Royal Moscow Ballet will be returning to
South Africa in July with a programme entitled Crown of the Russian Ballet which will include two shows only in
Durban on July 28, 2018.
This time they bring a ballet programme
featuring new works not brought to Durban before, Paquita with music by Ludwig Minkus choreographed after Marius
Petipa; and The Firebird – a one act
ballet with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Anatoly Emelianov.
Paquita is the creation of French composer Édouard Deldevez and Paris Opéra
Ballet Master Joseph Mazilier. In 1847, Paquita
was staged for the first time in Russia for the Imperial Ballet of St
Petersburg by Marius Petipa and Pierre-Frédéric Malavergne, being the first
work ever staged by Petipa in Russia. In 1881, Petipa produced a revival of the
ballet for which he added new pieces specially composed by Ludwig Minkus. This
included the Paquita pas de trois for
the first act and the Paquita grand
pas classique and the Mazurka des enfants for the last act. Petipa's version of
Paquita was retained in the repertory
of the Mariinsky Theatre until 1926.
Petipa's 1881 additions for Paquita survived long after the
full-length ballet left the stage. Today these pieces, particularly the Grand
pas classique, are major cornerstones of the traditional classical ballet
repertory and have been staged by ballet companies throughout the world.
The
Firebird is a ballet and orchestral concert work by
the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It
was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes
company; the original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with a scenario by
Alexandre Benois and Fokine based on the Russian fairy tales of the Firebird
and the blessing and curse it possesses for its owner. When first performed at
the Opéra de Paris on June 25, 1910, the work was an instant success with both
audience and critics.
The ballet has historic significance not
only as Stravinsky's breakthrough piece, but also as the beginning of the
collaboration between Diaghilev and Stravinsky that would also produce the
acclaimed ballets Petrushka (1911)
and The Rite of Spring (1913).
In a country starved of professional
ballet, the regular visits from dancers of the Royal Moscow Ballet are always a
treat. The company arrives in the country for a six-city tour in July covering
Johannesburg, Sasolburg, Gaborone; Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.
Royal Moscow Ballet has toured successfully
around the globe presenting more than a thousand performances. The company,
which consists of graduates of the best Russian choreography, ballet and dance
schools, premiered as the Royal Moscow Ballet on the August 12, 2002. The
founders are Anatoly Emelianov and Anna Aleksidze.
In 2018, the Royal Moscow Ballet will be
celebrating its 16th anniversary. The company has created more than 20 modern
and 15 classical ballets. The ballets were created by choreographers / founders
Anatoly and Aleksidze.
The Royal Moscow Ballet has visited
countries such as Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya – the first visit of a Russian
ballet company to East Africa, The dancers performed on specially built stages
near Victoria Falls. In honour of their contribution to the furthering of
Russian Culture both Anna Alexidze and Anatoly Emelianov were awarded the
prestigious Knight of the Second Order of Dyagilev in 2007.
Royal Moscow Ballet is presented by Edouard
Miasnikov Agency whose objective remains to widen cultural exchange and sharing
between Russia and South Africa: www.russianartists.co.za.
Crown
of the Russian Ballet two shows take place in the
Playhouse Opera on July 28, 2018, at 14h00 and 18h00. Booking is through
www.computicket.com / 0861 915 8000 / Shoprite Checkers Money Market Counters.
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