Schedule for Sheherazade - N.Rimsky-Korsakov, Bolero - M.Ravel, Carmen Suite - G.Bizet-R.Shchedrin. Imperial Russian Ballet 2022

Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Composer: Georges Bizet
Artistic Director: Gediminas Taranda
Choreography: Mikhail Fokine
Choreography: Alberto Alonso

Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra of the "New Opera" Theatre

Performance by Imperial Russian Ballet

Composer: N.Rimsky-Korsakov

Choreography: M.Fokin

"Shaharazade" – is not a ballet in its origin. It’s a marvelous symphonic suite. The composer sent a programme before the opus: "The Shakhiyar Sultan, sure of women’s unfaithfulness, obeyed to execute every one of his wives after the first night. But Shaharazade saved her life, managing to occupy him with her tales. She had been telling them for 1001 night"…

Michael Fokin did not feel tied by the plot, when he turned to Rimsky-Korsakov’s music. He was attracted by the music itself. It was so bright, colourful and unusual. And on its basis he created his own libretto, having excluded the third part from the 4-part opus. Nevertheless, the ballet-makers imagination was quite close to music (gorgeous East, the Harem).

The symphonic masterpiece in the Fokin’s innovative staging got one more life in art. It was on the ballet stage this time.

The summary of the ballet
The Shakhiyar Sultan feels bored. He is amused by odalisques and his favourite wife Zobeida. The sultan’s younger brother Shakhziman hints, that Zobeida is unfaithful. Shakhiyar goes hunting to learn it. There is an orgy in the Harem. At the most passionate moment the sultan unexpectedly returns. He orders to execute all his concubines, eunuchs and black slaves. Zobeida kills herself…

"Bolero"
Music: M. Ravel,
Choreography: N. Androsov.




Carmen-Suite
Ballet in one act
to music by Georges Bizet and Rodion Shchedrin
Choreographer Alberto Alonso