Don Quixote ballet takes to the stage at the Bolshoi

(3 Feb 2016) LEAD-IN: Four hundred years after the death of Miguel Cervantes, the man from La Mancha is returning to Moscow. The Bolshoi Ballet's latest production of Don Quixote premiered in the theatre on February 2nd. The media were given a sneak preview at final dress rehearsals at the weekend. STORY-LINE: Don Quixote, is perhaps Spain's most famous literary character. His creator, Miguel de Cervantes, who died in 1616, is often referred to as 'the father of the modern novel'. And once again he is being portrayed on one of the world's greatest stages - the Bolshoi Theatre. Don Quixote was an elderly man, whose failing mind led him to believe he was a chivalric knight. After pursuing a local girl romantically, believing her to be his lady love, he later employed a poor farmer, Sancho Panza, to accompany him on a series of adventures, which were based mainly in his imagination. In the prologue, the hero Don Quixote reads a book, decides to go off to right some wrongs and sees his ideal woman in Kitri, an innkeeper's daughter. Alexei Loparevich is dancing the title role of the comic old man who lives in a world of delusions. "He's alive, from time to time he dives into his thoughts, but I think he's different all the time, and that's my favourite part of it - these different states of soul. He's multi-faceted despite the fact that after so many years he hasn't lost his character," he says. "Don Quixote" is a three-act ballet not about Don Quixote, but about love and beauty. It's more a spectacle than a story. The vivacious Kitri is danced by Maria Alexandrova. "I love this job and I like going on stage, always, it's like a feast for me. And when it's Don Quixote, sunny and passionate Spain, with a favourite partner a favourite troop by my side, when we are all finally on this historical stage - this is a very special moment for us" she says. The performance is directed by Alexei Fadeechev, who says that despite Don Quixote being a favoured ballet for the Bolshoi, for this production new costumes and sets were created. "Time demands change. There will be new decorations, new costumes. Decorations were made by Valery Levental - his last work before he passed away, unfortunately - and costumes by Elena Zaitseva. So it will be a whole new performance and impression. And of course it's a return to the main stage, the one were it was performed for the first time many years ago." The Cervantes novel - "The Adventures of the Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha" - is a considered a classic work of Spanish literature. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/23f85f81ad7651a4d838a2b18e714d40 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork