NEW YORK, July 19 (RIA Novosti, Andrei Loschinin) -- The Bolshoi Theater began its U.S. tour with a performance of Don Quixote (with music by Ludwig Minkus) on Monday at New York's Metropolitan Opera House.
In addition to Don Quixote, the ballet group (led by 37-year-old director Aleksey Ratmanski) will perform Spartak (music by Aram Khachaturian), The Pharaoh's Daughter (Cesare Pugni), and The Limpid Stream (Dmitri Shostakovich).
The Bolshoi Theater Ballet Company has not performed in New York for over five years, and not at the Metropolitan Opera House since 1987.
Joseph Volpe, director of the Metropolitan Opera House, is pleased to be receiving what he calls "one of the greatest ballet groups in the world." He believes the Bolshoi Ballet will live up to its great traditions - it has selected four shows for which it is well known, two of which have never been performed in North America. Volpe said New York ballet lovers now have a unique opportunity to see the troupe and its new repertoire.
"In the age of globalization, it is very important for such national ballet companies to retain their individuality and traditions," Bolshoi Director Ratmanski said. "The Bolshoi has its own unique style, and this deserves to be kept. We could prepare something ultra-modern for a U.S. audience, but we have 220 classically trained ballerinas and dancers, and we have to use their skills to our full advantage."
After two weeks in New York, the Bolshoi ballet and orchestra will perform in Philadelphia, Washington, and California. The tour will end on August 14.
