The Evening News, Wu Han, September 18th, 1992
"A special cultural refinement exuded from the performance of the glorious ballet soirée Romeo and Juliet.…Oleg Danovski created a vigorous, highly-inspired staging on the ever-generous theme of the Veronese lovers. Not often in our century has a ballet conquered the international arena as has this version …" Allgemeine Zeitung, December 1st, 1993
"… At the performance of the Fantasio Ballet [Romeo and Juliet] tickets were fully out of reach… Excellently danced solos… a brilliant – impeccably trained – corps de ballet… full style costumes, easily maneuverable décors… effectful lights… all these were contributory to a grandiose impression. Incessant applause vented the enthusiasm of the audience, ravished by this impressive evening." Jürgen Wedhorn, Wolfsburger Allgemeine, December 7th, 1993
"On New Year's Eve, our guest – the Romanian Ballet – […] appeared to have matured from a technical angle, danced with high accuracy… This is a professional corps […], fronting a professional couple: Monica Bârlea (Odette-Odile) masters a perfect technique… Călin Hanţiu (Prince Siegfrid) more effective in getting across his emotions… Traian Vlaş (the Fool) impressive by his leaps and acting skills, and Francisc Strnad, as the Wizard, an apt impersonator of 'evil' with the help of his ample brawn, this, without being despicable…" Die Harke, January 3rd, 1994
"Costumes full of pomp, exquisite toe-dancing and brilliant parody – the salient features of the fairy-tale ballet Puss in Boots, in the interpreting version of the Romanian Ballet…" Monica Salzman, Lüdenscheider Rundschau, December 23rd, 1994
"The Snow Queen, presented at the Theater Am Aegi, has been created by Oleg Danovski in the best tradition of Romantic ballet. Each scene is minutely and translucently choreographed, and the performers are brilliant… Sundry costumes, full of style, suggestive décors – overall, a choreography filled with fantasy and brightness…" S.D., Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, January 2nd, 1997 "…the artistic niveau of the ensemble soars to the highest levels of accuracy, discipline, engagement and dynamic…" Ralf Burgmeier, Badische Zeitung, January 9th, 1997
"With a repertoire listing the most celebrated ballets in the world, ranging from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty to Prokofiev's Cinderella , as well as Romeo and Juliet, the Ballet Theatre of Constanţa has created a magical evening with the staged version of The Snow Queen. These perfectly instructed artists, these superb bodies: Daniel Precup (the Fairy-Queen), Horaţiu Cherecheş (Kay), Aliss Popescu (Gerda), or the high-class actor Oleg Danovski Jr. (the Troll Hag)… the artistic leaps of Traian Vlaş (the Raven), the remarkable solos of Cristian Tarcea (the Doe), then, Marian Horhotă (the Troll), Monica Bârlea (the Princess), Horaţiu Cherecheş (the Prince), Felicia Şerbănescu (the Eskimo Girl)…" Natascha Nowack, Schweinfurter Tageblatt, December 29th, 1997
"After having charmed us in the previous year with The Nutcracker, this time Romanian Ballet repertoire included Puss in Boots. The public had a remarkable intuition and assaulted the ticket register leaving the hall with no seat empty... A proof of their judgment was the endless applause and the ovations reaped by Călin Hanţiu (the Miller's Son and the Storyteller), Aliss Popescu – charmingly travestied, Gelu Râpă (the King) and his daughter, Monica Cherecheş, […] but also by the outstanding performance of the corps de ballet." Peter Schwichow, Phalzischer Merkur, November 20th-21st, 1999
by various critics
