Don Quixote

Ballet in three actsLibretto: Marius Petipa by Miguel de CervantesApraPremiere: 14/12/1869, Bolshoi Theatre, MoscowPolish premiere: 9/04/1964, State Opera, WarsawPremiere of the current version: 29/05/2014, Polish National BalletCo-production: Royal Ballet of Flanders, Antwerp

Apparently already in 1614 (!) in the Louvre in Paris, the court ballet Don Quichotte was danced, and later the motifs drawn from Cervantes's work constantly returned to the stage, resulting in dozens of new developments. The real furore, however, was made by Marius Petipa's 1869 ballet, which continues on stage to this day, refreshed and processed by successive generations of choreographers. It is one of the most important achievements in the achievements of the great French choreographer, who has earned the title of the father of world classical ballet with his work. He created his Don Quixote for Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre and shortly afterwards renovated it for St Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre.

The melodic and temperamental music was composed on his commission by Ludwig Alois Minkus, an Austrian violinist, conductor and ballet composer associated with Russia. The popular performance of Petipa was refreshed over time and enriched with new dances by his student Aleksandr Gorski, greatly enhancing the demonstrative value of the dance compositions of the recognized master. Therefore, today the authorship of the ballet is given to both of these choreographers. Where does his incessant vitality on the world stages come from?

The serene and picturesque coloring of former Spain, fiery gypsies and handsome bullfighters, the errant knight of La Mancha, the comic Sancho Panza and the dashing Gamache can always count on success. And the main characters, Kitri and Basilio, have no equal in the ballroom repertoire in terms of grace, temperament and dance virtuosity. All this creates a gripping revue of classical dance in Spanish style.

Polish National BalletOrkiestra Teatru Wielkiego - National Opera