Audiences will see Minkus’s oriental masterpiece La Bayadère in Marius Petipa’s choreography (1877), as revised by Vladimir Ponomaryov and Vakhtang Chabukiani (1941), with individual dances by Konstantin Sergeyev and Nikolai Zubkovsky. Principal roles will be danced by the brilliant Viktoria Tereshkina, Kimin Kim, and Daria Kulikova.
Synopsis:
Act I
The noble youth return from a tiger hunt.The renowned warrior Solor instructs the fakir Magadaveya to tell the bayadère Nikiya that he will wait for her that night at the temple.The festival of fire worship begins with the solemn appearance of the High Brahmin, priests and bayadères, the temple attendants.The climax of the celebration is the dance of the beautiful Nikiya. The High Brahmin, forgetting his sacred rank and the associated vow of celibacy, confesses his love to Nikiya. He promises her all the riches of India—everything she could wish for.But Nikiya pushes him away in horror. At night she secretly comes to meet Solor. He swears to the bayadère his love and fidelity and persuades her to flee with him to a place where no one knows them and where they will be happy.The Great Brahmin witnesses their passionate declarations and plans revenge against the lovers.
Raja Dugmanta announces to his daughter Gamzatti that she will marry the bravest warrior — Solor. Gamzatti is delighted, while Solor is torn: he does not dare refuse the high honor, yet he loves Nikia and has sworn her fidelity.
To perform the rite of betrothal for Gamzatti, Nikia is invited to the palace. The Great Brahmin appears as well. Hoping to destroy his rival, he tells the Raja about Nikia and Solor’s love. Dugmanta is enraged but does not change his decision: Solor will wed his daughter, and the bayadère must die. The Brahmin did not expect such a turn and threatens the Raja with the gods’ wrath for Nikia’s death, but Dugmanta is implacable.
Gamzatti overhears the conversation. She orders her servant to bring Nikia and, as if casually, shows her a portrait of her fiancé. In despair, Nikia protests: Solor loves only her and will belong to her alone. Gamzatti demands that Nikia renounce Solor; she even pleads, but the bayadère would sooner die than part with her beloved. In anger, Nikia raises a dagger over her rival, and only the servant saves Gamzatti.
Act II
The square before the Raja’s palace. The wedding of Gamzatti and Solor. While dancing, Nikia is handed a basket of flowers from which a snake crawls out and fatally bites the bayadère. The Great Brahmin offers an antidote if Nikia will forget Solor. But Nikia remains faithful to her love and dies.
Act III
Solor is inconsolable. He is tormented by remorse. Seeking to distract him, Magdaveya summons a snake‑charmer. To the sound of a flute Solor falls into a dream.
Out of the darkness, the shades of the dead appear before Solor. In a long procession they descend from the mountain ledges. He sees Nikiya among them. She calls him...
Participation conditions: invitation, ticket.