The National Opera and Ballet of Ukraine, Odessa
Tour: Between May – Dec 2020
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The National Opera and Ballet of Ukraine, Odessa (The Odessa National Academic Theatre Opera and Ballet) is one of the oldest (early 19th century) classical opera and ballet houses of Europe. It is housed in one of the most beautiful historical theatre buildings in the world (1887). Great composers and artists performed here including Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Chaliapin, Oistrakh, Richter, Pavlova and Casals. Nowadays this theatre still has international allure. Major productions are played at international level. The performances appeal to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
NUTCRACKER
Tour: Between 14 – 22 December 2020 & 25 Feb – 5 Mar 2021
Classical Ballet in two acts from 1892 on music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Libretto based on a fairy tale by the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.
Implementation by the National Ballet of Ukraine Odessa
Company of 110 employees. Live orchestra.
The magic fairy tale of the girl Clara who ends up in an adventurous dream on Christmas Eve with a nutcracker doll that turns into a prince. This is quite rightly the most popular and classic Christmas show for the whole family worldwide.
The Nutcracker (French: Casse-noisette; Russian: Щелкунчик; Shtchkitschik; German: Der Nussknacker) is a classical ballet in two movements. The Mariinski Ballet premiered the play on 18 December 1892 at the Mariinski Theater in Saint Petersburg. The libretto was written by Marius Petipa and Ivan Vsevolosjki. They based themselves on Alexandre Dumas’ version of Ernst Hoffmann’s fairytale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The original choreography is by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov on music by Pjotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed for the ballet. The piece, which is also suitable for children, plays around the Christmas tree and Christmas gifts. The Nutcracker is often performed around Christmas for this reason.
First scene
A prosperous Christmas celebration with the Stahlbaum family. Family and riends decorate the Christmas tree together. When the tree is finished, the children are called. Clara and Fritz Stahlbaum admire the decorations. The party starts and the children receive presents. When the old standing clock indicates eight o’clock, a mysterious figure enters the room. It is Drosselmeyer, Clara’s godfather. Drosselmeyer is a magician and talented toy maker. He brought four lifelike dolls with him. The dolls perform a dance, after which they disappear for safe storage.
The children are disappointed, but Drosselmeyer has another gift for them: a wooden nutcracker doll. Everyone ignores the Nutcracker, except Clara. She immediately loves the doll. Fritz makes the nutcracker however on purpose. his makes Clara sad. Clara can not sleep at night. She returns to the living room to find her nutcracker. When she finds him, the clock strikes midnight. Drosselmeyer appears on top of the stand clock to sit. Suddenly the room fills with mice. The Christmas tree rises enormously and the nutcracker doll grows up to people size. Before she realizes what happened, Clara finds herself in the middle of a fight between an army of gingerbread soldiers and mice. The mice, led by the Mouse King, start eating the gingerbread soldiers. The Nutcracker sends reinforcements in the form of tin soldiers and dolls. When the Mouse King intends to attack the wounded Nutcracker manages to stab him and the Mouseking retreats. Clara stopped the attack by throwing her slipper. The mice retreat.
Second act
A pine forest in the snow. After the retreat of the mice the Nutcracker turns into a handsome prince. He takes Clara to the forest, where the snowflakes flock around them dancing. They beckon the two to the kingdom of the prince. 2nd act: Clara and the prince travel to Candy Land. The Sugar Plum Fairy ruled there while awaiting the return of the prince. The prince tells the Sugar Plum Fairy how Clara saved him from the Mouse King. In honor of the young heroine a celebration takes place with treats from all over the world: chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China and sweet sour canes from Russia. They all perform their national dances and are followed by Danish Shepherds, Ginger Mother, her kids and waltzing flowers. As an apotheose the Sugar Plum Fairy and her page perform a pas de deux. All candies perform a last waltz. Sugar Plum Fairy accompanies Claa and her prince from their throne. The Sugar Plum Fairy kisses them goodbye and lets them ride away with a sldge pulled by reindeers while all party members wave goodbye.
Fragment of the Nutcracker Ballet 02-02-2020
SWAN LAKE
Tour: between 15 to 17 May 2020, Apr & May 2021
Classical Ballet in two movements from 1877 by Pjiotr Iljitsch Tchaikovsky
Libretto based on a scenario by Vladimir Begichev and Vasily Gelzer
Choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Alexander Gorsky, Konstantin Sergeyev and Yuri Grigorovich
The National Ballet of Ukraine Odessa brings this world-renowned, classical version of this unforettable fairy tale, containing the famous 32 fouettés of the Black Swan as one of the highlights.
Playing time: 2 hours and 40 minutes with a break
New choreographic parts edited by Yuriy Vasyuchenko
Decor design – Evgeniy Gurenko
Costume design – Natalia Bevzenko-Zinkina
Clothing design – Sergey Vasiliev
Performed by the National Ballet Theatre of Ukraine Odessa
Company of 110 employees. Live orchestra.
Swan Lake (French: Le Lac des Cygnes, Russian: Лебединое озеро, Lebedinoje ozero) is a classical ballet in four acts. The Bolshoi Ballet premiered the piece on March 4, 1877 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
There is uncertainty about who wrote the libretto. Presumably Vladimir Begichev and Vasily Geltser were the authors. The story shows similarities with different fairy tales, including The Stolen Veil by German writer Johann Musäus and the Russian fairy tale The White Duck. The original choreography is by Julius Reisinger. Tchaikovsky composed the music.
The first production was not a success. Swan Lake only became popular after a revival by the Mariinskiballet in 1895. Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov provided a completely new choreography for this. Their version has since been used as the traditional version. Tchaikovsky wanted to create a new score, but died before he could do this. Riccardo Drigo adapted the original composition to the score that is used today.
First movement:
A party at the castle because of Prince Siegfried’s birthday. He has just come of age. The prince himself is carefree and elated, but his mother rebukes him. She warns that he must choose a girl on the next ball to marry.
Second movement:
The prince and his retinue are on the hunt. They arrive at a lake with swans. The consequence is to shoot the swans. Odette, the queen of swans, intervenes. She explains to the prince that a curse rests on them. The swans are actually young women, but the evil wizard Von Rothbart bewitched them. Every night the swans take their true form. It is often difficult for the viewer to decide when the ballerinas suggest swans and when people. However, this does not matter so much to follow the story. When the prince sees Odette, he falls in love immediately. The two bring a pas de deux and Siegfried asks Odette to come to his next ball. He promises to marry her. Odette tells him it is impossible to be a bride before the spell is broken. The spell forces Odette to go to the lake again as a swan and this separates the two lovers from each other.
Third movement:
Siegfried has returned to the castle. The prince and his mother receive six girls who want to win the prince’s love. Guests come from distant countries and bring national dances. Then Von Rothbart appears. He brought his daughter Odile with him. The wizard used his magic to make her look like Odette. Odile dances with the prince in a second pass de deux. Afterwards the prince declares his love for her. Outside of the castle, Odette despairs this betrayal. The wizard and his daughter leave the party in triumph.
Fourth movement:
Odette and the other swans mourn at their lake. When Siegfried appears, Odette avoids him until he explains Von Rothbart’s deceit. Then at the hands of the wizard, a storm sets in. The two lovers find each other, but drown together in the lake.
DON QUIXOTE
Tour: Oct 2020 & Apr May 2021
Music by Ludwig Minkus
Ballet in 3 movements with a prologue
Libretto by Marius Petipa
Based on a story from the novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes
Choreography by Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky, Kasyan Goleyzovsky
Playing time with intervals: 2 hours 30 minutes
New choreographic version by Yury Vasyuchenko
Musical director and conductor – Oksana Lyniv
Stage designer – Natalia Bevzenko-Zinkina
A cheerful, spectacular dance performance for all ages.
The Imperial Russian Ballet originally performed this work in Moscow in 1869. The contemporary version of this famous ballet revolves around Basilio and Kitri, two young lovers in Barcelona. Kitri has to marry commissioned her father to the rich man Gamache. Don Quixote comes to the inn of Kitri’s father and sees that she is unhappy. That’s why he challenges Gamache for a duel. Don Quixote is chased away. Then Basilio pretends he is dying and begs Kitri’s father to have compassion-and that’s why He needs to marry Kitri. The father agrees . During the wedding Basilio and Kitri dance a big pas de deux in Spanish style. Don Quixote leaves, looking for new adventures.
The story itself no longer has much to do with Cervantes’ novel, but it gives ballet the opportunity to introduce Spanish dance variations. All elements from the Spanish folklore are then present: fans, toreadors, gypsies and elegant skirts.
Performed by the National Ballet Theater of Ukraine Odessa
Company of 110 employees. Live orchestra.
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