Classical Ballet Spartacus (ballet in 2 acts) The State Classic Ballet Theatre The Stars of the Classical Russian Ballet in the Summer Ballet Festival
Running time: 2 hour 20 minutes
Schedule for Spartacus (ballet in 2 acts) The State Classic Ballet Theatre 2022
Composer: Aram Khachaturian Libretto: Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilev Stage Director: Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilev Choreography: Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilev Costume Designer: Elizaveta Dvorkina Scenography: S.Sumbatashvili Stage Director: Alexander Malyshev
Performance by The State Classic Ballet Theatre
Ballet in
2 Acts, 11 scenes
Staging and choreography: N.Kasatkina, V.Vasilev Libretto based on historical
materials, on the novel by R.Giovanioli and own fantasy: Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilev Scenography:
honourable artist of Russia, the State Prize of the USSR winner S.Sumbatashvili Costumes: E.Dvorkina Feat staging: vice-president of free fights
Federation, vice-president of the “Russian Fights” Federation general-mayor
Knight Alexander Malyshev
"I start with the sense of deep
creative excitement"- wrote on June, 9, 1950, Khachaturian on the first page of
score to the ballet "Spartacus". On the last page there is the author’s remark:
"The work over "Spartacus" has lasted three years. It is finished on February,
22, 1954. Aram Khachaturian".
Khachaturian began working over “Spartacus”
on the eve of his 50-th anniversary. By this time he was a mature artist, a
world-known composer.
He was inspired by classic ancient plot greatly.
He took a journey to Italy, where he studied ancient pictures, statues, saw the
ancient Roman buildings, triumph Arcs, created with slaves’ hands, gladiators’
quarters, the Coliseum. Khachaturian often walked the paths, where Spartacus
with his associates used to march. All these gave way to musical images’ birth.
And, in spite of the far-away past – more than 2000 years ago – the idea of
Spartacus rebellion seemed quite vital to the composer.
Two worlds, two
musical spheres are contradicted in a sharp dramatic conflict. They are
aggressive, gorgeous Rome, leaded by Kraass on the one hand and oppressed
slaves, gladiators, with Spartacus at the head on the other.
Aram
Khachaturian got the Lenin Prize for the ballet "Spartacus".
The summary
of the ballet
Synopsis
Introduction "The Song about the
Hero"
Act One
Scene
1 Appearing of Spartacus
Spartacus is fighting against
numerous enemies at the field alone. Wounded, he is taken prisoner by the
Romans.
Scene 2 Kraass’s triumph
Ex-dictator Luscious Cornelius
Sulla watches the Roman army parade in the Coliseum. A slave Greek dancer Avreia
plays Victoria Goddess and mime Metrobius plays Mars at the ceremony. Mark
Lucinius Kraass’s concubine, Evtibide, an Amazon is among the winners. Kraass, a
successful commander, drives in Spartacus to public. He is in ropes. Avrelia
rushes to Spartacus; she recognizes her beloved in him.
Gladiators’
fights continue the victory day. Andabaths, Retiary and Mirmillion, Fracas and
Samnitis are there.
Kraass makes unarmed Spartacus fight against several
rivals. Spartacus wins, but asks to keep defeated gladiators alive. He is in
ropes again. Evtibida dancing the dance of “The Roman Wolf” takes the ropes away
and leads Kraass away from the Coliseum. The saved gladiators Kriks, Gannik and
Kass rush to Spartacus.
Scene 3 The
plot
Slaves, citizens, mimes and beggars gather in the tavern “Venus
Libitin”. They are treated by its hostess Lutasia One-eyed and her two servants.
Spartacus with friends enters. He calls everybody to the rebellion. All the
visitors support him with enthusiasm.
Scene
4 Spartacus’s and Aurelia’s date
Spartacus secretly meets
Avrelia in a Roman street. Patricians, invited to ex-dictator’s Sulla festive
pass by them. Kraass, accompanied by Metrobius, is brought in on stretcher.
Avrelia has to join Evtipida’s suite. Spartacus doesn’t want to attract
attention of this capricious woman.
Scene
5 Ex-dictator’s festive
The most famous patricians and women
gathered in Roman patio.
Ex-dictator Sulla has prepared a performance for
them. Mimes and Metrobius dance, Kraass, Metrobius and Evtibide try to involve
Avrelia in their erotic games. But the rest manages to escape. Avrelia,
Methrobius and mimes dance an ethruss dance. The spartacians rush into the patio
during the gaditian snakes dance.
They burn the hall by torches.
Spartacus lets Evtibida and other women go. She takes Kraass and Methrobius from
terms and hides them among gaditian dames and slaves. Rebels proclaim Spartacus
their leader.
Act Two "The Victory
Song"
Scene 6 Spartacus army training and the
battle
Spartacus’s camp. Gladiators train the slaves the Roman array.
Warriors learn to fight with different armament; slaves become a really
well-trained army. It’s a battle with Romans. The spartacians win. Evtibide
makes Spartacus a declaration of love. But he stays indifferent to her. Evtibide
makes an attempt to kill him and swears to take revenge.
Scene
7 Kraass’s defeat
Kraass is in a fury. He kills his
retreating warriors and tries to force discipline. Evtibide carries him away to
a forbidden Egypt occult cathedral in Rome.
Scene
8 Sacrifice
In the Egypt cathedral Evtibide dances a ritual
dance. So that to implore the victory to the Roman army from Isida, she kills a
vestal virgin and cleans Kraass’s sword with it.
Scene
9 A revolt in Spartacus’s camp
The slaves are intoxicated
with the victory. They beg and torture the captives, rape their wives and
daughters. Spartacus interferes in it with fury and after it some of his people
part from the army. They are leaded by his best friend Kriks. Their aim is Rome.
But Spartacus is against that plan. He is determined to get free slaves to their
places. But his companions force him to stay at their head.
Spartacus and
Avrelia live through that night with the feeling of a soon death battle. "The
Song of Love".
Scene 10 The last fight. "The Song of
Immortality"
Spartacus and his army die in a bloody battle. Evtibide
tries hard to hide her grief. Women-slaves mourn the loss of their beloved.
Avrelia bids farewell to Spartacus.
Scene 11 Kraass’s
triumph
Kraass’s chariot and Evtibide is carried by new slaves. The crowd
welcomes the winners.
Schedule for Spartacus (ballet in 2 acts) The State Classic Ballet Theatre 2022
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