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The Moscow Festival Ballet put on an amazing showing of “Don Quixote” Saturday night at the Maine Center for the Arts. “Don Q,” as many dancers affectionately call it, is a full-length, three act ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa. The story goes along with a brilliant score of music, written by Leon Minkus.
The prologue put the audience in the library of the noble and distinguished Don Quixote de la Mancha.
While going through his beloved books, which tell of a distant era of knighthood, he believes his life has more meaning. And so, along with his servant Sancho Panza, he sets out to find adventure and Dulcinea, a beautiful vision that came to him in a dream.
From the moment the curtain opened, the audience was swept into the story of this stately gentleman, portrayed this night by Yuri Vetrov.
The first act opened with a wondrous backdrop displaying a village crowded with busy people. The Don and his servant roam the town, among the villagers and the lovers Kitri and Basilio. The villagers dance happily with the two youngsters until the scene is interrupted by Kitri’s father, Lorenzo, who wishes his daughter to marry an old, rich gentleman by the name of Camacho. The Don sees the torment in the lovers’ hearts and decides to help them get away from the conflict.
This act was danced in a flurry of variations. The entrance of Camacho was a comical one, complete with a purple, gold and bright green decorated costume. At another point of time, Sancho Panza, played by Alexander Roupychev, had the audience in giggles. He chased the village girls across the stage, while jumping around blindfolded.
The next act brought the fleeing lovers into a band of gypsies, where they would safely be able to hide for only a short time. The Don finds the group and they attempt to honor him by staging a puppet show. The Don becomes confused, however, and ends up laying unconscious in the middle of the forest. The time the gypsies spent on the stage was incredibly impressive. The variations were filled with clapping, tambourines and tricky footwork.
The first scene of the third act shows Dulcinea in one of the Don’s dreams. Unconsciously the Don believes that he has completed great feats and so his “queen” praises him and all of the nymphs dance in his honor. Probably the most spectacular in the whole show, this scene showcased dozens of the finest costumes possibly ever seen on the stage of the MCA. The nymphs danced in small groups and individually, giving the opportunity to show the talents of dancers other than the principles. This group, the “corps,” had immaculate technique and kept the audience riveted to their every move.
After an incredibly brief intermission, the tavern scene began. At the tavern, the illusive Kitri and Basilio ran around attempting to avoid Lorenzo. Soon however, the lovers are caught and an immediate struggle ensues. The Don intervenes in the situation and soon the couple is happily making plans for their lives together. The part of the scene that perhaps most pleased the audience was when Camacho, Lorenzo and Sancho Panza drunkenly danced about the stage. With their perfect technique and incredibly crazy antics, this trio definitely captured the audience.
The last scene was dedicated to the young couple in love. The grand pas de deux that Kitri and Basilio danced was tremendously well executed. The partnering lifts were daring and nearly flawless. The solos each took were full of difficulty, and neither had any problems completing their steps. At the final pose, the cheering began. As the finale and bows took place, the clapping continued. With the final chord of music over, the audience stood and showed their appreciation in a standing ovation.
The Moscow Festival Ballet rose to the occasion and gave a show that left viewers in awe. One would hope that in the future this great Russian dance company would again be able to bring its talent to the University of Maine.
Bangor Daily News