Events

Swan Lake

Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky
Choreography: L. Ivanov and M. Petipa
Editor: Alex Bogutsky
Stage design and costumes: V. Okunev

With live orchestral accompaniment, the ensemble presents one of the most famous ballets, Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”. This romantic fairytale about the young prince Siegfried and the swan princess Odetta, which explores the power of true love, is known the world over. The Allegro Moderato from the Swan Dances of Act 2, choreographed by Lev Ivanov, is known far beyond the ballet-loving public as the “Dance of the Four Little Swans” and is a masterpiece that has fascinated audiences for centuries. International Festival Ballet, one of the best classical ballet ensembles, conjures up “Swan Lake” on stage with a magnificent set design by Vjatscheslav Okunev and beautiful costumes.

The Nutcracker

Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky
Choreography: L. Ivanov and M. Petipa
Editor: A. Bogutsky
Stage design and costumes: V. Okunev

The Nutcracker — just in time for Christmas. Fairytale-like classical ballet art for young and old, a perfect work of art with live orchestral accompaniment.

“The Nutcracker” is a timeless ballet that was first performed in Russia in the late 19th century. The plot revolves around a young girl named Clara, who receives a mysterious nutcracker as a gift on Christmas Eve. In a magical journey, she suddenly finds herself in a world full of magic and adventure, including a battle against the evil Mouse King and a trip to the land of sweets.

The artistic beauty of the ballet lies in its masterful choreography, opulent costumes and breathtaking set design. The music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky accompanies the action in a magical way and contributes to the timeless appeal of the piece. With its imaginative story, the charming Nutcracker and the impressive dance sequences, the ballet has fascinated audiences all over the world since its premiere and has firmly established itself as a classic of romantic ballet.

Sleeping Beauty

Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky
Choreography: V. Vsevolozhski and M. Petipa
Artistic direction: A. Bogutsky
Stage design and costumes: V. Okunev

Sleeping Beauty, one of the most famous works of ballet literature and a wonderful children’s fairy tale. Danced by the International Festival Ballet, they tell the fabulous story based on the fairy tale “La belle au bois dormant” by Charles Perrault, which was first performed as a ballet in 1890 with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa. The impressive féerie of beauty, elegance and grace combined with breathtaking costumes, a truly royal set and the unique passion of the dancers transports the audience into the fairytale world of fantasies and dreams. A perfect work of art accompanied by the live orchestra.

The Sleeping Beauty ballet was created in close collaboration between Peter I. Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa, probably the most important choreographer of the 19th century. Its formal perfection and highly developed choreographic and musical expression fascinate the discerning connoisseur; thanks to its fairytale-like immediacy and theatrical splendour, it also delights a wide audience. The grandiose stage design by the brilliant theatre designer Vjatscheslav Okunev, who has worked for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and La Scala in Milan, beautiful costumes and the boundless elegance of the ballet are a guarantee of success.

The combination of dancing perfection, musical brilliance and visual opulence makes the performance of Sleeping Beauty an unforgettable experience for young and old alike. With every turn and leap, the International Festival Ballet transports its audience into a world of magic and beauty that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy.

Giselle

Music: A. Adam
Choreography: J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa
Libretto: T. Gautier, J. Coralli, J. de Saint-Georges after Heinrich Heine
Set design and costumes: Vyacheslav Okunev (Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg)

Giselle is a romantic ballet in two acts. It was first performed by the Ballet du Théâtre de l’Académie Royale de Musique at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris on 28 June 1841, with Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. The ballet was an unqualified triumph: it became hugely popular and was staged at once across Europe, Russia, and the United States. The traditional choreography that has been passed down to the present day derives primarily from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg.

The ballet is about a peasant girl named Giselle, who dies of a broken heart after discovering her lover is betrothed to another. The Wilis, a group of supernatural women who dance men to death, summon Giselle from her grave. They target her lover for death, but Giselle’s great love frees him from their grasp.

Outstanding soloists and dancers, marvelous set design and costumes combined with a magnificent light design and wonderful music performed by a wondrous symphony orchestra — that is what the International Festival Ballet offers ballet lovers all over the world.

Don Quixote

Music: L. Minkus
Choreography: M. Petipa, A. Gorsky

Based on the celebrated novel by Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote is one of the most joyful and virtuosic ballets of the classical repertoire. Sparkling variations, fiery Spanish dances and the famous grand pas de deux make it a true festival of technique and temperament, performed by the International Festival Ballet with live orchestral accompaniment.