The Crown of Russian Ballet

CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION Bolero Music by Maurice Ravel Video Link Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov. 10-12 dancers

The premiere took place on February 10, 2011 in Queretaro (Mexico) And we are born from one, and we are similar to each other, and at first there is no difference between us. But over time, between us their are features of a completely different, incomprehensible nature , which grows into mistrust and irritation, eventually becoming a confrontation that ends in death. And this can all happen again ... Video Link Carmen Music by Bizet – Shchedrin - 40 min. 12-16 dancers Carmen Music by Bizet – Shchedrin - 40 min. 12-16 dancers Video Link

“Carmen” by Georges Bizet. For almost a century and a half the image of Carmen irresistibly attracts many artists who embody it in verse and prose, in music and theatre, in painting and cinema. For the first time the plot about the most famous and passionate gypsy became a fact-art in 1845, when the French writer Prosper Merimee wrote his novel. A year later the young choreographer Marius Petipa created a one-act ballet “Carmen and Toreador” on stage at the Madrid Theatre, 29 years later one of the most famous opera masterpieces - “Carmen” of Georges Bizet appears. Since then, the image of the Spanish gypsy is inextricably linked with the music of the great Frenchman.

In the XX century ballets using the score of Bizet, appeared regularly. Among the most famous are Carmen by Roland Petit, created by him in 1949 for Zizi Jeanmaire, and a 1971 performance in Stuttgart by John Cranko where Marcia Heide danced. Among less well known works - the choreographic opus of Americans R. Paige and B. Stoun called “Rifles and castanets.” It is almost unknown that in Russia in the 30s the same attempt was made by the choreographer-innovator Kasyan Goleizovsky. In 1967, a new name appeared on the playbill of the Bolshoi Theatre - the ballet “Carmen Suite”. Bizet’s music in the modern transcription of the composer Rodion Shchedrin, choreography by Alberto Alonso. In the centre of the ballet is the tragic fate of the Gypsy Carmen and the beloved soldier Jose, whom Carmen leaves for the sake of the young Torero. The relationship between the heroes and the death of Carmen at the hands of Jose is predetermined by Rock. Thus, the history of Carmen (in comparison with the literary source and the opera by Bizet) is solved in a symbolic sense, which is strengthened by the unity of the place of action (the bullfighting platform). Daylight Leaves Earth Music by Petr Tchaikovsky (6th Symphony) Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov Libretto by Anna Akeksidze - 40 min. 21 dancers and 6-12 children

We all come to this world alone and leave it alone. All that remains for a person is his memories The Firebird Music by Igor Stravinsky Video Link Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov. Classical Ballet in 1 act

Prince Ivan ventures into the garden of the evil Kashchei. He catches the magical Firebird. She promises to aid the Prince whenever he needs help if he will release her. He takes a magic feather from the bird’s tail, then releases her. Twelve princesses with the Tsarevna (daughter of the Tsar) dance. They are in the power of Kashchei. Prince Ivan falls in love with the Tsarevna. He asks Kashchei whether he can marry her. Kashchei is angry and sends his monsters after the Prince. Kashchei is about to turn him to stone, when the Prince waves the feather. The Firebird appears, and comes to the Prince’s rescue. She casts a spell on the monsters. They fall asleep. The Firebird tells the Prince that Kashchei’s soul lies in an egg. The Prince smashes the egg. Kashchei loses his power, the monsters, and his palace. The Prince marries the Tsarevna. Prince Ivan ventures into the garden of the evil Kashchei. He catches the magical Firebird. Video Link Giselle Composer - Adolphe Adam Libretto: Theophile Faunter and Jean-Henry Saint-Georges. Choreography: Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa, Leonid Lavrovsky. Choreographic version: Anatoly Emelianov Video Link Giselle

A Small Village in the Rhine Valley. By tradition at harvest time, the villagers gather at a different house each day to taste the new wine. We find them gathered at the cottage of the peasant girl Giselle. Count Albrecht, Duke of Silesia, has fallen in love with Giselle. He disguises himself as a peasant in order to court her. Hilarion, a gamekeeper, who also loves Giselle, suspects the true identity of his rival and warns her to be wary of the stranger. The peasants return with the last of the grape harvest and join in a dance with Giselle and the disguised Count. Laughing off her mother’s warning that her passion for dancing might be endangering her life, Giselle is crowned Queen of the Vine. A hunting party led by the Duke of Courland with his daughter Bathilde, stops at Giselle’s cottage to rest. Hilarion, learning that Bathilde is dethroned to Count Albrecht, reveals the truth to Giselle. The shock is too great for her and she dies, heartbroken. The banks of a pool in a forest: Giselle’s grave. Midnight: The hour when the Wilis, the ghosts of the young women who have died of a broken heart, appear to waylay unwary men and dance them to death. Count Albrecht and Hilarion come to grieve at Giselle’s grave. The Wilis are commanded by their Queen Myrtha to dance with the two men,Hilarion cannot escape their spell and dies, but Count Albrecht is saved from Myrtha the Wilis by Giselle’s abiding love for him. Hemanages to dance until dawn, when the power of the Wilis fades, and escapes, taking his leave of Giselle forever. Gypsy Motives Folk music. Libretto and choreography by Anatoly Emelianov - 30 min.15-20 dancers

The performance is on a stage, in which the character of the main characters are written out with graphic accuracy, and the temperamental, fascinating beauty of the lines of dance is the story of a complicated relationship within the eternal love triangle. Add to this the charming little gypsies dancing along with adults and you will understand that it is absolutely necessary to see “Gypsy motives”. The Kursk Songs Music by Georgy Sviridov, Igor Stravinskiy Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov. 13 dancers

“Kursk songs” - the secret breath of the Russian land. Listening to them, it seems that the pictures of the life of our fathers and grandfathers are resurrecting before us, the melody itself opens the door to the long-gone, but painfully native. Feel what they were, these people, and you realize that they are the same as we are. They experienced, believed, hoped and loved. Truly, the human soul is an uncharted world. And this soul is poured out in “The Kursk songs”. The more you listen to this music, the more you go deeper into this boundless Russian beauty, each time discovering new facets of exciting sounds. In these songs you cannot help falling in love, because they were born from us. The ballet was staged in association with the “Russian Classic Orchestra” company. Snow White Video Link & the Seven Dwarfs Music by Pavlovsky – 40 min

The ballet “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” is based on the German fairy tale by the brothers Grimm about Snow White living in a castle with her evil stepmother, the Queen, who was very proud of her beauty. Learning from a magic mirror that Snow white was the most beautiful girl in the world, her stepmother decided to kill her pretty stepdaughter. But the poor girl did not die in the woods, but on the contrary, she met some real friends - seven funny dwarves: Bashful, Doc, Dopey,Happy , Sleepy, Sneezy and Grumpy . This ballet is not just a beautiful tale of good and evil characters; this is also a romantic story that teaches us that we all have a Guardian angel, which gives us faith and hope for a bright future on the difficult road of life. This story of a beautiful girl who has been alive for more than two centuries. Born in German folklore, she became the property of all mankind, due to the great storytellers the brothers Grimm “...her eyes were as blue as the lake, her lips red as rose petals. And her face was white as pure snow. And that’s why they called her Snow White.” The Time Music by Avro Part - 20 min. 7 dancers and 1 child

Time... We do not hear it pass. We neither feel it nor see it. Yet in our every thought, movement, word, it beats with the incessant pulse of eternity. It seems it is not present. Not true. Slowly, imperceptibly, with secret aspiration, it moves step-by-step forward, and to it the distant future opens the door. It would seem time is here - not born yet! But look, it has already disappeared from the face of the earth forever, leaving only vague memories which completely dissolve in seconds, minutes, years. How painful to realize this thought, and how hard to be hopeful and aspire to something knowing the result is its ending. Stop! Inhale this time - just now - it is yours and yours alone. Understand it and do not condemn. Tristan and Isolde Music by Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Shostakovich, Barber as well as music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance - 40 min Tristan and Isolde

Act I Act II

Selfless love em the meaning of life. Only selfless love remains when time Act II - In Britain King Mark meets his favourite Tristan and Princess Isolde. passes. The story of Tristan and Isolde is an example of love that can overcome Everybody is happy. But Tristan and Isolde’s love is growing stronger day by everything, even death. Ireland has invaded British lands and it doesn’t want day. At the feast for Tristan’s victory and Isolde’s beauty Tristan is devastated them to unite. Tristan receives a deathly wound in the battle between the to tell his love that for the sake of peace they must separate. Isolde submits British and the Irish. His enemy’s weapon was poisoned that is why he is dying to the fate, but in her heart she remains faithful to Tristan. Isolde must be a in front of his friends. They put his body in a boat and let it sail out to sea. wife to Mark against her will. Tristan cannot accept this. He is on the verge of insanity and only short meetings with Isolde keep him alive. Ireland. Isolde is on the seashore. Suddenly she sees the boat where Tristan is lying. Being a very skilful healer, she understands that the young man is On the eve of the coronation some enemies learn about Tristan and Isolde. poisoned, but she knows how to treat his wounds. Having cured him, she is They have conceived a treacherous plot. The King of Ireland is coming to horrified to learn that the man is the worst enemy of her country. She does Britain. He is aware of the plot, too. During the feast Tristan and Isolde leave not dare to tell him who she is. She has fallen in love, and her love is more the palace. The enemies follow them and take all the court to the place where powerful than all the rules and laws. Tristan cannot live without his saviour, Tristan and Isolde are meeting. King Mark is struck by the scene. He orders to either. However, they understand that their love is doomed. Meanwhile the seize them. Isolde’s father breaks all the relations with King Mark and starts to Irish learn that one of their enemies has been brought ashore. Therefore, storm the castle of King Mark. Tristan has to leave Ireland. Isolde tells her husband that she has been in love with Tristan since she found The King of Ireland wants to provoke quarrels between the British nobility. So him on the Irish shore. he arranges a tournament for the knights. The winner will be able to marry In the meantime the enemies are storming the castle. Tristan cannot leave the young Princess Isolde. Tristan, who was raised by Mark, the King of Britain, his country and he starts to fight the Irish. He is very close to victory, but he is prepared to fight in this tournament for his King. Still he is unaware of the receives a vicious blow. Time stops. fact that Princess Isolde is the girl who has cured him. He is going to the tournament hoping to meet his love in Ireland. What is time? Is it decades or a single moment? Does a person know that sometimes seconds are more important than centuries or that a glance can Tristan wins the last fight at the tournament, and his King gets the right to mean more than a life? Tristan is taking Isolde’s world to the Realm of Death. marry Princess Isolde. Tristan is dumbfounded when he learns that he has This loss is too much for Isolde. Her heart cannot stand it and she follows her won the right for his King to marry his love and not himself. Now his feelings love into Eternity. Has there been any love that can be compared to this? toward Isolde run counter to his devotion to his country as this marriage is supposed to bring peace to Britain and to stop the wars. Life is more powerful than Death. Love is stronger than Life. Vasilisa Music by Rakhmaninov - 40 min. 15-18 dancers

At the other end of the world, in a faraway kingdom there lived a girl Vasilisa. She lived alone as her parents had died a long time ago. She was kind, she helped people, animals and birds. Once in the spring when she walked in a Birchwood, she met Ivan. They liked each other, and agreed to meet the next day at the same place. Kikimoras has seen them there, so the servant of Koschei The Deathless has reported to his master about the extraordinary beauty of Vasilisa. Koschei has wanted such beauty as his wife he has stolen her and brought Vasilisa into his Kingdom. Koschei offers Vasilisa all the infinite riches he has, everything, if only she became his wife. But Vasilisa does not want anything from him, she wishes to come back home to her beloved Ivan. Ivan has learned, that Koschei The Deathless has stolen Vasilisa and thinks, how to overcome him. He has gone to the Baba-Yaga to ask her advice, how to overcome the immortality of Koschei. She sympathises with Ivan and has given him a magic sword, called “Kladenets”. All Kikimoras wishes to do is kidnap Ivan from the road and misdirect him ,whilst on his way to Koschei’s Kingdom. At last he has reached Koschei’s Kingdom where Koschei waits for him with his servants, they wish to murder Ivan. Ivan has entered the fight with the evil forces. Ivan certainly does not want bravery, his magic sword has helped, he has overcome Koschei The Deathless in a terrible fight, he rescues Vasilisa from captivity. They have reached their home and celebrated with a glorious wedding. They begin to live long and happily together. Polovtsian Dances Music by Borodin Video Link Polovtsian camp. Evening. The Polovtsian girls are dancing and singing a song comparing a flower expecting rain with a maid anticipating a meeting with her love. Konchak offers freedom to Prince Igor, his prisoner, in exchange for the promise never to raise arms against him. But Igor honestly states that if Konchak sets him free, he will collect his army and attack immediately. Konchak wishes they were allies and calls his prisoners to entertain them. The Polovtsian dance scene begins. First comes “Fly with the wind” girls’ choir accompanied by dancing. It is followed by dance to the arioso by Konchakovna, renowned for its melody and beauty. Then comes the major Polovtsian dance that culminates the act. The Polovtsian Dance piece from the Prince Igor opera has become a separate and independent ballet performance. Cross Winds Music by Frederic Chopin Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov Libretto by Anna Akeksidze. 40 min. 7 dancers

Loneliness, like doom, predetermined by fate, is the main motive of the ballet. Three diverse duets, six different characters and a beautiful girl in white who, like everyone else, was born for love, but finally she won’t be able to find it. Manfred Music by Tchaikovsky – 50 min. 12-15 dancers Paganini Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff Video Link Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov

Paganini is an original choreographic incarnation of the famous “Rhapsody on Paganini” by Sergei Rachmaninov Combining with the expressive and full of vivid contrasts, the music of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody, based on the famous theme of Niccolo Paganini’s Caprice № 24, the dance freely and rapidly develops in the stage space. Anatoly Emelianov created this ballet according to script based on the legend of how the great Italian violinist and composer “sold his soul to the devil” in order to get an unprecedented performing talent and power over the women’s hearts. This ballet is a reflection of the good and evil, the fate of the rebellious musician, surrounded by a halo of mystery, and the burden of an ingenious artist. Serenade For Strings Music by Petr Tchaikovsky Video Link Choreography by Anatoly Emelianov

Serenade for Strings is an original choreographic incarnation of the famous “ Serenade for String Orchestra” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Despite the fact that the music of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade is not originally intended for ballet, the musical-rhythmic drawing of all its parts has dance character and can easily be embodied in dance. As the result, we have ballet that looks like a game - light, unpretentious, elegant. Illuminated with a bluish “sylphide” light, ephemeris dancers dance in purple “Chopin style dresses”. Exquisite beauty of movements, spirituality and sublimity, real “pure dance” - these are the main features of this ballet.