The centuries-long dialogue between Spanish folk dance and high culture stage dance reached its zenith in the ballet „Don Quixote“, which was premiered in 1869 in Moscow. For his ballet, Frenchman Marius Petipa drew inspiration from episodes in the legendary novel by Cervantes. The music was composed by Austrian Ludwig Minkus. In the East a fixture in the repertoire since its première, in the West „Don Quixote“ became part of the international repertoire only following the adaptation by Rudolf Nureyev for the Vienna State Opera. From Vienna the ballet went around the world and now returned to the opera house on the Ring after an extended absence. “A Don Quixote to love … Legris and company can count the evening a total success” (Die Presse);
Teatro alla Scala Ballet Box
FIVE OUTSTANDING BALLETS FROM THE LEGENDARY TEATRO ALLA SCALA: ROMEO AND JULIET: The stars of this masterly performance are Roberto Bolle and Misty Copeland, together for the first time in this ballet. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY: “Timofej Andrijashenko had a great debut with the Désiré of Nureyev. Polina Semionova was an amazing Aurora” (Strata Gemmi) “A great production, a success thanks to a superlative and thrilling ballet company.” (LUUK) DON QUIXOTE: Classical ballet stars Natalia Osipova and Leonid Sarafanov make this a breathtaking distinctive performance. LE CORSAIRE: “The star is the ballet company, in dazzling form” (Il Giorno), “Impeccable” (Informadanza). THE LOVER´S GARDEN: “The creative genius of the choreographer Volpini leaves a strong mark on this new production, confirming the talent.“ (giornaledelladanza.com)
Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote
Don Quixote was created by the master choreographer Marius Petipa, together with the composer Ludwig Minkus, for the Imperial Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow in 1869. Marking the 400th anniversary of Cervantes’s death, Don Quixote is here seen in the revised version by Rudolf Nureyev which the French choreographer Manuel Legris – once a noted Basil
himself in his days as an “étoile” in Nureyev’s Paris troupe – devised for the Wiener Staatsballett. “A Don Quixote to love … Legris and company can count the evening a total success” (Die Presse). As for the two principals, Maria Yakovleva and Denys Cherevychko as Kitri and Basil, no praise was high enough: “both are technically brilliant” (Wiener Zeitung).
Don Quixote
In this production from Teatro alla Scala, the ballet Don Quixote is shown in the legendary choreography of Rudolf Nureyev. Nureyev’s intention by fusing together the worlds of commedia dell’arte and classical ballet to create a visual feast for ist audience, has made Don Quixote one of the most-loved ballets world-wide. With ist sparkling energy and the bright colours of the staging by Raffaele Del Savio and Anna Anni, Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote transports audiences with freshness, joy and choreographic splendour to a enchanting Spain, with gypsy dances, fandangos, matadors, windmills and the airy candour of the Garden of the Dryads.
Rudolf Nureyev’s La Bayadere
Exotic and mysterious India serves as the backdrop to this story of doomed love between the warrior Solor and the bayadère, Nikiya, who is killed by her jealous rival, Gamzatti. Breathtaking sets and costumes are designed by Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino in this exceptional production, recorded at the Palais Garnier in Paris. Direction and choreography in this fully restored version of Petipa’s original ballet are by Rudolf Nureyev.
Don Quichot
Don Quichot – an audience favourite of prestigious companies worldwide – is a dazzling display of high spirits, virtuosity and Spanish temperament. The flamboyant leaps, dizzying pirouettes and crisp pointe work that are standard features of the production give the performers every opportunity to show off their technical prowess. But at the same time, the comic story based on Cervantes’ masterpiece makes strong demands on the dancers’ acting abilities. The leading Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky has drawn inspiration for his production from the libretto of the first version of Don Quichot by Marius Petipa, created in 1869. The former artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet and Artist in Residence of the American Ballet Theatre now has also added his own new elements and choreography to the ballet. The modern designs for the ballet, by the renowned French designer Jérôme Kaplan, refer to the times of Cervantes.