Aristocrats of the dance return to Covent Garden
VICTOR HOCHHAUSER presents
THE MARIINSKY BALLET Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Monday 28 July to Saturday 16 August 2014
Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Apollo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream* The Firebird, Marguerite and Armand*, DSCH*, Cinderella*
The unrivalled Mariinsky Ballet returns to the Royal Opera House with an eagerly awaited three-week season presented by Victor Hochhauser.
The season opens with the return of one of the most cherished and admired Russian ballets of the 20th century, Mikhail Lavrovsky’s celebrated realisation of Romeo and Juliet to Prokofiev’s music, created at the Mariinsky Theatre in January 1940.
Swan Lake has been treasured in St Petersburg ever since Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created the first performances there in the 1890s. Konstantin Sergeyev, one of the great dancers and choreographers of the Mariinsky’s Soviet years, recreated this definitive version of Swan Lake in 1950 for the Mariinsky Ballet.
The Genius of Balanchine: Two spellbinding ballets by the great 20th century choreographer, George Balanchine. The Mariinsky’s acclaimed 2012 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed for the first time outside Russia. Balanchine’s joyous transformation of Shakespeare’s comedy of romantic love, mishap, illusion and magic is set to Mendelssohn’s enchanting music. Apollo, inspired by Stravinsky’s radiant score portrays the mythological Greek god of music in scenes of exquisite Classical beauty.
A spectacular programme of three great ballets. The powerful splendour of Mikhail Fokine’s The Firebird, to Stravinsky’s glittering score, vividly evokes the mystery and colour of mediaeval Russia. Marguerite and Armand is Frederick Ashton’s celebrated version of Dumas fils’s tale of passion and loss. Set to Liszt’s romantic music, the ballet contains two of the greatest roles in the ballet repertory. Enthralling, tender, exhilarating, Alexei Ratmansky’s acclaimed Concerto DSCH, to Shostakovich’s thrilling score, displays the breathtaking versatility of the Mariinsky dancers.
The season ends with the beloved fairy tale of Cinderella which is given fresh, multi-faceted insights in this spectacular version by the celebrated choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. The inspired and innovative choreography perfectly captures the joy, lyricism and wit of Prokofiev’s unforgettable score.
The 220 strong company will include a full complement of the Mariinsky Ballet’s internationally celebrated dancers including Ekaterina Kondaurova, Uliana Lopatkina, Maria Shirinkina, Oxana Skorik, Alina Somova, Viktoria Tereshkina and Diana Vishneva.
Timur Askerov, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Daniil Korsuntsev, Vladimir Shklyarov, Filipp Stepin, rising star Kimin Kim and Xander Parish who joined the Mariinsky Ballet from the Royal Ballet.
*To be performed for the first time in the UK by the Mariinsky Ballet.
Public booking opens 8 April 2014 Bookings on: 020 7304 4000 www.roh.org.uk/mariinsky.com
Further information: [email protected] 020 7544 3665 07831 317 728
Victor Hochhauser www.victorhochhauser.co.uk