In the heart of St. Petersburg, the Mikhailovsky Theatre—one of the city’s oldest theatres, opened in 1833—welcomes audiences to the vibrant ballet Don Quixote. Inspired by the legendary novel of Miguel de Cervantes, this dazzling production bursts with fiery Spanish spirit, virtuosic choreography, and colorful characters, as the spirited Kitri and Basilio fight for their love in a celebration of passion, humor, and classical ballet brilliance.
Colourful, vibrant, direct, spontaneous: all these epithets can be applied to Don Quixote, but none of them can fully convey the sense of joy that the ballet invariably arouses in the audience. The red capes of the toreadors, the strumming of guitars, the clicking of castanets, coquettish glances from behind open fans... The enchanting levity of the ‘ballet of Spain’ surges onto the Mikhailovsky Theatre stage. Each performer interprets this ballet in their own way. While it demands virtuosity and stamina, the dancers are given complete freedom of choice in the way they act the parts. It is possible to depict the sincerity and straightforwardness of the characters or present them as cunning deceivers; place an emphasis on simple domestic details, or portray fiery passions. The permutations are endless, and therein lies one of the secrets of the ballet’s phenomenal popularity.