The Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg will close the season by staging Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote ballet with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in the main roles. The Don Quixote has been running for almost half a century and has always been a great success. RIA Novosti presents the ballet’s most famous performances and dancers.
The Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg will close the season by staging Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote ballet with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in the main roles. The Don Quixote has been running for almost half a century and has always been a great success. RIA Novosti presents the ballet’s most famous performances and dancers.
In 1900, choreographer Alexander Gorsky staged a new choreographic version of the ballet, which has since become a classic. Its famous pas de deux from the last act is often performed during concerts. Photo: Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev performing the pas de deux from Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote at the ballet gala to honor the legendary ballerina Natalia Makarova. The gala was held in April 2011 as part of Tenth International DANCE OPEN Ballet Festival at the Alexandrinsky Theater.
Lubov Roslavleva (pictured in the middle) and Vasily Tikhomirov played the main roles of Kitri-Dulcinea and Basil in the 1900 production.
Anna Pavlova, presumably the most prominent Russian ballerina, won acclaim in 1905-1906 not in the least due to her performance in Don Quixote. Photo: Anna Pavlova performing in Don Quixote.
A new production of Don Quixote premiered in 1940 at the Bolshoi Theater. Choreographer Rostislav Zakharov revived Alexander Gorsky’s performance by adding new dances to the music of Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy. Olga Lepeshinskaya (pictured) played Kitri. The ballet was a great success and Olga Lepeshinskay, who played Kitri (pictured), received her first Stalin Award.
In 1941, Don Quixote was staged at the Kirov (currently, Mariinsky) Theater. Photo: Nadezhda Dudinskaya as Kitri and Konstantin Sergeev as Basil in the Don Quixote ballet at the Kirov (Mariinsky) Theater (1946).
Among the Soviet dancers who starred in Don Quixote are Olga Zabotkina (pictured performing the part of the Street Dancer in 1955) and ...
…Alla Shelest (pictured), who danced at the Samara Opera House in 1966.
Maya Plisetskaya started performing as Kitri at the Bolshoi Theater in 1950.
In 1960, Maris Liepa made his debut at the Bolshoi Theater in the role of Basil, performing with Maya Plisetskaya.
Yekaterina Maximova playing Kitri with Vladimir Tikhonov.
Photo: The Bolshoi Theater dancers Natalia Bessmertnova and Vladimir Tikhonov in a scene from the Don Quixote ballet.
Nina Ananiashvili (pictured) was among the best main role performers, performing at the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters and the Metropolitan Opera.
A new Bolshoi Theater production of Don Quixote choreographed by Alexei Fadeyechev was presented on June 25, 1999. Photo: Grand Pas from the Don Quixote ballet, Anastasia Volochkova as Kitri, Yevgeny Ivanchenko as Basil, 2001.
The Don Quixote, or Fantasies of a Madman ballet by choreographer Boris Eifman premiered in St. Petersburg on June 5, 1994. In August 2010, Boris Eifman presented his new I am Don Quixote ballet, based on the Don Quixote, or Fantasies of a Madman. Photo: Sergei Volobuev (foreground) as Don Quixote in a scene from the ballet I am Don Quixote.
