The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre prepares the premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird ballet

By Anastasia Shoplya

The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre prepares the premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird ballet

This performance was first presented by Sergey Dyagilev’s famous Russian Seasons and on the stage of the Paris Grand Opera in 1910. The ballet, based on Russian folk fairytales, and with libretto and choreography by the legendary Mikhail Fokin, and backdrop by Leon Bakst and Alexander Golovin, has entered the history of Russian and world art. In the new theatrical season, the performance will be added to the repertoire of the Belarus Bolshoi Theatre.

Major roles are performed by leading artistes of the ballet troupe: People’s Artistes of Belarus Igor Artamonov, Olga Gaiko, Lyudmila Kudryavtseva; Honoured Artistes of Belarus Irina and Oleg Yeromkiny and Anton Kravchenko; laureates and diploma holders of international contests Yegor Azarkevich, Yekaterina Oleinik, Igor Onoshko, Lyudmila Khitrova, Alexandra Chizhik and soloists Marina Vezhnovets, Yuri Kovalev, Ivan Savemkov and Anna Fokina.

The ballet is staged by the People’s Artist of Russia, Andrie Liepa. “I greatly appreciate the artistic richness of the Belarus Bolshoi Theatre. Major parties in the performance are rehearsed by five couples, and only serious theatres can allow themselves such luxury,” he noted.

The premiere is scheduled for October 3rd. In the new season, those keen on choreography will also see other premieres: Laurencia ballet (Alexander Krein’s music), staged by Nina Ananiashvili and Yevgeny Glebov’s Little Prince (staged by Alexandra Tikhomirova).