Swan Lake
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa
Set designer: Boris Stoinov
Costume designer: Tsvetanka Stoinova
Synopsis
Swan Lake
ACT I
Scene: A garden in the castle grounds Prince Siegfried along with his friends who are celebrating his coming of age while peasants come to congratulate him and join in the dancing. His mother reproaches him for his frivolity, and tells him he must choose a bride at the forthcoming court ball. As the party ends, a flight of swans crosses the sky and the Prince decides to go hunting.
ACT II
Scene: A lake among the mountains
A group of swans glide over the lake, and as they reach the shore turn into young girls. Siegfried, still downcast, has left his friends. Suddenly the Swan Queen (Odette) appears before him. She tells him that she and her friends are under the spell of an evil magician, Von Rothbart; only between midnight and dawn can they return to human form. The Prince falls in love with Odette, and invites her to the ball, but she warns him that the enchanter will do all he can to separate them. As dawn breaks the swans return to the lake.
ACT III
Scene: A ballroom in the castle
Six prospective brides dance before the Prince, but none of them attracts him. Two mysterious guests arrive: they are Von Rothbart and his daughter Odile, who is disguised as Odette. While Siegfried dances with Odile, Odette appears at the window and vainly tries to warn him of the deception. Siegfried announces that he has chosen Odile as his bride and at that moment the hall is plunged into darkness and the magician and his daughter vanish. Siegfried realizes that he has been tricked and hurries out in search of Odette.
ACT IV
Scene: The lake
Dark night on the shore of the Lake. Odette tells her friends about the defection of Siegfried.
The Prince comes and assures his beloved that he has not forgotten the vow to love. Siegfried fights Rothbart. The power of his love for Odette destroys the spirit, the spell is now broken; Odette and Siegfried meet the first rays of the rising sun; the lovers are reunited and the swan maidens are also free.
The Nutcracker
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Set designer: Eslitsa Popova
Costume designer: Eslitsa Popova
Synopsis
The Nutcracker
ACT I
Snow is falling outside the Stahlbaum residence where inside the last preparations for the Christmas Eve party are keeping everyone busy. The family has been banished to the library to wait out the final hour before the party. The magician Count Drosselmeyer is taking a final look at the girl Marie, who he hopes will save his nephew from the spell of imprisonment as a Nutcracker. A battle must be waged with the evil mouse king, Ratsputtle, if his nephew is to regain his form.
Marie and her brother, Fritz, would dearly love a peek at the Grand Hall, but are unsuccessful, as their mother and staff fleet in and out.
Finally the moment arrives, the doors flings open, and the party begins. As Marie arrives, time stands still. What beauty and magic is in the air, what possibilities this blessed night promises. Parents and children dance, feast and make merry until the arrival of a most special guest. The part comes to a momentary pause as Mademoiselle Chessinskya, the famous Russian ballerina, arrives with her partner, Dimitrikov. The glamorous ballerina graciously agrees to perform, and the guests, especially Marie, are enchanted.
When the entertainment finishes, the festivities resume, only to be cut short by the arrival of the absurd Count Drosselmeyer. Crazy beyond anyone’s comprehension, Drosselmeyer entertains all, and gives Marie and Fritz an unusual present. From nowhere he produces an amusing, life-size clown doll, to the delight and astonishment of all. Fritz is unimpressed with the ugly wooden soldier from Drosselmeyer, but Marie falls immediately in love.
Drosselmeyer makes clear to all that the doll is a Nutcracker, and Fritz become jealous of the attention Marie is receiving and grabs the doll back. The ensuing fight sends the doll tumbling to the floor.
Marie ties her ribbon as a bandage around the Nutcracker, and Drosselmeyer assures her that all is well. The party lingers to its end, and the family seeks out their long winter nap. Marie places her Nutcracker amongst her other dolls and reluctantly steals herself to bed.
As all is still, Drosselmeyer sneaks back into the room and removes the Nutcracker to the Grand Hall. It is just in time, as the evil mouse king Ratsputtle appears, looking for the doll.
Marie, aroused from her sleep, seeks out her Nutcracker and discovers the shelf empty. Mice as large as she is, scamper about, stealing her toys, and when she runs away she discovers that the Grand Hall is expanding to monstrous sizes. Mice are running everywhere, but to Marie’s astonishment, her Nutcracker has become life-size. The horrible Ratsputtle enters, declaring war, while the Nutcracker summons his troops. Fighting is fierce; the Nutcracker goes down, but in the nick of time Marie throws her slipper, and the mouse king is defeated. The Nutcracker seems to have disappeared, but Drosselmeyer encourages Marie to lift up her eyes. To her wonder, the most handsome of young men stands before her. The two are so mesmerized by each other that they fail to observe that they are in the midst of whirling snow maidens. Drosselmeyer reappears, and as the curtain descends, Marie and the Prince ascend into the starry sky.
ACT II
The wondrous journey continues as Marie and her Prince frolic amidst the stars. The couple is interrupted once more by Drosselmeyer, who is traveling amongst beautiful Spanish dancers. He really is too old for this; he peels back the sky to reveal the heat of the desert sand. Marie stares in awe at the beautiful Arabian Princess and her entourage, but the desert sands are soon blown away by the antics of three Russian Cossacks. Giant peacock wings reveal a field of dancing flowers, and all are delighted as a group of clowns tumble and frolic out of nowhere. But all joy appears to be cut short when two fighting Chinese warriors are chased by ferocious dragons. Fortunately, to Marie’s and Drosselmeyer’s delight, these dragons are tame. As Marie, ready to burst with joy, thinks there could be no greater wonder, out from the glowing fan steps the most beautiful Fairy. She resembles Mademoiselle Chessinskya, but her dance is so magnificent that Marie is embarrassed when her Prince asks her to dance.
The night seems endless, but Marie wakes to find herself back in the library in the arms of her father. She desperately tries to explain the wonders of her journey. As sleep calls her father back to his bed, Drosselmeyer appears with his nephew. The Prince gives Marie a new Nutcracker, and as she embraces her lovingly restored doll, the curtain descends on this part of our tale.
Sleeping Beauty
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Set designer: Ivan Savov
Costume designer: Ivan Savov
Synopsis
Sleeping Beauty
PROLOGUE
The king anxiously awaits the birth of his only child. At last the infant arrives. The king calls for a grand christening celebration to which all the fairies of the kingdom are invited to bestow their blessings on his daughter, Aurora. As the fairies present their gifts of beauty, grace, generosity, song, and temperament, they are interrupted by the arrival of Carabosse; she is enraged and insulted that the king forgot to invite her to the ceremony. Carabosse announces her curse that Aurora will one day prick her finger and die. Luckily the Lilac Fairy has yet to give her present. She declares that although Aurora will prick her finger she will not die. Instead she will fall into a deep sleep from which she will be awoken after a hundred years by the kiss of a prince.
Carabosse and her entourage prepare the poisoned needle and hide it in a bouquet of flowers for Aurora.
ACT I
It is Aurora’s 18th birthday. The palace gardens are decorated and the celebrations begin. Aurora receives four suitors who honor her with gifts of roses. During the festivities Aurora clutches Carabosse’s flowers, pricks her finger and faints away. Carabosse reveals herself in triumph and vanishes. The Lilac Fairy returns to fulfill her promise. Aurora is carried inside the palace where she and the court will sleep until the arrival of the prince.
ACT II
One hundred years later, Prince Florimund is out hunting with some companions. There in the forest he sees a vision of the most beautiful woman he has ever imagined; it is Aurora. Florimund dances with Aurora and falls instantly in love. When the vision disappears Florimund pleads with the Lilac Fairy to take him to Aurora. Florimund discovers the overgrown castle, but must first do battle with Carabosse, who would prevent him from entering. Once inside the castle Florimund finds Aurora and awakens her with a kiss. Florimund declares his love for Aurora and the king and queen give their blessing for their marriage.
ACT III
The palace must be prepared for the wedding. The dust of the ages must be cleaned, and a wedding dress must be made for Aurora. The Fairies return for the celebration along with the fairy tale characters of the Bluebird and Princess Florine, Puss in Boots and the White Cat. Everyone joins in a dance of celebration.
Finally Florimund and Princess Aurora are married and receive the blessing of the Lilac Fairy.
Giselle
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choreographer: Jean Coralli, Julles Perrot, Marius Petipa
Set designer: Ivan Savov, Valentin Topencharov
Costume designer: Ivan Savov
Synopsis
Giselle
ACT I
A young, innocent village maiden named Giselle is in love with a man she knows only as Loys. In reality, the man is Albrecht, a nobleman disguised as a peasant, and who is betrothed to Bathilde, daughter of the Duke.
When Giselle discovers the deceit, she is inconsolable and goes mad, then dies of a broken heart.
ACT II
Giselle’s undying love for Albrecht saves him from the wicked magic of the wilis, vampiric ghosts of betrothed girls who were betrayed by their lovers and died before their wedding day. Though their leader, Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, forces Albrecht to dance again and again, Giselle intervenes long enough to spare his life and allow him to survive until the dawn.
At sunrise, the wilis must return to their grave; Giselle must return as well but not before showing Albrecht that she forgives him for his treachery. The two pledge their love to each other and she descends back into her grave, but will forever be separated.
Giselle is now a wili for the rest of eternity.
Don Quixote
Music: Leon Minkus
Choreographer: Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky
Set designer: Ivan Tokadjiev
Costume designer: Meglena Ilieva
Synopsis
Don Quixote
PROLOGUE
Barcelona.
At the square in front of Lorenzo’s inn people are having revelry.
His daughter Kitri is among the young folks. The barber Bazil, who is in love with her, is also here. Lorenzo does not like the poor wooer.
He likes more the rich courtier Gamash who also wants to marry Kitri. The crowd welcomes the street dancer Karmensita and the toreador Espada. The appearance of the knight Don Quixote amazes the people. The wanderer is invited at the table. The girls are making fun with Sancho Panza. Don Quixote is struck by Kitri’s beauty. He sees in her the splendid Dulzinea of his reveries.
ACT I
Kitri and Bazil have run away from Lorenzo and Gamash. They chance on a Gypsy camp. Soon Don Quixote also appears there. The knight imagines some danger and starts a fight with a windmil
ACT II
Don Quixote’s dream. He is in the kingdom of Driads among whom he sees Kitri in the face of his splendid Dulzinea.
ACT III
Young people are dancing and having fun in the tavern.
Kitri and Bazil are among them. Lorenzo reaches the lovers. It is unquestionable that Kitri must marry Gamash. Bazil simulates a suicide. Kitri pleads Don Quixote to persuade her father to satisfy Bazil’s dying wish to bless their love. Lorenzo fulfils his daughter’s plea and blesses them.
At this moment Bazil comes back to life.
ACT IV
Kitri and Bazil’s wedding.
Don Quixote takes the honorary seat among the guests. The noble knight wishes the young couple happiness and sets off again.
Grand Gala Ballet
Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky, L. Minkus, A. Adam
Choreographer: Petipa, Ivanov, Coralli, Perrot, Gorsky
Set designer: Serdica Music
Costume designer: Stoinova, Popova, Savov, Ilieva
Sample Classical Ballet Gala
Grand Gala Ballet
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Grand Adage à La Rose, Act I
Princess Aurora and four suitors: Prince Chéri, Prince Charmant, Prince Fortuné, Prince Fleur de Pois
LA BAYADERE
Music: Leon Minkus
Nikiya’s basket variation, Act II
THE NUTCRACKER
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The French Dolls, Act II
THE NUTCRACKER
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Indian Dolls, Act II
GISELLE
Music: Adolphe Adam
Grand Pas De Deux and Variations, II act
Giselle, Albrecht
SWAN LAKE
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pas d’action, II act
Princess Odette, Prince Siegfried
LE CORSAIRE
Music: Adolphe Adam
Pas De Deux and Variations, I act
Medora, Ali
SWAN LAKE
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Spanish Dance, III act
SWAN LAKE
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Black Swan Pas De Deux and Variations, III act
Odile, Prince Siegfried
DON QUIXOTE
Music: Leon Minkus
Duet Mercedes and Espada, II act
Mercedes, Espada
DON QUIXOTE
Music: Leon Minkus
Grand Pas De Deux and Variations, III act
Kitri, Basilio, Dulcinea
DON QUIXOTE
Music: Leon Minkus
Finale, III act
Kitri, Basilio, Dulcinea, Mercedes, Espada, Toreadors, Friends