Ballet in 3 acts and one epilogue
Music : Adolphe ADAM
Original libretto : Jules Henri VERNOY de SAINT GEORGES and JOSEPH MAZILIER edited Marius PETIPA
Original Choreography : Marius PETIPA
Revival: Alexei RATMANSKY and Yuri BURLAKA
New choreographic version : Alexei RATMANSKY
With the Orchestra of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre
With the Bolshoi soloists and the Bolshoi Corps de Ballet
Sets: Boris KAMINSKY
Costumes : Yelena ZAITSEVA
Lights : Damir ISMAGILOV
Inspired by a poem from Lord Byron, The Corsair (1814), this ballet was originally created in 1856 for the Paris Opera by Joseph Mazilier. In 1858, Jules Perrot presented his version at the Bolshoi Theatre, version in which Marius Petipa danced. When he became a choreographer, Marius Petipa remained in charge of all choreographic versions until the beginning of the 20th century. In 2007, Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Burklava created a new choreographic version which remains to this day, the most sumptuous of all.
On the market square of Adrianople, slave trader Lankedem present his newly arrived goods. A group of corsairs appear in the square, led by Conrad. When Conrad and beautiful Medora meet, they fall in love instantly. The Pasha appears in the square and captivated by Medora’s looks, he decides to buy her. Landekem after explaining that she is not for sale, eventually accepts the Pasha’s advantageous offer. Suddenly, at a sign from Conrad, the corsairs capture the female slaves including Medora…
Alexei RATMANSKY: After graduating from the Academic College of Choreography in Moscow in 1986, Alexei Ratmansky went on to become a principal dancer for the National Opera of Ukraine, Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet. Whilst dancing, he staged numerous ballets and became famous as a choreographer. In 2003, the Bolshoi Theatre offered him to revive a soviet ballet: The Bright Stream. The ballet became a huge success and Alexei Ratmansky was appointed artistic director of the Bolshoi the following year. He remained in this position until 2009.
Distributor:
Forum Cinemas AS - ESTONIA
Director:
Aleksei Ratmanski
