The Bolshoi Ballet Le Corsaire

- About
- Synopsis
- Artist
- Presenter
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About

Credits
Composer: Adolphe Adam
Librettists: Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Joseph Mazilier, edited by Marius Petita
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Revival and New Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Burlaka
Conductor: Pavel Klinichev
Set Designer: Boris Kaminsky
Costume Designer: Elena Zaytseva (with the use of sketches by Evgeny Ponomaryov in 1899)
Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Music (excerpts in the production): Leo Delibes, Cesare Pugni, Pyotr von Oldenburg,
Riccardo Drigo, Albert Zabel, Julius Gerber
Music Dramaturgy conception: Yuri Burlaka
Score Restoration: Alexander Troitsky

Cast
Medora: Ekaterina Krysanova (18/20)/Yulia Stepanova (19)
Conrad: Igor Tsvirko (18)/Denis Rodkin (19)/Vladislav Lantratov (20)
Gulnare: Ksenia Zhiganshina (18/20)/ Eleonora Sevenard (19)
Birbanto: Denis Savin (18/20)/ Vitaly Biktimirov (19)
Slaves: Margarita Shrainer, David Motta Soares (18/19)/ Daria Bochkova, Mikhail Kryuchkov (20)
Seyd: Alexei Loparevich (All dates)
Zulmea: Nelli Kobakhidze (All dates)

Characters
Conrad, a corsair
Medora, a young Greek Girl, Isaac's ward
Seyd the Pacha
Birbanto, one of the chief corsairs
Zulmea, Seyd's favourite sultana
Gulnare, Seyd's slave-girl
Issac Lanquedem, bazaar-owner
Keeper of Seyd's harem
An Eunuch
A Negress
A Mufti
An Executioner
Corsairs, slave-girls, enuchs, Seyd's guards, merchants, buyers, almées, odalisques, children and others

Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1

The bazaar square: Beautiful slave-girls who are up for sale, sit awaiting buyers; here too throngs a crowd of Turks, Greeks, Armenians who are examining the wares brought from all corners of the world.

A band of corsairs appear at the square, led by Conrad. He has arrived at the bazaar to carry out a secret plan to meet a beautiful stranger.

Medora, the ward of bazaar-owner Isaac Lanquedem, appears on the balcony of her guardian’s home. Seeing Conrad, she quickly makes a selam out of the flowers she wants throws to him. The latter, reading the selam is delighted, since he believes the beautiful Medora loves him.

Isaac and Medora appear at the square. While Isaac examines the slave-girls, Medora and Conrad exchange passionate and meaningful glances.

A rich buyer appears at the square – Seyd, the Pacha – and his suite. He is surrounded by dealers showing off their girls, but not one of the latter pleases him. Then Seyd, the Pacha catches sight of her. He wants to purchase her but Isaac refuses to sell him his ward, explaining to Seyd that she is not for sale and offering him a pair of other maidens instead.

But Seyd insists on buying her. His offers are so advantageous and attractive that Isaac can not resist them and agrees to the deal. Issuing an order that the new slave-girl he has just bought be delivered to his harem, Seyd goes off to threaten Isaac with punishment if she is not immediately dispatched to his harem. Conrad calms down Medora, promising that the corsairs will kidnap her.

Responding to a sign from Conrad, the corsairs start a merry dance with the slave-girls, in which Medora takes an active part to the delight of all present. But suddenly, Conrad gives the signal, and the corsairs make off with the slave-girls and Medora as well. Isaac runs after Medora and tries to snatch her from the corsairs; Conrad orders that Isaac, who is frightened out of his wits, should also be seized.

Scene 2

The Plotters

The corsairs, with their rich booty and captive maidens return to their lair; also brought here is the trembling Isaac. Medora, saddened by the fate of her fellow slaves, begging Conrad to free them and he agrees. Birbanto and other pirates protest, saying they also have a right to the women. They turn mutinous. Conrad, deflecting a blow aimed at him, forces Birbanto to his knees; then he soothes a frightened Medora and protecting her, brings her into the tent.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Isaac tries to make his escape. However he is seen by Birbanto and other pirates who taunt him and, stealing all his money, suggesting that he participate in a plot to get back Medora. Picking a flower from the bunch, Birbanto sprays it with a sleeping potion, and hands it to Isaac, telling him to give it to Conrad.

Conrad appears and arranges for dinner to be served. While the corsairs are having their supper, Medora dances for Conrad who swears eternal love to her.

Gradually the corsairs disperse, except for Birbanto and several of his henchmen who are keeping an eye on Conrad and Medora. Isaac appears with a young slave- girl; pointing to her, he tells the slave-girl to give her the flower. Medora, clasps the flower to her breast and hands it over to Conrad, adding that flowers demonstrate all her love for him. Conrad, presses the flower to his lips but the intoxicating smell goes to his head and despite his efforts not to succumb to its effect, hefalls into a deep sleep. Birbanto makes a sign to the plotters to put their plan into action.

Medora gets taken away when Conrad falls asleep. She is surrounded by the corsairs who threaten her. Trying to defend herself, Medora stabs Birbanto in the arm and attempts to flee, she faints and falls into the hands of her kidnappers.

Dismissing his henchmen, Birbanto is about to make short work of Conrad when the latter wakes up. Hearing that she has been abducted, Conrad and the corsairs set off in pursuit.

Act II

Seyd, the Pacha’s palace

The bored odalisques start playing various games. Zulmea demands the odalisques show her respect, but Gulnare and her friends mock the haughty sultana.

Enter Seyd, the Pacha. The odalisques are required to bow down before their master, but the unruly Gulnare mocks him as well. Seyd,feeling carried away by her youth and beauty, throws her his handkerchief, but Gulnare throws it on to her friends, while the handkerchief, passing from hand to hand, reaches an old negress who, picks it up and starts to chase Seyd, smothering him with caresses. Seyd struggles to contain his anger.

In an attempt to please Pacha, the Keeper of the harem brings forward three odalisques.

Zulma tries to attract Pacha’s attention but, at that moment, the latter is told of the arrival of a slave trader.

Catching sight of Isaac, who leads in Medora, Seyd is overjoyed. She begs Seyd to grant her her freedom but, seeing that he is unrelenting, complains of cruel treatment by her guardian; Seyd orders the eunuch to send the Jewishperson packing. Approaching Medora, Gulnare showsmuchkindness and sympathy to her. Seyd offers her various jewels but, to his displeasure and Gulnare’s joy, she turns them down outright.

The leader of a group of dervishes appears, who requests lodging for the evening. Seyd allows the dervish caravan to stay in his garden. Unnoticed by the Pacha, one of the so-called dervishes reveals himself to Medora – who is Conrad. Amused at the dervishes’ embarrassment at the sight of the young, seductive slave-girls, Seyd promises to acquaint them with all the delights his harem has to offer and orders slave-girls to start dancing.

At the end of the celebration, Seyd orders her to be sent tohis private rooms in the palace. Throwing off their dervish disguise, the corsairs threaten Seyd with daggers, while Conrad and Medora embrace.

The corsairs are engrossed in plundering Seyd’s palace. Gulnare runs in, pursued by Birbanto, she rushes up to Medora and begs for her help. Conrad takes Gulnare’s part, meanwhile she recognizes Birbanto as her kidnapper and informs Conrad of his treacherous deed. Laughing, Birbanto denies her accusation; in confirmation of her words, she points out to Conrad the wound she inflicted on Birbanto by stabbing him in the arm. Conrad is about to shoot the traitor, but Medora and Gulnare restrain him and Birbanto runs off shouting threats.

Medora, giddy with weakness and nervous tension, is on the point of fainting but, with assistance from Gulnare and Conrad, she regains consciousness and, at their request, is about to follow them whenSeyd’s guards burst into the hall. The corsairs are routed, Conrad is disarmed and sentenced to death. Seyd is victorious.

Act III
Seyd, the Pacha’s Wedding

Seyd, the Pacha’s private rooms in the palace: Seyd gives orders to make preparations for his wedding to Medora. He proposes to her who indignantly turns him down. Conrad in chains is led to his execution. Medora, seeing the terrible plight of her loved one, begs Seyd to grant him mercy. Seyd promises to pardon Conrad on the condition that Medora, on her own free will, agrees to be his dearly beloved. She is at her wit’s end and in despair she accepts Seyd’s terms.

Left on their own, Conrad hurries over to Medora who tells him about the conditions that Seyd has agreed to free him. Conrad rejects that and they both agree to die together. Gulnare who has been observing them suggests a plan; the lovers agree to it and thank her profusely.

Seyd returns. Medora informs him that she hasaccepted his terms. Overjoyed, Seyd gives orders that Conrad be set free from all forms of persecution. while preparations are underway for the wedding ceremony.

The wedding procession approaches, the bride is covered by a veil. At the end of the ceremony, Seyd gives the bride his arm, and puts a ring on her finger. The dances of the odalisques bring the wedding to an end.

Left alone with Seyd, Medora tries to entice him with her dances, but she can’t wait for the hour of her delivery. Catching sight of the pistol in Seyd’s belt, she says it frightens her and asks him to take it off. Seyd does as he is told and hands it over to Medora. Her fear increases at the sight of the dagger, also tucked in his belt. To calm her down once and for all, Seyd pulls the dagger free and gives it to her. He tries to embrace her but, dancing, she slips nimbly away from his grasp. Seyd falls at her feet and, imploring her love, gives her his handkerchief. As if for a joke, she ties his hands up with it and he, amused, laughs at her prank. On the stroke of midnight, Conrad appears. Seyd is horrified when he sees her hand over his dagger to Conrad; he wants to call for help but she aims the pistol at him and says she will kill him if he opens his mouth. Seyd doesn’t dare utter a word, meanwhile Medora and Conrad escape.

Seyd tries to free himself. Gulnare comes running in and, feigning horror, unties his hands. Seyd summons his guard and orders them to pursue the fugitives. Three shots of the cannon bring news that the corsairs’ ship has set sail. Seyd has a violent fit of temper: his beloved wife has been abducted. “I’m your wife”, says Gulnare, and, pointing to her wedding ring she adds, “this is your ring!”

Seyd remains in a state of shock.

Epilogue

Storm and Shipwreck

At sea: A clear and peaceful night on deck. The corsairs are celebrating their liberation. Only the hapless Birbanto, in chains, does not take part in merry-making. Taking pity on him, Medora asks Conrad to forgive Birbanto and the latter joins in her pleas. After some hesitation Conrad pardons Birbanto who requests permission to regale his fellow pirates with a barrel of wine.

There is a swift change in the weather and a storm swirls up; taking advantage of the confusion, Birbanto starts to stir up trouble with the pirates, but Conrad throws him overboard. The storm gets worse: there are peals of thunder, flashes of lightning and a very rough sea. A resounding crack is heard and the ship goes aground struck by a rock.

The wind slowly dies down and the sea becomes calm again. The moon comes out and two figures are lit up in its silvery light: these are Medora and Conrad who, miraculously, haven’t drowned. They reach the rock, clamber up onto it and thank God for their salvation.

Artist

Ekaterina KrysanovaPrincipal

Ekaterina Krysanova

Ekaterina graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography and joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 2003. Her repertoire includes principal roles in Giselle, La Sylphide, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, Coppélia, in Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love, Nutcracker, Spartacus (Aegina), The Golden Age (both Rita and Lyuska), Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris, The Bright Stream, Lost Illusions (both Coralie and Florine), Romeo and Juliet both by Grigorovich and Ratmansky, The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, John Cranko’s Onegin, Pierre Lacotte’s Marco Spada, Vladimir Vasiliev’s Anyuta, George Balanchine’s Diamonds and Rubies / Jewels, Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, Harald Lander’s Etudes, and Jerome Robbins’ The Cage. In 2005, she won the 2^nd Prize in the Moscow International Ballet Competition. In 2013, she was awarded the title of People’s Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. In 2015, she won “The Golden Mask” National Theatre Award in the “The Best Ballet Female Part” category and the Positano Léonide Massine Prize as the Dancer of the Year on the International Stage. In 2016, she was awarded the twined “Benois-Massine Moscow-Positano” Prize.

Yulia StepanovaPrincipal

Yulia Stepanova

Yulia graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2009 and joined the Mariinsky Ballet, where she danced Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, Myrtha in Giselle, Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Queen of Dryads and Street Dancer in Don Quixote, the title role in The Firebird, Helena in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Aegina in Leonid Yakobson’s Spartacus, the title role in Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia, parts in ballets by Preljocaj, Forsythe, and McGregor. She moved to the Stanislavsky Ballet in 2014, and in 2015 was invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet as Soloist. Her repertoire includes Odette-Odile, Raymonda, Nikia in La Bayadère, Medora in Le Corsaire, Myrtha, Lilac Fairy, Mekhmene Banu in Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love, Leading Couple in George Balanchine’s Diamonds / Jewels, Carmen in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, Bela in A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, leading roles in ballets by Harald Lander, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, and Alexei Ratmansky. In 2014 she received the Taglioni Award nominated as “The Best Young Ballerina”.

Vladislav LantratovPrincipal

Vladislav Lantratov

Vladislav joined the Bolshoi Ballet following his graduation in 2006 from the Moscow Choreographic Academy. His repertoire includes principal parts in La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Esmeralda, Le Corsaire, in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Ivan the Terrible, A Legend of Love, The Golden Age, Spartacus (Crassus), Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt), Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris, The Bright Stream, Lost Illusions, Russian Seasons, Romeo and Juliet, John Cranko’s Onegin, John Neumeier’s Lady of the Camellias, The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, A Hero of Our Time and Nureyev by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, George Balanchine’s Emeralds and Rubies / Jewels, Apollon Musagète, and Serenade, in ballets by Jiří Kylián, Paul Lightfoot, Sol León, and Wayne McGregor. He danced with the Estonian National Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Mikhailovsky Ballet, and Chelyabinsk Ballet. In 2015, he performed the title part in Onegin with the Stuttgart Ballet. In 2017, he danced Frondoso in Laurencia by Vakhtang Chabukiani in Nina Ananiashvili’s version with Paliashvili Tbilisi Ballet. In 2015, he received the “Golden Mask” National Theatre Award.

Denis RodkinPrincipal

Denis Rodkin

Denis graduated from the Choreographic Academy of the Moscow State Theatre of Dance “Gzhel” in 2009 and joined the Bolshoi Ballet. His repertoire includes principal roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, in Yuri Grigorovich’s Spartacus, A Legend of Love, Nutcracker, Ivan the Terrible (Prince Kurbsky), John Cranko’s Onegin, John Neumeier’s Lady of the Camellias, Pierre Lacotte’s Marco Spada (Prince Frederici), A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris (Antoine Mistral), Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, and Hans van Manen’s Frank Bridge Variations. He danced with the Mariinsky Theatre, took part in Sochi Olympic Closing Ceremony (The Golden Slave in Scheherazade/Russian Ballet by E. Faski), and performed Paolo in Yuri Possokhov’s Francesca da Rimini (within Svetlana Zakharova’s project Amore). His awards include “The Soul of Dance” Prize (2014) and "Benois de la Danse" Prize (2017).

Denis SavinPrincipal

Denis Savin

Denis graduated from the Moscow Choreographic Academy in 2002. He joined the Corps de Ballet of the Bolshoi Ballet, but was soon cast in leading roles. In 2003, he opened the theatre’s season as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet by Radu Poklitaru and Declan Donnellan, and in 2015, he created the title role in their Hamlet. His repertoire includes Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Birbanto in Le Corsaire, Abderakhman in Raymonda, Gringoire in La Esmeralda, Vizierin Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love, Drosselmeyer in his Nutcracker, Yashka in his The Golden Age, Jerome in The Flames of Paris and Pyotr in The Bright Stream both by Alexei Ratmansky, Pepinelli in Pierre Lacotte’s Marco Spada, Grushnitskу in A Hero of Our Time and Eric in Nureyev both by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, Moor in Michel Fokine’s Petrushka, Pas de deux in Herman Schmerman by William Forsythe, and Torero in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite. His awards include the “Golden Mask” National Theatre Award (2012) and the title of Merited Artist of Russian Federation (2016).

Igor TsvirkoLeading Soloist

Igor Tsvirko

Igor joined the Bolshoi Ballet after graduating from the Moscow Choreographic Academy in 2007. His repertoire includes principal roles in Giselle, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Yuri Grigorovich’s Spartacus, The Legend of Love and Nutcracker, Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris and The Bright Stream, Pierre Lacotte’s Marco Spada, The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Nureyev and A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, roles of The Evil Genius and The Fool in Swan Lake, Abderakhman in Raymonda, Mercutio in both Grigorovich’s and Ratmansky’s productions of Romeo and Juliet, Count N. in John Neumeier’s Lady of the Camellias, Moor in Michel Fokine’s Petrushka, Jose in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, roles in ballets by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats Ek, Paul Lightfoot, Sol León, and Harald Lander. Igor won the Second Prize at the Moscow Ballet Competition in 2013. In 2017, he was awarded the “Soul of Dance” Prize by the Ballet magazine.

Vitaly BiktimirovFirst Soloist

Vitaly Biktimirov

Vitaly joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 2000 after graduating from the Moscow Academy of Choreography. His repertoire includes Toreador in Don Quixote, Abderakhman in Raymonda, Birbanto in Le Corsaire, Clopin Trouillefou in Esmeralda, Hans in Giselle, Drosselmeyer in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Yashka in The Golden Age and Signor Capulet in Romeo and Juliet also by Grigorovich, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Gilbert and Auvergne Dance in The Flames of Paris all by Alexei Ratmansky, Prince Gremin in John Cranko’s Onegin, Monsieur Duval in John Neumeier’s Lady of the Camellias, Artynov in Vladimir Vasiliev’s Anyuta, Moor in Michel Fokine’s Petrushka, Chekalinsky in Roland Petit’s La Dame de Pique, and Torero in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite. In 2015, he danced Prince Gremin with the Stuttgart Ballet.

Jacopo TissiFirst Soloist

Jacopo Tissi

In 2014, Jacopo graduated from the Ballet School of the Teatro alla Scala Academy. During the season 2014/15 he danced with the Vienna State Ballet, in the season 2015/16 he joined La Scala Ballet Company. In 2017, he joined the Bolshoi Ballet. His first performance at the Bolshoi was in Le Spectre de la rose in the framework of the Gala in honor of Maris Liepa jubilee. His repertoire with the Company includes Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Nutcracker-Prince in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Antoine Mistral in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris and Paris in his Romeo and Juliet, The Leading Couple in Diamonds / Jewels by George Balanchine, and Principal Dancer in Harald Lander’s Etudes. In 2015, he was voted the rising talent (2014) by the Italian Danza & Danza magazine. In 2016, he won the Prix BALLET2000 (Cannes, ceremony and gala dedicated to Maya Plisetskaya).

Alexander VodopetovFirst Soloist

Alexander Vodopetov

Alexander joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 2003 after graduating from the Moscow Choreographic Academy. His repertoire includes Clopin Trouillefou in Esmeralda, Peasant Dance in The Sleeping Beauty, A Slave in La Bayadère, Vizier in Yuri Grigorovich’s A Legend of Love, Russian and Indian Dolls in his Nutcracker, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Gilbert in The Flames of Paris, Couple in Green in Russian Seasons, all by Alexei Ratmansky, Prince Gremin in John Cranko’s Onegin, Corregidor in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, Kazbich in A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, The Second Intruder in The Cage by Jerome Robbins, the roles in Forgotten Land and Symphony of Psalms by Jiří Kylián, and Kvartira by Mats Ek.

Ana TurazashviliSoloist

Ana Turazashvili

Ana began her training at the Tbilisi Ballet School before entering the Moscow Choreographic Academy. She graduated in 2007 and joined the Paliashvili Tbilisi Ballet before joining the Bolshoi Ballet in 2009. Her repertoire includes Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, Princess Florine and Silver Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Friends to Prince and Hungarian Bride in Swan Lake, Adeline in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris, Bela in A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, Two Leading Couples and Pas de trois in Emeralds / Jewels by George Balanchine, French Doll in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Three Couples in Frank Bridge Variations by Hans van Manen, solo parts in Coppélia, Raymonda, and La Bayadère.

Anton SavichevSoloist

Anton Savichev

Anton graduated from the Moscow Choreographic Academy in 2003 and joined the Bolshoi Theatre. His repertoire includes Jerome in The Flames of Paris and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet both by Alexei Ratmansky, Magedaveya and Dance with Drum in La Bayadère, Bolero in Don Quixote, Mazurka in Coppélia, Hungarian Dance in Raymonda, Peasant Dance in The Sleeping Beauty, roles in The Golden Age, Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Ivan the Terrible, A Legend of Love all by Yuri Grigorovich, Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite, The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Symphony of Psalms by Jiří Kylián, Kvartira by Mats Ek, Rubies / Jewels by George Balanchine, A Hero of Our Time (Yanko) and Nureyev both by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov.

Antonina ChapkinaCorps de Ballet

Antonina Chapkina

Antonina graduated from the Moscow Choreographic Academy in 2008. She danced with ballet companies of the Mikhailovsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg (2009–11) and of Teatro alla Scala, Milan (2011–16); in 2017 she was a member of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. In 2017 she joined the Bolshoi Ballet, where her repertoire includes Queen of Dryads in Don Quixote, Friends to Prince in Swan Lake, Gold Fairy, Silver Fairy and Fairy of Audacity in The Sleeping Beauty, French Doll and She-Devil in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, and Friends to Armida in Alexey Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris.

Eleonora SevenardCorps de Ballet

Eleonora Sevenard

Eleonora graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2017 and joined the Bolshoi Ballet. Her repertoire includes Marie in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Sapphire Fairy, Fairy of Generosity and Diamond Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Friends to Kitri and the 1^st Variation in Grand Pas in Don Quixote, and Friends to Giselle in Giselle, Friends to Juliet in Alexei Ratmansky’s Romeo and Juliet. She won the 2^nd Prize in the “Vaganova-PRIX” Competition in 2016. In the same year she was awarded the Natalia Dudinskaya and Konstantin Sergeev Foundation Prize. In 2017 she won the 1^st Prize in the III All-Russian Young Dancers Competition “Russian Ballet”.

Margarita ShrainerCorps de Ballet

Margarita Shrainer

Margarita graduated from the Moscow Choreographic Academy in 2011 and joined the Bolshoi Ballet. Her repertoire includes the title role in La Sylphide, Kitri and Amour in Don Quixote, Marie and French Doll in Yuri Grigorovich’s Nutcracker, Jeanne and Mireille de Poitiers in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris, The Leading Couple in Rubies and Pas de trois in Emeralds in George Balanchine’s Jewels, Peasant Pas de deux and Pas d’action in Giselle, Friends to Prince in Swan Lake, solo parts in La Bayadère, The Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda, a role in Symphony of Psalms by Jiří Kylián. She won the 1^st Prize in the “Young Ballet of the World” Competition in Sochi (2010), and was awarded a Diploma at the XII International Ballet Competition in Moscow (2013).

David Motta SoaresCorps de Ballet

David Motta Soares

David began to study ballet in Cabo Frio (Brazil). In 2010, after attending the intensive summer courses of the Moscow Choreographic Academy in Middlebury, Connecticut and New York he entered the Academy. After his graduation in 2015 he joined the Bolshoi Ballet. His repertoire includes Count Albrecht in Giselle, The Evil Genius in Swan Lake, Nutcracker-Prince in Yuri Grigorovich’s The Nutcracker, Leading Couples in Diamonds and Emeralds / Jewels by George Balanchine, Principal Dancer in Harald Lander’s Etudes, Pechorin in A Hero of Our Time by Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov, The Golden Idol in La Bayadère, Antoine Mistral in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Flames of Paris, and Torero in Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite. He won the 2^nd Prize in the “Young Ballet of the World” Competition in Sochi (2014) and the 1^st Prize in the All-Russian Young Dancers Competition “Russian Ballet” (2015).

Ksenia ZhiganshinaCorps de Ballet

Ksenia Zhiganshina

In 2002-2008, Ksenia studied at the Jakobson St. Petersburg Ballet School and in 2008 she joined the Jakobson Ballet as soloist. In 2009, she entered the 5^th form of the Vaganova Ballet Academy. After her graduation in 2014, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet. Her repertoire includes Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, Marie in Yuri Grigorovich's The Nutcracker, Ballerina in Alexei Ratmansky's The Bright Stream, Leading couples and Pas de trois in Emeralds / Jewels by George Balanchine, solo parts in La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Raymonda, parts in ballets by Jiří Kylián and Hans van Manen. She won the 3^rd Prize in the Moscow International Ballet Competition (2009) and Grand Prix of the Mikhailovsky Theatre (2010). In 2011-2012 she was a recipient of the Galina Ulanova Foundation fellowship. In 2013 she won the 3^rd Prize in the I All-Russian Young Dancers Competition "Russian Ballet".

Presenter

The Bolshoi Ballet
Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia has been and will remain, one of the main symbols of Russian culture. It is the main national theatre, a bearer of the traditions of Russian music culture and centre of world music culture, the spearhead of development for the country’s performing arts.

The internationally-renowned Bolshoi Ballet is among the oldest and worldwide acclaimed ballet classical companies. The first ballets to be produced were by French and Italian masters such as Filippo Beccari, Morelli brothers and Jean Lamiral. Before long, young Russian choreographers such as Adam Glushkovsky took over in prominence, concentrating on ballets with Russian themes. From 1820-1830 the company developed in the French tradition under the influence of Felicite-Virginie Hullin-Sor and Fanny Elssler who familiarized the Moscow public with works of Jules Perrot and other masterpieces of romantic ballet. Marius Petipa's Don Quixote, which received its premiere in Moscow on December 26^th, 1869 was acknowledged to be the visiting card of the Moscow Company, a work that was infringing all Imperial Theatres' traditions, had transferred from Moscow to Petersburg. Alexander Gorsky, Petipa’s assistant and pupil, was appointed to the Bolshoi Theatre in 1900 and from then on until his death in 1924, he revised the company's stagings of the basic repertoire, making them more dramatic and realistic and laying the foundations for the company’s great future successes.

Following the October Revolution in 1917, left-wing critics demanded the removal from the repertoire of classical works. However, more moderate voices prevailed and, during the Soviet period, traditional nineteenth-century ballets were performed alongside contemporary works.

With the transfer of the capital from Petrograd to Moscow, the Bolshoi had become the country’s first theatre, a repository of the best creative talents. Olga Lepeshinskaya, Marina Semenova, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Bessmertnova, Ekaterina Maximova, Nina Timofeyeva, Asaf Messerer, Alexei Ermolaev, Mikhail Lavrovsky, Vladimir Vasiliev, Maris Liepa were among the great principal dancersof the 20^thcentury. Leonid Lavrovsky and Yuri Grigorovich had enabled “the golden age” of Soviet ballet.

Today chef-d’oeuvres of classical ballet, such as Giselle, La Sylphide, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, as well as 20^th century’s masterpieces of Yuri Grigorovich such as A Legend of Love, The Nutcracker, Spartacus, Ivan the Terrible, Romeo and Juliet, The Golden Age, occupy a leading place in the Bolshoi Ballet repertoire.

It also presents to its public specially commissioned ballets, among which are Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream, The Bolt, Lost Illusions and Romeo and Juliet, Yuri Possokhov’s Cinderella, A Hero of Our Time and Nureyev, Christopher Wheeldon’s Misericordes, Angelin Preljocaj’s And Then One Thousand Years of Peace, Tatiana Baganova’s The Rite of Spring, The Taming of the Shrew by Jean-Christophe Maillot, and Ondine by Vyacheslav Samodurov.

Another important goal is to introduce the Russian public to the achievements of the world’s great choreographers; its repertoire includes works by George Balanchine, Roland Petit, Pierre Lacotte, John Cranko, John Neumeier, JiríKylián, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Wayne McGregor, Harald Lander, Alberto Alonso, Hans van Manen, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León.

Nowadays Bolshoi dancers, Svetlana Zakharova, Ekaterina Krysanova, Anna Nikulina, Olga Smirnova, Yulia Stepanova, Kristina Kretova, Vladislav Lantratov, Denis Rodkin, Ruslan Skvortsov, Artem Ovcharenko, Semyon Chudin, and others ensure that the Bolshoi's standards remain as high as ever.

Makhar Vaziev, former director of the Mariinsky Theatre and Teatro alla Scala Ballet, was appointed Ballet Director in 2016. Today’s Bolshoi Ballet employs more than 200 dancers combining a pride of place in its artistic heritage with an awareness that it must grow and develop to prosper in today's rapidly changing world.
Note

Box officeNorth Gate of NCPA, No. 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing, China

Tickets collection hours9:30-19:30 (CST) on performance day
9:30-18:00 (CST) for days without performance

Booking line+86 10 6655 0000

Booking hours9:30-18:00 (CST) Monday to Friday

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Vitaly Biktimirov

Jacopo Tissi

Alexander Vodopetov

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Margarita Shrainer

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Opera Concert Dance & Ballet Theatre
Chinese Traditional Opera

Festivals & Series* NCPA Dance Festival 2024 * NCPA Pure Classical 2024 * NCPA International Theatre Festival 2024 * NCPA Piano Virtuosos 2024 * Charm of China—Maestros of Chinese Traditional Music

Box Office Hours
Performance Days 9:30 AM -19:30 PM
Gap Days 9:30 AM -18:00 PM
Tickets Info
8610-66550000

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Resident Companies
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