“Don Quixote” – ballet based on the novel of the same name by Miguel Cervantes, is one of the best creations of Petipa.
In 1869 the choreographer suggested Minkus, who was at that time a professor at the Moscow Conservatoire in violin, wrote the music for the ballet “Don Quixote”, the script of which he developed himself.
Wandering through the cities of Spain, imbued with the spirit and traditions of dance folklore of this country, Petipa managed to translate all this wealth and originality on the stage. At one time Cervantes wrote about Spanish dances: “It seemed … <…> Joy itself rushes and Fun itself springs”. In the novel by Cervantes, the image of the sad knight Don Quixote, ready for any feats and noble deeds, forms the basis of the plot. In the ballet Don Quixote is a secondary character.
The plot focuses on the love story of Kitri and Basil performing their variations on the town square. Experienced conductor Ludwig Minkus was an excellent connoisseur of ballet craft, he was recognized as a ballet composer. His sparkling music, like champagne, delighted the ears and inspired artists to dance. Petipa picked up this mood, materializing this cheerfulness in a lot of Spanish and Gypsy dances, in the stylised, classical ballet.
The premiere of the ballet Don Quixote was held at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow on December 14, 1869. The success of the performance required the transfer of the production to the capital, but specially for Petersburg, Petipa remade the ballet in 1871. The most famous is the production of Alexander Gorsky in 1900, who added several numbers and mass scenes, but he kept the choreography and script. The scenery was created by at the time beginners, and later world famous artists Golovin and Korovin.
They successfully demonstrated a typically Russian romanticized view of Spain as a country of bright colours and passions. This performance was destined to become a classic performance, not only for the Mariinsky Theater, but later for many theatrical stages in various cities and countries. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Marius Petipa, Don Quixote will be performed numerous times on the stage of the renowned Mariinsky theatre, the stage that brought success and fame to the brilliant choreographer M.Petipa.
Come to St.Petersburg in March, and enjoy the early-spring atmosthere. Book the tours and the tickets with us!
