Press releases

19 Apr 2019

Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater to perform its legendary ballet in Beijing

Photo courtesy of the theater

MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) – The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus will perform the Spartacus ballet by Aram Khachaturian on stage of the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on 3-4 May, BelTA learned from leading editor of the information department of the theater Yelena Balabanovich.

“There are dozens of adaptations of the Spartacus ballet, however only few of them are considered legendary. The ballet by Belarus’ balletmaster Valentin Elizariev is certainly one of them. This powerful ballet is remarkable in many ways; it is the pinnacle of the ballet art, a true masterpiece that embraces traditions of classical ballet with the balletmaster’s signature style. This ballet is a philosophical insight into life and its values,” Yelena Balabanovich said.

Valentin Elizariev’s interpretation of the ballet was first staged in the Belarusian Bolshoi Theater in 1980. Over these years this production travelled all over the world. Belarusian dancers received standing ovation in Great Britain, Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldova, Egypt, Syria, Thailand, Singapore, India, Turkey, the Republic of Korea, and others countries.

“China has long been familiar with the Belarusian ballet. The Bolshoi Theater has been on tour in this wonderful country many times. The Belarusian artists have already performed on stage of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. During the Days of Belarusian Culture in China in May 2017 the theater performed Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake,” she noted.

About 50 Belarusian dancers will tell the story of the major slave uprising against the Roman Republic led by honorable Thracian gladiator whose name made history. The performance stars People’s Artist of Belarus Irina Yeromkina, Merited Artists of Belarus Oleg Yeromkin and Konstantin Geronik, laureates of international contests Yana Shtangei, Igor Onoshko and Yegor Azarkevich.