Mikhailovsky Ballet to present new version of Don Quixote, starring Na

[Evgeniya]

On 25 July 2012 a new version of Marius Petipa’s ballet Don Quixote, starring Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasilyev, premieres at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. The curtain time is 4:30PM London time. Live High-Definition webcast of the opening-night performance will be available at mikhailovsky.ru/live, www.rt.ru or paraclassics.com on any computer or iPhone/iPad. Through state-of-the-art technology developed by ParaClassics in partnership with Rostelecom and immediate archiving functionality, audience from around the globe will enjoy the ballet webcast in the best quality live and within next 24 hours.

Petipa created this expressive and cheerful ballet to a libretto based on the world-famous novel by Miguel de Cervantes. The refined artistic quality, the technical brilliance and the drive of the production made it an iconic showpiece of classical ballet.

The simple and noble story about believing in inherent human kindness and perfection has been staged at the Mikhailovsky elegantly and with lavish costumes and sets. Performed by dancers of outstanding talent and skill, it demonstrates classical Russian ballet at its best.

Natalya Osipova and Ivan Vasilyev will appear in the lead parts of Kitri and Basil in the performance on July 25.

Ms. Osipova began her career at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre to then become a guest dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City and a prima ballerina of the Mikhailovsky Ballet. She is a winner of Britain’s Critics' Circle National Dance Awards and other prestigious international ballet prizes.

Now the historic ballet has been revived and updated by the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s current chief guest choreographer, Mikhail Messerer. In this new version of Don Quixote, he draws on the legacy of other important choreographers of the past, including the Russian ballet reformist Alexander Gorsky and his followers.

Thanks to the original technology used in ParaClassics’ webcasts, ballet lovers worldwide will be able to enjoy the brilliant new production and the star couple performance online.

The Don Quixote webcast rounds off this performing season’s series of webcasts from the Mikhailovsky Theatre. The seven previous webcasts featured premieres and special events of 2011-2012 season, including Nacho Duato’s ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” in December 2011, Liliana Cavani’s production of the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana,” and the Russian version of Duato’s "Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness." All archived webcasts are available for free at ParaClassics.com.

ParaClassics and Rostelecom have developed original technology for streaming music performances in Full HD live video in Russia and beyond. Technology adjusts the visual image to the speed of Internet connection, along with providing an unfailingly excellent sound quality. As a result, classical music, opera and ballet lovers around the globe can now enjoy Mikhailovsky opera and ballet online regardless of their whereabouts and Internet access speed. For the convenience of Russian and international viewers, archived webcast will remain available online for at least 24 hours after the featured event.