Russian Hamlet
The son of Catherine the Great

Music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Mahler
Choreography, Libretto, Production, Lighting
Design by Boris Eifman Set Design and Costumes by Slava Okunev

Cast:

The Empress Yelena Kuzmina, Vera Arbuzova, Nina Zmievets
Son of the Empress, Heir to the Throne Igor Markov,Yuri Smekalov, Alexandre Melkaev
Favorite of the Empress Albert Galichanin,Alexei Turko, Yuri Ananyan
The Wife of the Heir Alina Solonskaya, Natalia Pozdniakova, Natalia Povorozniuk
Ghost of the Heir's Father Alexandre Rachinsky, Oleg Markov, Andrei Ivanov
Maids, Courtiers, Conspirators, Mason, Grenadiers Members of the Ballet

Synopsis:

Prologue
Catherine is humiliated by the drunken debauchery of her husband, Tsar Peter III. Her Court Favorite aids her in staging a coup against the Emperor. Little Prince Paul becomes an involuntary witness to the murder of his father.

Act I
We are in the Russian Royal Court Chambers in the middle of 18th century. Young Prince Paul feels alone among the hypocritical courtiers, in the atmosphere filled with empty chatter of the maids, gossip and intrigue. His mother-the Empress-is inaccessible, always shielded by her Favorite. Catherine keeps her son away from the throne-for her, power is indivisible. The Favorite's attempts to accustom the Prince to the depravity of Court life do not bring the expected results, and so the Empress decides that an early marriage must distract him from any thought of inheriting the throne. Paul is happy with his wife, but she is filled with ambitious plans - she dreams of power and pressures him to fight for the throne of Russia. The Empress discovers the young bride's intentions. Lies and treachery are commonplace in the struggle for power, and Catherine's next scheme destroys Prince's happy life in marriage-his wife becomes Favorite's prey. But even that is not enough: the death of his beloved is the full price paid for her pursuit of the throne. Paul is scared in the midst of the endless chain of betrayals and crimes.

Act II
The events of the past haunt Paul; his fantasies intertwine with reality. The hostile labyrinths of the Royal Palace frighten him and take away the hope of breaking free from the power of the Empress, who still keeps the Heir away from the state affairs. Paul finds gratification of his ambitions only in the world of toy soldiers, which he loved since childhood, in the neat military ranks governed by order. But, realizing that this is only an illusion of power, he, for the first time, decides to stand up to his mother-and is crushed again. The Ghost of his father, surrounded by black knights, is calling Paul to revenge. Agonizing memories of the murder ignite the son's rage, which seeks a way out. The Royal Palace continues inventing new forms of entertainment. Catherine the Great presides over a masked ball, which soon turns into an orgy. The favorite spectacle of the Royal Court is a theatre play, but this time the actors perform a scene, in which a wife and her lover kill her husband. The Empress is furious-everything points to her role in the murder of Peter III. She tears the mask off the actor who played the murderous wife, revealing Prince Paul. The Empress broods. Many sacrifices have been made in the struggle for power, and there is no peace in her soul. The Favorite is also in turmoil. With his caresses, he tries to reclaim his power, but in vain-his role has ended, and he must leave the political scene. The Heir is restless, dreaming of power. In his fantasies Paul takes the coveted revenge-the Favorite dies in the arms of the ghost of Peter III, whom he had murdered. In the whirlwind of fantastic images, Paul sees the Empress-now it is her turn, he only has to wave his sword… but he cannot raise his arm to deal a deathly blow to his mother. One vision is replaced by another-and the Empress is alone again. Her price for the throne is a complete spiritual isolation. She is separated from her son by the wall of hatred, which she herself has erected. The image of the Tsar, whom she had murdered, does not leave her alone, tortures, suffocates her. Even in his daydreams, ascension to the throne does not bring joy to Paul-he is not destined to attain the glory of his mother. And as soon as his illusions dissipate, Paul understands: he is only a shadow of his dreams, a reflection of his own phantasmagories.

Music:
ACT ONE
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 6, op. 68 part IV Symphony No. 3, op. 55 part III Egmont Overture, op. 84 Piano Sonata No. 14 op. 27/2 Moonlght Symphony No. 1, op. 21 Symphony No. 7, op. 92 part II Symphony No. 3, op. 55 part I and II

ACT TWO
GUSTAV MAHLER
Symphony No. 2, part I and

V LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 3, op. 55 part IV

GUSTAV MAHLER
Symphony No. 5, part II, I and III Symphony No. 2, part I and V Symphony No. 1, part IV (fragments)

 

Requiem

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Choreography by Boris Eifman

Set Design by Simon Pastukh

Cast:
Yelena Kuzmina Vera Arbuzova Igor Markov Andrei Gordeev Albert Galichanin Corps de Ballet

 

My Jerusalem

Choreography by Boris Eifman

Set Design by Viacheslav Okunev

Cast
: Yelena Kuzmina Yuri Ananyan Igor Markov Corps de Ballet

 

Red Giselle
In Tribute to Olga Spessivtseva

Music by Peter Tchaikovsky, Alfred Schnittke, George Bizet

Choreography by Boris Eifman

Set Design by Slava Okunev

Cast:
Ballerina - Yelena Kuzmina; Vera Arbuzova
Teacher - Oleg Markov; Alexander Ratchinski
Secret Police Agent (KGB) - Albert Galichanin; Yuri Ananyan
Partner - Igor Markov; Yuri Smekalov

World Premiere by Eifman Ballet: January 28, 1997, St. Petersburg, Russia

Synopsis:
Act I
Revolutionary Petrograd. A lesson in classic dance in the ballet class of the former imperial theater. The strict and eccentric Teacher picks out from all the dancers one whose perfect dancing and slightly mysterious image embody his ideal of beauty. At a theater sparkling with gilt, the Ballerina's performance delights the audience. Among her admirers is a Chekist, from the secret police, a representative of the new regime. It is not only her art that attracts him. The Chekist's crude violence and powerful embraces force the Ballerina to his will. The Chekist brings the Ballerina into his world, unknown to her, where the wild rampage of the revolutionary mob turns into a mad festival of destruction. She reigns over this festival, forgetting the tenets of her Teacher. However the spiritual values he had instilled in her are stronger than the intoxication of power. The Ballerina returns to the ballet class, to the Teacher. A new, cruel and aggressive regime now reigns in the theater, leveling everything in its path. The white ballerinas must become the obedient weapon of the unjust red idea. The Teacher is in despair. The reality is unbearable, but he can change nothing. The Ballerina and the Chekist are bound by their complex relationship. It is filled with attraction and repulsion, passion and misunderstanding. The Chekist allows the Ballerina to join the émigrés who are leaving Russia forever.

Act II
Ballet class at the Grand Opera de Paris. A famous dancer and choreographer leads the rehearsal. The movements he suggests are unfamiliar to the Ballerina, but the dance creator's inspired talent leads her on. The dancer becomes her Partner, and triumphant success awaits them. Her feelings for the Partner are not returned. Unrequited love and loneliness in an alien world push the Ballerina toward a nervous breakdown. She tries to lose herself in the merriment of Paris. But the ghosts of the past pursue her here, as well. The red flashbacks of the revolution, appearing as the Chekist in nightmarish inundation, do not give her peace. Nor can she forget herself in her favorite role as Giselle, in which the Ballerina always stunned audiences and won world fame. Giselle's fate - betrayal by her beloved and eventual madness - awaits her, too. Mirrors reflect the morbid consciousness of the Ballerina. Madness seems to hold salvation, in the world beckoning from the other side of the mirror.

Music:
ACT ONE
PETER TCHAIKOVSKY
Serenade for Strings, Op. 48 PETER TCHAIKOVSKY "The Tempest " Symphonic Fantasia after Shakespeare ALFRED SCHNITTKE "Ritual" for large symphonic orchestra PETER TCHAIKOVSKY "Manfred" Symphony in Four Acts after the dramatic poem by Byron ALFRED SCHNITTKE Concerto grosso No. 2 for violin, cello and orchestra PETER TCHAIKOVSKY Elegy to the memory of Samarin ALFRED SCHNITTKE Gogol Suite

ACT TWO
GEORGES BIZET L'Arlesienne ALFRED SCHNITTKE Gogol Suite WALTER DONALDSON "Yes, Sir, that's my Baby" The Charlston Kids HORST AEKERMANN "Golden Nugget" The Firehouse Charleston Band BERT LOSKA - STEFAN LAUBE "Lady in Red" The Charleston Kids ALFRED SCHNITTKE Concerto for viola and orchestra ALFRED SCHNITTKE "No dream in the summer night" PETER TCHAIKOVSKY Francesca de Rimini Symphonic Fantasia after Dante, Op. 32 ADOLPHE ADAM-BORIS ASAFIEV "Giselle" Final

 

Tchaikovsky
The Mystery of Life and Death

Music by Peter Tchaikovsky
Libretto and Choreography by Boris Eifman
Set and Costume Design by Viacheslav Okunev

Cast:
Tchaikovsky - Albert Galichanin
Tchaikovsky's Double - Igor Markov
Nadezhda von Meck - Vera Arbuzova Antonina Milyukova
Tchaikovsky's wife - Yelena Kuzmina
Youth, Prince, Joker - Sergei Zimin

There will be one intermission
First performed by Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg: September 12, 1993

Synopsis:

Act I
The great composer is dying. Images that have tormented him his entire life rise up in his fading consciousness: the Fairy Karabos rampages, the mad wife pursues him, and the exhausting dialogue with his Double continues. There is no peace for the tormented soul. Close friends and relatives try to alleviate the pain of the final farewell. But there is no stopping the wave of images from the past. The young composer is lonely in the cold miasma of St. Petersburg rain. The kindness and care of Nadezhda von Meck help only for brief moments. It is torturous to live in the world of creative dreams. A return to reality brings an introduction to Antonina Milyukova. She is flattered by Tchaikovsky's attentions. But this momentary attraction turns into a spiritual breakdown. He wants to be like all the men who surround Milyukova. But no one can deceive himself. The attempt turns into violence. Birds of Black Thoughts torment him, bringing inner emptiness. His salvation is in art, in his creations - the White Swans. They instill hope of peace and harmony in Tchaikovsky's soul. But escape from the real world, changing what is deeply hidden and private, is not possible even for a musical genius. Milyukova ruthlessly invades the world of sounds. But more terrible is the one who is always with him - his fate, his multi-faced alter-ego, which cruelly exposes his inner torment. It is Rothbart, Drosselmayer, the good and the evil, the exhausted and the happy part of the composer's soul. The Black Birds sweep away the White Swans. He imagines rats in familiar female faces. Everything is trampled. Harmony is an illusion. The composer defends his most precious creation, the Prince. Tchaikovsky does not fear the rampaging black passions, his pain comes from elsewhere: Beauty is haughty and ungrateful. She besmirches his naked soul. The Prince, created by reason and passion, has his own life, his own path. The composer is left with pain and a pitiless conversation with himself. He is unable to lift his hands and lead music away. He is on the verge of madness. Von Meck's letters save him, returning him to creativity-he is needed and understood, his talent is revered. He savors the precious moments of recognition. Yet brief and spectral are the minutes of harmony with oneself and the people around one. Milyukova's increasing advances makes it harder to flee from inner temptation, the attraction of the forbidden, scorned by all. The attempt to be like everyone else turns into torture, where death seems a coveted release. But he does not have the strength to take that step. Either von Meck's kind hand or his future creations lead him away from the abyss of death, plunging him perhaps into something worse. The wedding fate ensnares him, ties the body, depersonalizes the soul. Will music ever sound again?

Act II
Music sounds again. It is the waltz of revelations: meeting, attraction, passion. Couples whirl. Each one has its own life, its own fate. In his thoughts Tchaikovsky is where he can savor beauty. In real life, he is an outcast. The flesh is in conflict with prevailing morality. But even fear of exposure does not keep him from yearning for youth and beauty. Baring your soul and frankly admitting your passion does not mean finding understanding, and the ideal Youth, like the Prince, abandons his creator. The girl's sensuality is flattering and does not threaten disillusionment. They have their own path. They are deaf to the suffering of the emptied and humiliated Tchaikovsky. His lot is loneliness. Von Meck's moral and material support helps him live, but it is humiliating to depend on the whims of wealth. What a price he pays for those alms! Madness envelopes the pathetic Milyukova, who becomes a slave to her vile passions. Tchaikovsky wants to get away from the abyss from which there is no return, yet he does not have the right to his own life, even if it leads to destruction. The world of cards holds a mysterious attraction. Cards enrich and impoverish, bringing minutes of joy and suffering. The world narrows to the size of a card table. Passion is one-dimensional: winning is everything. A moment of oblivion is followed by another spin of the wheel of fortune, and the winner, as always, is the Queen of Spades. The dialogues by correspondence have ended, and Tchaikovsky sends letters of revelation to Von Meck. The soul is torn into pieces that scatter like a deck of cards. Salvation is death-a step into immortality.

Music:
ACT ONE
PETER TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 Liturgy of St. John ChrysostomMoscow Chamber Choir, Op. 41, movement 6

ACT TWO
PETER TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade for Strings, Op. 48, Movements 2 and 3, Waltz and Elegy Capriccio Italien, Op. 45 Symphony No. 6 in B minor Op. 74, "Pathetique", Final

 

The Karamazovs
Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Modest Mussorgsky, Richard Wagner
Choreography, Libretto, Production, Lighting
Design by Boris Eifman
Set Design and Costumes by Slava Okunev

Cast:
Alexey Karamazov Igor Markov
Ivan Karamazov Albert Galichanin
Dmitry Karamazov Yuri Ananyan
Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov Andrey Gordeev
Katerina Ivanovna Elena Kuzmina
Grushenka Vera Arbuzova

Synopsis:

Act I
Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha, despite their countless differences, are tied to one another by invisible threads: they are united by the "stinking, sinful" blood of their father, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov. Alyosha, a novice monk, makes futile attemps to unbind the knot of twisted passions. He sees the fierce rivalry between his father and his brother Dmitri over Grushenka; his father’s endless drunken orgies; the bewilderment of Katerina Ivanovna, who is confused by her feelings for both Dmitri and Ivan; but Alyosha is not only incapable of helping his family, he finds more and more hateful traits of "Karamazovism" in himself. Ivan is full of compassion for the "injured and humiliated," but he hates his brother Dmitri and his father. The whole family is drawn into the fight between Fyodor Pavlovich and Dmitri over Grushenka. The father is killed. And Dmitri is accused of the murder.

Act II
Dmitri in prison. For him, falsely condemned, the loss of Grushenka is the hardest burden. Ivan and Alyosha continue their argument about the meaning of life and the human soul. The argument materializes into a legend created by Ivan about the Grand Inquisitor and Christ returned to the sinful world. The Inquisitor - Ivan maintains that only tyranny can give people "the quiet, peaceful happiness of weak-willed creatures as they were created." But Christ – Alyosha strives to free people from fear and offer them the opportunity "to decide with free heart what is good and what is evil." A gesture from the Inquisitor and the obedient crowd is ready again to crucify Christ. "Why did you come to interfere with us? Go and never come back. Never, never!" Ivan's conscience torments him: he blames himself for wanting to kill his father. Reality and fantasy get mixed up in his mind; he sees the ghost of Fyodor Pavlovich. Ivan comes to visit Dmitri, languishing in prison, to confess his sinful desires. The prison bars do not keep the brothers from finding love and resolution. Alyosha cannot bear to see human suffering and imbued with love for mankind, he releases the prisoners of the "house of the dead." Intoxicated by the sensation that "all is permitted," the crowd of prisoners descends fiercely onto the world, destroying everything in its path. The family comes to a terrible end: Fyodor Pavlovich has been murdered, Dmitri is in prison, Ivan is mad, and Alyosha is guilty of the death of innumerable innocent victims. But still, no matter how far a sinner falls, he has the opportunity to step onto the path of purification.

Music:
ACT ONE
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 1 B minor, op. 13, movements 1 and Grave, Allegro ma non troppo, Allegro con fuoco Gypsy Songs St. Petersburg Gypsy Ensemble SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances, Op. 45, Andante con moto (Tempo di valse) MODEST MUSSORGSKY Paintings at an Exhibition: Gnomes SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31, "To Thee We Sing"

ACT TWO
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Isle of the Dead, Symphonic Poembased on a painting by A. Beklin, Op. 29 RICHARD WAGNER Overture to Tannheuser SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2, C minor, op. 27, 3rd movement, Adagio SERGEI RACHMANINOFF The Cliff, Fantasia for large symphonic orchestra, Op. 7 MODEST MUSSORGSKY Night on Bald Mountain, Musical Painting

 

Don Quixote or Fantasies of a Madman

Ballet by Boris Eifman in two acts
Music by Ludwig Minkus
Set design by Slava Okunev

Cast:
The Patient, also Don Quixote Alexander Rachinsky, Yuri Smekalov
Kittri Alina Solonskaya, Vera Arbuzova
Basil Yuri Ananyan, Alexei Turko
Gamache, a rich nobleman Sergei Zimin, Albert Galichanin
Another patient, also Sancho Pansa Almaz Shamyraliev
Lorenzo, Kittri's father Vadim Domark
The Doctor Agata Smorodina, Yelena Kuzmina

The Company Synopsis:

Act I
Odd and pathetic are the inhabitants of an insane asylum. Among the inmates is a deluded lunatic, who imagines himself to be a dazzling knight, Don Quixote. Soon, his dreams about the magnificent Spain become contagious and consume the rest of the asylum. The merciless whistle of the Doctor shatters their colorful dream world. The bitter reality shrinks to the size of a hula hoop. But imagination is unstoppable. One step… and the inmates are in the sunny Barcelona. Here, the embodiment of the madman's dream is the charming Kittri, who is forced by her father, Lorenzo, to marry the rich nobleman, Gamache. The madman wants to stop the avaricious tavern keeper's plans. His fantasies have no limits, and so he becomes the handsome Basil - the contender to the hand of Kittri and the competitor of the rich bridegroom. The Doctor's loathsome whistle brings the lunatic back into the dark walls of the asylum. Obeying the Doctor's order, the inmates begin a game with a ball, which consumes the dreamer. The ball steals the fantasies and turns into an ominous vision. It is possible to escape the ball's oppression, but only for a moment - the whistle sounds again; the Doctor is always near.

Act II
Nights are strange in the insane asylum. On one of them, when the thirst for freedom is especially strong, two lunatics escape. The reality of a modern city is violent and crude. The naïve fantasist breaks into a street brawl and tries to stop the rape. His attempt elicits laughter; the mob mocks the madman. But to him, the saved girl is a vision of the beautiful Dulcinea - Kittri - and he leads her into the world of his fantasies, where the most audacious of dreams come true. Barcelona; enter Lorenzo and Gamache. The father insists: Kittri must marry the rich nobleman. Basil feigns a suicide. But as soon as the knight, Don Quixote, makes the tavern keeper give his blessing for Kittri's marriage to the "dead" contender, the young man "revives." The young couple celebrates their wedding, and Don Quixote announces a tournament in honor of beauty and love. Reality is unyielding. The return to the habitat of insanity is miserable. The circle closes in; but the world created by imagination is indestructible.

 

Pinoccio

Libretto, Choreography and Production by Boris Eifman
Music by Jacques Offenbach in free interpretation by Timur Kogan
Set design by Slava Okunev Costumes by Irina Cherednikova

Cast:
Pinocchio Almaz Shamyraliev
Pinocchio, the boy Yuri Smekalov, Alexei Turko
Karabas, the evil magician, also the director of the puppet theatre Alexander Rachinsky
The Good Fairy Vera Arbuzova, Nina Zmievetz
Giuseppe, the old organ grinder Andrei Belov, Igor Markov
Karabas' Minions: Basilio, the cat Alexander Melkaev
Alice, the fox Agata Smorodina
The Dove, Good Fairy's messenger Pavel Gabov
The Carpenter Sergei Barabanov
Karabas' puppets: Columbine Oxana Tverdokhlebova
Pierro Mikhail Ivankov
Harlequin Konstantin Serovikov
Pulcinello Sergei Zimin
The Captain Sergei Barabanov
The Townspeople, the Gypsies in the tavern, the Letters, the Pirates, the Little Fishes, the Donkeys, the Circus Clowns, the Policemen - the company

Synopsis:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Our performance is about to begin, and you will find yourselves in an extraordinary country where the most incredible and fantastic things happen. There, the people, without realizing it, have become puppets - not of their own will, of course. Their souls have been possessed by the evil magician, Karabas, who dreams of turning the world into a huge puppet theatre and of becoming its producer /dictator. The Good Fairy prevents Karabas from carrying out his wicked plan. She helps the boisterous wooden doll, Pinocchio, to acquire a human soul. The mischievous, fidgety, inquisitive Pinocchio creates a lot of trouble for Karabas and, in the end, undermines all his crafty plans. Before this, however, he has to endure one astonishing adventure after another due to his incautious trust in his new "friends" - Basilio, the cat, and Alice, the fox - who are Karabas' minions. Falling under their bad influence, Pinocchio gives up learning the alphabet and runs away from home. Many misfortunes befall him in the big, wide world. He finds himself at the bottom of the sea and is almost captured by the pirates. He becomes the leader of the fighting donkeys and is himself turned into a donkey. Beaten up and humiliated, he is forced to entertain the public in Karabas' circus. And, finally, lie becomes one of the puppets in the evil magician's theatre. But the villain's triumph is premature, for even as a puppet, Pinocchio retains his living, compassionate heart and is protected by the Good Fairy and his good friends. Pinocchio accomplishes a marvelous deed - as a result of which Giuseppe - the organ grinder - manages to avoid execution, everyone is freed from Karabas' dictatorship, and the wooden puppet himself is transformed into a little boy. But to find out just what this marvelous deed was, you will have to wait until the end of the show.

 

Don Juan & Moliere

Libretto, Choreography and Production by Boris Eifman
Music by Wolfgang Mozart and Hector Berlioz
Set and costumes by Slava Okunev

Cast:
Moliere Igor Markov; Albert Galichanin
Don Juan Alexei Turko; Yuri Ananyan
Armande and Donna Anna Vera Arbuzova; Natalia Povorozniuk
Madeleine and Elvira Yelena Kuzmina; Alina Solonskaya
Sganarelle Alexander Melkaev; Sergei Zimin
The Stone Guest Oleg Markov
Peasant girls, principals Valentina Vasilieva, Oxana Tverdohlebova; Alena Podavalova, Anastassia Kadruleva

Synopsis:
Introduction
"…My dearest Sirs! The suffering is over, and I am finally dead. The funeral was just as troublesome as my life itself. For some time, there wasn't even space for me at the cemetery - alas! Actor's work had always been despised by the commoners and persecuted by the Church. But, his Majesty, the King, had spoken, and my body that had been tortured by doctors for so long was finally given to the Earth. The play is finished, the performance is over, the curtain is down, and the funeral candles are burning. My birth name is Jean-Baptiste Poklen My father was an upholsterer and dreamed that his son would succeed him in this respectable occupation. But I became known as Jean-Baptiste Moliere, the Director of the Royal troupe at the Palais Royale, the writer of comedies, and the actor. Oh, yes… It was not easy to achieve success on theater stages during the reign of the glorious King, Ludovic XIV. He would often show me his benevolence, but at times he would forget about my existence - which, sadly, would also happen to coincide with the times of persecution. Our family of actors certainly had our share of wandering across the roads of France in broken-down wagons. We performed wherever we could before we finally settled down in Paris. But there was always Madeleine at my side - my Madeleine, a beautiful woman and a stunning actress. Despite everything, she had always remained a loyal friend and lent her support in all of my life's trials - that is, in all, but one, when I wanted to marry her daughter, Armande. This marriage broke poor Madeleine's heart, and, frankly, did not bring me happiness, either. What can be more ridiculous than a frail, jealous husband who has to endure the love affairs of a young, flirtatious wife? With pain in my heart, I watched my beloved lady who I myself had made an actress become a stranger. And when I came across the old Spanish story about the love affairs of a Spanish nobleman, Don Juan, I realized that I had to create a new play. And what a difficult task it proved to be! Heartlessly and brazenly, Don Juan broke all laws of Earth and Heaven. I envied and enjoyed his victories, and at times, I - his creator! - was frightened by him. At those times, I wished that true love would transform his soul, and that on the threshold of eternity he would meet that one, the only one who he loved… Yet how similar we were! We both loved women and fame, although my highest passion was His Majesty The Theater - my joy and my pain, my life and my death. It is the heroes of my amusing and a little melancholic plays, which made you laugh and cry, who made me now invisibly present with you in the audience. And death stands helpless before your loud and infectious laughter. Respectfully yours, As Always, Jean-Baptiste Moliere"

Act I
… Squeaking sounds of a writing feather fill the room as Moliere is composing his new play. The artist's imagination creates an image of a Spanish nobleman, who is seductive and audacious. His name is Don Juan. - The prayerful silence of a convent does not stop Don Juan in his plans to infiltrate the monastery under the guise of a humble novice, despite the protests of his servant, Sganarelle. The odd new nun brings a strange new feeling of confusion into the souls of the convent's sisters. Don Juan's main objective, however, is the Beautiful Elvira. And how much passion he discovers in the monastic recluse! … The dilapidated armchair, the warmth of a moth-ridden throw, and the comfort Madeleine's embrace all bring moments of peace to Moliere; but his head is constantly teeming with characters of new plays. He holds the Theater in his firm grip - his mere gesture can turn an actor into a feeble oldster courting a young coquette, a wave of his cane can compel an ardent musketeer to begin a duel to win her affection. It is amusing; yet, at the same time, the actors' helplessness infuriates Moliere. And only Madeleine is capable of soothing his temper. His anger is gone, and Moliere is filled again with the desire to create. Armande, Madeleine's young daughter, is playing an interesting role in his new play. Moliere dreams of making a great actress out of Armande, but the girl is too restless, and Madeleine takes her precocious daughter away. Strange, but how beautiful this child is! - In the midst of a Spanish village, the coarse flirting of peasant women brings variety into Don Juan's never-ending escapades. What peasant girl does not dream of marrying a nobleman? Don Juan easily promises to marry two of them, especially since Sganarelle proves capable of handling the temporary duties of a "priest." … Moliere is bewildered. How can the actors be so talentless? He is ready to play every role himself - Don Juan, peasant, Sganarelle… But the play must be finished in time. His theater needs a new show. - Don Juan's deception is discovered, and he quickly elopes, while the entire village's wrath falls on poor Sganarelle. But furious peasant women are not alone in pursuing the seducer. Elvira has left the convent and is also searching for the masked stranger. Meanwhile, Don Juan conjures up another ploy. Gold coins help convince the beat-up Sganarelle to play the role of his master, and the newly made "servant" finds himself in Elvira's passionate embrace. The mask of Don Juan captures every woman's heart and cruelly breaks it. … The cruel tempter challenges Heaven itself, and now the watchful eye of the inquisition follows him everywhere. Don Juan laughs at it, but Moliere is frightened by the chimeras of the real life. He is tragically alone in the phantom world of masks from past and present. Only Armande's eyes give him an illusion of happiness; and even Madeleine's despair cannot stop the clownish wedding procession.

Act II
Outnumbered by robbers, officers are losing the fight. Their commandant is ready to die while defending the life and the honor of his wife, Donna Anna. Don Juan's courage saves their lives. The grateful eyes of the beautiful Donna Anna awaken a new passion in the soul of the interminable seducer. There is a ball at the commandant's palace. One of the guests, whose face is covered by a mask, does not take his eyes off Donna Anna. His passionate kiss burns her hand. The commandant stops the insolent stranger, but is struck with his own knife. The mask is torn off, and the mysterious murderer is Don Juan! … The new play is difficult to write. Don Juan's countless victories rid him of the sensation of love; nothing affects his soul. Moliere envies his hero's ability to conquer women, yet stay free of their charms. In real life, everything is different. Armande is flighty and capricious. Moliere is tortured by insane jealousy, yet does not have the power to change anything. Only the faithful Madeleine can calm the weathered soul and carefully cover his tired body with a warm throw. Moliere has visions, in which he gives his heart that knows how to love and how to suffer to the cold Don Juan. - Donna Anna clenches a knife. She will avenge the murder of her husband. Yet Don Juan's demonic passion rids Donna Anna of her determination. He is close to victory… but faithful Donna Anna does not give in to temptation, and the knife's blade ends her life. Don Juan had never experienced such pain before. … Moliere's handwriting fiercely fills the paper. The play is nearing its end. Meanwhile, Armande shines in the center of a cheerful party, basking in the passionate gazes of men, whose touch she craves. That is something that the boring Moliere, who constantly writes, cannot give to her. - Sganarelle is desperately trying to awaken his master's taste for life, while even flirting beauties do not bring joy to Don Juan's eyes. The vision of a beautiful Lady appears, and Don Juan plunges after her into eternity. … The daring new play is banned. Moliere is deathly sick. The Theater is in turmoil. But nothing overpowers the desire to create - and the heroes of new plays demand their realization. Laughter is the only salvation - the laughter over deceit and stupidity, over greed and evil. Laugh, laugh, laugh even over my death, dear Sirs!

Music:
ACT ONE
WOLFGANG MOZART Don Giovanni - Dramma giocoso, KV527, tr. 1 Ouverture Messa Solemnis, KV 139 (47a) tr. 22 Agnus Del, qui tollis peccata mundi HECTOR BERLIOZ Romeo et Juliette (Parts 1 & 2) tr. 5 Romeo et Juliette (Parts 1 & 2) tr. 6 WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 39, K. 543 (in E-flat Major) tr. 11 part IV Finale: Allegro HECTOR BERLIOZ Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17 (Part 3) tr. 2 Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17 (Part 3) tr. 3 WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 39, K. 543 (in E-flat Major) tr. 11 part IV Finale: Allegro WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 34, KV 338 (**) (C Major) tr. 3 part III Allegro vivace Piano concertos, N 21, KV 467 tr. 5 HECTOR BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique, tr. 4 March to the Scaffold Queen mab scherzo, tr. 1 Roman Carnival Ouverture

ACT TWO
WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 25 in G minor, KV 183 tr. 1 part 1. Allegro con brio Overtures tr. 11, K. 384 HECTOR BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique, tr. 1 part 1 Passions WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 34, tr.13 Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477 HECTOR BERLIOZ Romeo et Juliette, tr. 8, Op. 17 (part 2) WOLFGANG MOZART String Quartet in G minor, KV 516, tr. 4, part IV Adagio-Allegro HECTOR BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique, tr. 2, part II A ball WOLFGANG MOZART Symphony 38 in D major, K. 504 Prague, tr. 1, part I Adagio-Allegro Symphony 28 in C major, K 200, tr. 8, part IV Presto Requiem in D minor, KV 626, tr. 8, part III Lacrimosa HECTOR BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique, tr 5, part V Dream of a Witches Sabbath Symphonie Fantastique, tr. 3, part III Scene in the Country

 

Who's Who

Ballet by Boris Eifman in two acts
Music by Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Scott Joplin, Kol Simcha, Samuel Barber, Sergei Rachmaninoff
Set design by Slava Okunev Cast: Alex Alexey Turko; Yuri Smekalov Max Igor Siadzko; Constantin Matulevsky Lynn Vera Arbuzova; Natalia Povorozniuk Johnny Yuri Ananyan; Alexander Melkaev Bill Albert Galichanin; Oleg Markov Musician Yuri Ananyan; Alexander Melkaev "Swan" Albert Galichanin; Oleg Markov
Tap dancer Sergei Zimin; Andrey Belov Showgirl Vera Arbuzova; Natalia Povorozniuk Clown Alina Solonskaya; Valentina Vassilieva
Gangsters Sergei Zimin, Andrey Belov; Igor Poliakov, Sergei Barabanov

The Company Synopsis:
Who's Who is a captivating and spectacular ballet, filled with subtle humor, irony, and sadness. The cinematographic method of montage, which the choreographer employs along with quick costume and place changes that are supported with dramatically appropriate music by American, European, and Russian composers, the bold scenery and lighting style-all create a sense of the period and express the feelings of the protagonists. There is a dazzling array of twentieth-century dance-jazz, step, modern, classic, folk, clowning, pantomime, and acrobatics. And despite the setting in the 1920s, the ballet addresses issues that remain contemporary: immigration, the search for a better life, the real world with its problems, disillusionment, despair, love, happiness, and success. This is the experience of Alex and Max, the heroes of Who's Who-classical dancers from the Russian Imperial Theater, who flee to America after the Revolution of 1917. Out of work and pursued by gangsters, they find shelter in a nightclub, disguised as women dancers. Two heroes and two fates: Max has tragicomic adventures, desperately unhappy as an émigré, while Alex, who is love with Lynn, the leader dancer, reveals his identity to her and creates his own troupe, combining classical movement with the music of the period, a time when the American dream could come true.

Music: ACT I
Scene 1.
Emigrants - Oliver Truan/Kol Simcha/Golem/Shabbes
Scene 2. Alex and Max - Kol Simcha/Shabbes
Scene 3. Audition - Dave Brubek/Bossa Nova
Scene 4. Brooklyn Flea Market - Kol Simcha/Lechaijm
Scene 5. Gangster Johnny - Duke Ellington/Tymperturbably blue
Scene 6. Pursuit - Duke Ellington/Red shoes
Scene 7. First Troubles - Kol Simcha/Shabbes
Scene 8. Casting in Nightclub - Joseph Garland/Serenade to a Savage
Scene 9. Divas - Duke Ellington/Black and Tan Fantasy
Scene 10. Show Stars and Fans - Joseph Garlans/Serenade to a Savage -Duke Ellington/Fille Trillie
Scene 11. Birth of Love - William Strayhorn/Passion Flowers
Scene 12. Nostalgia - Samuel Barber/Adagio for Strings
Scene 13. Drawn game - Duke Ellington/Malletova spank
Scene 14. Sing, Sing, Sing - Louis Prima/Sing, Sing, Sing

ACT II
Scene 1. Beach. Film Shooting - Marvin Hamlish/The Entertainer - Sy Oliver/Minor Goes Muggin
Scene 2. Fatal Meeting - Duke Ellington/The Mooche
Scene 3. Lynn. Loneliness - Step
Scene 4. Backstage - William Strayhorn/Blood Count
Scene 5. Dream - Sergei Rachmaninov/Symphonic Dances/Andante con moto
Scene 6. Emigrant's Fate - Duke Ellington/Night Creatures - Kol Simcha/Shabbes
Scene 7. Bill in Love - Count Basie/Hob nail Boogie - Vincent Youmans/Carioca
Scene 8. Exposure of Alex - Stan Kenton/Artistry Jumps - Duke Ellington/The Shepherd
Scene 9. Happiness - Sergei Rachmaninov/Piano Concerto N2/ Adagio sostenuto
Scene 10. Bill's Wedding - Duke Ellington/Blue Pepper - Kol Simcha/Crazy Freilach
Scene 11. Different Destinies - Duke Ellington/Tang
Scene 12. Let's Dance - Duke Ellington/That doo-wah thing - William Strayhorn/Take the A Train

 

Anna Karenina

Ballet by Boris Eifman in two acts

Music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Set by Zinovy Margolin
Costumes by Slava Okunev
Lighting by Gleb Filshtinsky

Cast:

Anna
Maria Abashova; Vera Arbuzova

Karenin
Albert Galichanin; Oleg Markov

Vronsky
Yuri Smekalov; Alexei Turko

Kiti
Natalia Povorozniuk; Anastassia Sitnikova

There will be one intermission for 20 minutes