LA BAYADÈRE

Ballet by Ludwig Minkus

Duration 2:45 Intermission 2

Main Hall 1000 Sofia, ul. "Vrabcha" №1

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Friday 14 Feb 2025 19:00

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Saturday 15 Feb 2025 19:00

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LA BAYADÈRE 14 February - 15 February

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About “La Bayadère”
For the first time on the stage of the Sofia Opera and Ballet in 2012 the complete original version of this ballet was presented.

One of the most exciting masterpieces of the famous Petipa is inspired by the drama of the ancient Indian poet Kalidas and Goethe's ballad “La Bayadère”.

Tragedy and lyrics, the pursuit of happiness, love and freedom are intertwined in this famous work, which takes place in ancient India. The plot transforms the passionate and all-consuming love of La Bayadère Nikiya for the brave warrior Solor. Faithfulness, betrayal, sincerity and insidiousness are at the heart of this expressive ballet spectacle, ruling over time as the apotheosis of fiery love.

About Pavel Stalinski

Pavel Stalinski is one of the most famous Russian choreographers. He stages ballet spectacles all over the world. His father, Alexey Stalinski, was also a ballet dancer and choreographer. Alexey Stalinski instilled in Pavel a love of ballet. The son admires his father, who until the age of 75 was associated with this sublime art. Although he had a heart defect and wounds from the Second World War, Alexey taught young people ballet to his end. Pavel is also completely dedicated to dance. He arrived in Sofia in May 2012 to stage the ballet “La Bayadère”. In this version the work has not been performed in Bulgaria. This is one of the most difficult ballets, like “Swan Lake”.

It is among the peaks in the performing arts.

More than 80 people appear in it individually and in the mass scenes. Among the performers are students from the National School of Dance Art in Sofia.

Pavel Stalinski admires the work of our ballet dancers. He staged “La Bayadère” after Marius Petipa, but strived to give a lot of himself for the perfect construction of each character and its independent sound on the background of the whole production. Stalinski's motto is simple, it has a lot of sincerity and clarity: "You have to dance not only with the body, but also with the soul, to join your role as every believer joins God!"

To the history of the production in Sofia
The choreographer Pavel Stalinski arrived in Sofia in love with his pianist Galya Lushchenko. Exceptionally good pianist, she came with him to Bulgaria to play at the rehearsals of the famous ballet. The two met by chance years ago, at the premiere of the ballet "Don Quixote" in Lvov. Love blazed at first sight. Stalin argues that there is such an attraction. The young lady had a son from her first marriage. The ballet dancer was already the father of two older daughters. Nothing could break their relationship.

"With such strong love," says the choreographer, "dark, evil forces always intervene."

One day, Paul climbed a high ladder to repair the electrical installation in his home. Suddenly it was as if someone pushed the ladder and he fell. He had fractures all over his body, pelvis and vertebrae, he was stiff with pain. Galya didn’t separate from him until he fully recovered. Now the two are inseparable and believe in destiny. Stalinski and Lushchenko are convinced that in the beginning of every attraction is passion, then comes the spiritual connection and then comes the real, great love, as in the ballet “La Bayadère”.

Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1
Night. Commander Solor, along with his friends, is hunting in the Sacred Forest, near the temple where his beloved Nikiya lives. Solor orders his faithful fakir Magedaveya to tell her that he will be waiting for her at night in the temple.

With the solemn appearance of the Great Brahmin, priests and bayadères serving in the temple, the feast of Fire opens. The culmination of the celebration is the dance of the beautiful bayadère Nikiya. Obsessed with passionate love for her, the Great Brahmin forgets his sacred duty and vow of celibacy. He promises the bayadère all the riches of India in exchange for her love, but she rejects his warm confession.

The ritual ends and the sacred procession returns to the temple. Nikiya is looking forward impatiently to the meeting with her lover, about which Fakir Magedaveya informed her unnoticed. He will guard their secret meeting.

Solor offers Nikia an escape. Away from these places, where no one knows them, they will be happy together. The bayadère agrees, and before the sacred fire the first military leader of the principality swears to Nikiya in eternal love and fidelity. But the Great Brahmin sees the lovers and furious in his anger, decides to take revenge on them.

Scene 2
The Rajah's Palace. Dugmanta informs his daughter Gamzatti that she will marry the noble warrior Solor. Gamzatti is very happy, but Solor, аlthough very impressed by her beauty, cannot forget his bayadère, to which he swore fidelity. He is confused – despite everything, he does not dare to give up the high honor of becoming Gamzatti's husband. It is time to perform the ritual of dedication to Gamzatti as a bride. Nikiya is invited to the palace, and the Great Brahmin comes.

He, in his desire to destroy his rival, tells the Rajah about the secret love between Nikiya and Solor. Dugmanta is angry, but does not change his mind – Solor will become his daughter's husband, and Nikiya will have to die! The Great Brahmin did not expect such a decision – he warned the Rajah that the gods would take revenge if the bayadère died, but Dugmanta was adamant.

Gamzatti overheard the conversation and ordered her slave to bring Nikiya. Gamzatti informs her about the upcoming wedding and shows her the portrait of her fiancé – Solor. Nikiya is desperate – Solor loves only her, he has given her an oath of eternal fidelity! The proud daughter of the Rajah wants Nikia to give up her beloved, she offers her jewels and riches. The bayadère is ready to die, but not to part with Solor. In his anger, Nikiya threatens Gamzatti with a dagger, but the slave manages to stop her. The Rajah's daughter swears: Nikiya will die!

Act II
In front of the Rajah's palace there is a lavish celebration in honor of the engagement of Gamzatti and Solor. The bayadère Nikia has to entertain the guests with dancing, but she can't hide her grief, her gaze is on Solor. During the ritual dance, by order of Gamzatti, the bayadère was given a basket of flowers. Nikia takes the basket and continues to dance. Unexpectedly, a snake crawls out of the flowers and bites the bayadère to death – this is Gamzatti's revenge. The Great Brahmin offers Nikiya to save her, if she responds to his feelings. True to her love, she pushes him away and throws herself into Solor's arms. Dying, she reminds him of the oath she gave… Solor desperately runs away.

Act III
Solor is inconsolable and can't find peace anywhere. He is tormented by bitter remorse. The fakir Magedaveya tries to distract the boy from his heavy thoughts and summons the serpent tamer. Under the sounds of the flute, Solor sinks into the world of visions. Before him, from the darkness, the kingdom of shadows emerges. Dancing shadows, in a long line descend to him. The delicate image of the dead bayadère slides between them. She calls Solor… For him, the real world no longer exists. The shadow of the beautiful Nikiya takes him away.

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