«Don Quixote »

Suite in one act with a prologue

Libretto by Marius Petipa after the novel by Miguel de Cervantes
edited by Vyacheslav Gordeev
Choreography -Marius Petipa, Alexander Gorsky

 Prologue 

Don Quixote, having read his fill of romances about knights and chivalry, decides to set off on his travels in order to achieve great feats, which will bring glory to his name. His dreams are interrupted by a fuss in the kitchen: a trickster is saving himself from angry cooks. His name is Sancho Panza. Don Quixote choses this loyal man of sober outlook who is not prone to dreams as his sword-bearer.

Act 1

In a small town in Spain there is festive animation in the air. Kitri, daughter of the innkeeper, is flirting with Basilio, the barber, who is in love with her.

       

Finding them together Lorenzo, Kitri's father, chases Basilio away: the barber is no fit match for his daughter. Lorenzo intends Kitri to marry Gamache, a rich nobleman. Kitri refuses outright to submit to her father's will.
At the height of the merry-making, Don Quixote appears in the square, accompanied by his sword bearer, Sancho Panza. Don Quixote is ready to support two sweethearts. Gamache is disgraced. Lorenzo gives his blessing to Kitri and Basilio. The festivities continue. All thank the valiant knight and his faithful sword-bearer.

                                     

«Walpurgis Night »

Suite in one act
from opera by Gounod “Faust”
Choreography -Leonid Lavrovsky
edited by Vyacheslav Gordeev

Walpurgis Night (in German folklore) the night of April 30 (May Day's eve), when witches meet on the Brocken mountain for a large celebration and hold revels with their gods...

      

Choreographic masterpiece “Walpurgis Night” conveys an anacreontic plot. Bacchus and Bacchante are befuddled with wine and passion. Four satyrs flirt with a charmer trying to excite her. All frolic not knowing mundane griefs.
Pan embodies rage of nature and passions. Three virgin nymph fly together hearing his flute. They symbolize innocent and chaste love. To be exact, this is only a presentiment of a romantic feeling. A mysterious moonlight disappears and all are carried away by an orgiastic dance.