One of the greatest classical ballet companies in the world returns to the National Arts Centre following a sold out run in 2006. Mariinsky Ballet (The Kirov) performs La Bayadère on Southam Hall stage February 24-27, 2011.

For dance lovers around the world, the mere mention of the Kirov Ballet is evocative of unparalleled technical expertise, breathtaking elegance, and unrivalled spectacle. With its lavish production values, sweeping scale and gripping tale of forbidden love between a humble temple dancer and an Indian prince, the Kirov’s production of La Bayadère provides a dazzling showcase for the company’s enthralling stars. This is a rare opportunity to see one of the greatest classical ballet companies in the world perform one of their signature works.

The ballet tells the story of the young warrior Solor in love with a humble temple dancer Nikiya. Solor vows eternal fidelity but then the Rajah offers the warrior his beautiful daughter Gamzatti’s hand in marriage. The Rajah learns of Nikiya and Solor’s love and decides to have the bayadère killed. The Rajah succeeds with a basket of flowers concealing a venomous snake which bites Nikiya who dies with Solor kneeling by her side. Distraught and tormented Solor dreams he is in the Kingdom of Shadows and is reunited with his lost love, Nikiya.

La Bayadère was originally staged in four acts and seven scenes by the Ballet Master Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. La Bayadère was first performed in 1877 by the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. At the NAC, this grand classic will be presented in three acts and five scenes and will feature the National Arts Centre Orchestra under the baton of Pavel Bubelnikov.

This presentation of La Bayadère will also feature 10 local dance students and 26 local extras. These lucky individuals will have the opportunity to perform on Southam Hall stage alongside true stars of the ballet world. Ottawa audiences will get to witness the beautiful dancing of Diana Vishneva, Victoria Tereshkina, Yekaterina Kondaurova, and Uliana Lopatkina, as Nikiya, and Denis Matvienko, Yevgeny Ivanchenko, Danila Korsuntsev, and Vladimir Schklyarov as Solor.

Did you know?

• La Bayadère, as a full length ballet, has never been performed at the NAC
• The Kingdom of Shadows, a scene from the ballet, is considered the greatest choreography ever created for a corps de ballet and is often extracted from the full-length work to be performed independently
• Choreographer of La Bayadère, Marius Petipa is also choreographer of other well known ballet favourites such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Sleeping Beauty
•  122 company members are coming from Russia for the performance,  75 of whom are dancers

 "Beautiful dancing, perfumed with the delights of 19th-century classicism, and performed as only the Kirov can." The Times

“A truly sumptuous theatrical experience…unmissable!” The Guardian

La Bayadère
Ballet in three acts and five scenes

Music:                         Ludwig Minkus
Libretto:                      Marius Petipa, Sergei Khudekov
Choreography:            Marius Petipa in Vladimir Ponomarev and Vakhtang Chabukiani version with dances by Konstantin Sergeev and Nikolai Zubkovsky
Conductor:                  Pavel Bubelnikov
Set design:                  Mikhail Shishliannikov
After set designs by:   Adolf Kvapp, Konstantin Ivanov, Pyotr Lambin, Orest Allegri
Costumes:                   Evgeny Ponomarev
Lighting design:          Mikhail Shishliannikov

Mariinsky Ballet of the Mariinsky Theater (a.k.a. Kirov Ballet)
Valery Gergiev, Artistic and General Director
Yury Fateev, Interim Director of the Ballet
Global Partner – VTB BANK

The Mariinsky Ballet is presented under the Management of Ardani Artists Management, Inc.

MARIINSKY BALLET (THE KIROV) Public Classes
NAC Dance has organized exceptional learning opportunities for local and out-of-town dancers and students with ballet classes by celebrated Ballet Masters from the Mariinsky Ballet: Sergei Berezhnoy, Elvira Tarasova, Igor Petrov.

Friday February 25, 2011
10:30 to 12:00 at Canterbury High School
4:00 to 5:30 pm at the NAC

Saturday February 26, 2011
9:30 to 11:00 am at the NAC

The classes are all full, with waiting lists. Ballet teachers have selected their top students to participate.

The NAC presentation of La Bayadère is sponsored by Trinity Development Group Inc. and is part of the Share the Spirit program. Hotel Partner supporting this production is the Lord Elgin Hotel.

La Bayadère is presented by NAC Dance, and performed in Southam Hall of the National Arts Centre on Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m.; Friday, February 25 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, February 26 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, February 27 at 1 p.m and 7p.m.

Tickets are $69.96, $87.17, $109.77 and $129.14 for adults and $36.33, $44.93, $56.23, and $65.92 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card).

Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes with two intermissions

Groups of 10 or more save 10% off regular ticket prices; to reserve your seats, call 613-947-7000, ext. 634 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

Tickets are available for purchase:

• In person at the NAC Box Office
• At all Ticketmaster outlets
• By telephone from Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS) new!  
• Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
• A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster

This production is eligible for the Live Rush program. Full-time students aged 13-29 with a valid Live Rush membership may buy up to two tickets per performance at the discounted price of only $12 per ticket. Live Rush tickets are available from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house. Check out liverush.ca for information on the Live Rush program.

- 30 -

For more information, please call:
Eleri Evans
Marketing and Communications Officer, Dance
National Arts Centre
613-947-7000 ext. 379;
e-mail: eevans@nac-cna.ca
or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca