The Mikhailovsky Theatre, a jewel of Saint Petersburg’s cultural heritage since 1833, welcomes audiences to an evening of extraordinary artistry performed by dancers trained in the same prestigious academies as the Mariinsky stars. Experience La Bayadère, the timeless ballet by Marius Petipa, where devotion, betrayal, and love collide in a spectacle of dazzling classical technique and dramatic storytelling. From the splendor of the temple dances to the ethereal beauty of the “Kingdom of the Shades,” this production brings the magic of India to life with precision, passion, and breathtaking ensemble work.
Libretto by Marius Petipa and Sergey Khudekov
The exquisite simplicity of the classics blends with the exotic opulence of the Maharajas in this ballet, which boasts a history of over a hundred and fifty years. Nacho Duato has created a production that harks back to Marius Petipa’s original, preserving the customary order of the scenes and the libretto’s climaxes, and leaving intact valuable pieces of the canonical choreography. At the same time, the ballet has freed itself of anachronisms and static pantomime episodes, replacing them with lavish, sculptural decor. In this story, Ancient India becomes a brilliant backdrop for the love of a temple dancer and a fine warrior who are fated to remain apart in both the real world and the astral one.