A 9,711 KM Journey for a Ballet Fairy Tale: The Mariinsky Theatre’s Grand Performance in Minsk!
A 9,711 KM Journey for a Ballet Fairy Tale: The Mariinsky Theatre’s Grand Performance in Minsk!
On June 4th, the Grand Theatre of Belarus will host the 11th “Ballet Summer” festival. This year’s program includes one premiere, two beloved performances, and the first-ever visit to Minsk by the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre troupe.
The Magic of Fairy Tales
This year’s “Ballet Summer” is all about fairy tales! From the children’s favorite “Cinderella,” choreographed by Konstantin Kuznetsov and Yulia Dyatko, which premiered at our theatre a year ago, to the oriental tale of “A Thousand and One Nights,” inspired by the famous Arabian Nights. And let’s not forget the quintessential ballet fairy tale, the classic “Swan Lake,” choreographed by Valentin Elizaryev.
The festival will also feature a fresh ballet premiere: “Dances,” choreographed by Igor Kolb. This mystical fairy tale for adults consists of three one-act ballets: “Bolero,” “Dance of Death,” and “Carmen.” While the Belarusian part of the program has already been seen and loved by our audience, the arrival of the Mariinsky Theatre’s Primorsky Stage ballet troupe is a surprise for Minsk viewers!
A Journey of Thousands of Miles
The Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg is one of the oldest and most renowned ballet stages in Russia. Its Primorsky Stage is located at the other end of the country, in the Far East. To reach Minsk for the tour, the theatre’s artists from Vladivostok will travel over 9,711 km! A direct flight connects our cities in 9 hours and 30 minutes, while the journey by land takes 126 hours!
The building housing the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre is an impressive modern structure with a glass panoramic facade overlooking the Sea of Japan. Built in 2013, it has become one of the bright tourist attractions of Primorye. The rich repertoire and high professionalism of the troupe have made the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre one of the most actively developing theatres in Russia.
“A Thousand and One Nights” in Minsk
The performance that the troupe will bring to Minsk is a ballet interpretation of tales from the ancient Eastern collection “A Thousand and One Nights.” The ballet was first staged in 1979 in Baku, at the Azerbaijani Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The music was created by composer Fikret Amirov, who traveled to many countries in the region, including Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, and India. The Eastern sound in the music of this ballet is authentic, not just conventionally oriental. The use of female voice and choir in key moments of the action adds a special color to it.
In Minsk, the ballet troupe will be accompanied by a symphony orchestra (with conductor Eyub Kuliev) and a choir from the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg! The libretto for the performance was created by the Ibraghimbekov brothers, Maxsud and Rustam (the latter is a future co-author of Nikita Mikhalkov’s Oscar-winning films). From a thousand tales, they chose “The Story of King Shahryar and His Brother,” “Sinbad the Sailor and the Bird Ruhh,” “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” These stories illustrate the main qualities of a woman: beauty, love, and wisdom. This is not a random choice, as the composer Fikret Amirov dedicated his ballet to his beloved wife, signing the title page of the score: “To the companion of my life, Aida.”
The premiere of the ballet “A Thousand and One Nights” took place in 1979, and in the summer of 2020, it was staged at the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in a choreographic interpretation by another native of Baku, Eldar Aliev, now the artistic director of the ballet troupe of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. According to audience reviews, this fairy-tale ballet amazes with its scale, as well as Eastern colorfulness and originality, authentically conveying the poetry of ancient tales in sounds, movements, and paintings.
Artistic Legacy
Minsk audiences should also pay attention to the costumes and scenery for the production, created by Pyotr Okunev, the son of the well-known Vyacheslav Okunev, one of the most eminent theatre artists in Russia. Pyotr Okunev has worked not only with the largest theatres in his country (Bolshoi, Mariinsky, and Mikhailovsky) but also with the Grand Theatre of Belarus (the scenery for the ballets “Swan Lake” and “Cinderella,” which will be shown at the festival, was created by him!). Pyotr Okunev followed in his father’s footsteps in his profession: he has worked extensively for drama theatres (Lenkom, the V.F. Komissarzhevskaya Theatre, the G.A. Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre), and over time became interested in opera and ballet productions. Since 2016, Pyotr Okunev has been the chief artist of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.
“Ballet Summer 2025” will give the Minsk audience the opportunity to enjoy not only choreographic art but also the works of two representatives of the Okunev artistic dynasty. Such a dialogue between theatres and creators is always the most interesting part of tours: viewers can get acquainted with new productions, new artistic solutions, and discover new names for themselves without traveling almost ten thousand kilometers, but by coming to the performances of “Ballet Summer” at their native Grand Theatre of Belarus.
Text: Maria Sergeeva
Photo: provided by the press service of the Grand Theatre of Belarus
