Don Quijote

José Carlos Martinéz

One of the pillars of the classical ballet legacy is the ballet Don Quixote to music by Ludwig Minkus, inspired by Cervantes‘ famous the ingenious novel Don Quixote de La Mancha. 

It describes the adventures of the hero, the knight Don Quixote, tormented by fantasies moving between illusion and reality. But ballet productions use Cervantes‘ story as inspiration and pretext in their libretto. All the action on stage centres around a young loving couple Basilio (Basil) and Quiteria (Kitri), who are thwarted by their wealthy suitor Comacha (Gamacho). Only thanks to Don Quixote will their love come to fruition.  

The production we bring to the Brno audience premiered at the Compania Nacional de Danza in Madrid in 2015. For the local company this version was created by José Carlos Martínez, then artistic director director of the company and star emeritus of the Paris Opera, who is currently artistic director of this world-leading stage. The Spanish blood that runs through the veins of choreographer José Martínez may have spoken, but his production, based on an original concept by Mario Petipa and Alexandre Gorski, is full of Hispanic temperament, colours, atmosphere and typical gestures. 

The ballet version of Don Quixote is often performed for its brilliant dance technique and the unique beauty of the story and music on the world’s most renowned stages, no doubt due to the attractive Spanish setting in which the story is set. The virtuoso parts of the main characters Basil and Kitri are also one of the technical and acting highlights of the ballet repertoire and a calling card of the interpretive mastery of the dancers. 

 

Choreography and Direction José Carlos Martínez
Inspired by the versions of Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorski
Music Ludwig Minkus
Musical Preparation Ondrej Olos
Conductors Ondrej Olos, Anna Novotná Pešková
Stage and Costume Design Inaki Cobos Guerrero
Light Design Nicolás Fischtel
Assistant to the Choreographer and Stager Elna Matamoros
Choreography of Bolero and Fandango Mayte Chico
Ballet Masters Jana Kosíková, Jana Ruggieri, Ivan Popov
Musical Collaboration Petr Duchalík

Duration of performance 2 hours and 20 minutes, intermission after each act

 

 

 

  • “In my opinion, the so-called „plot" is not so important to D.Q. because the whole rigmarole is nothing more than a beautiful divertissement – a kind of “Circus”, but a good one when done right! You're wonderfully lucky if you understand how to bring it to the surface as a joyful, dynamic, and lively piece. Until now, the only version I had enjoyed was Baryshnikov's 1978 version. But, thinking of my preferences, I must admit that, somehow, I have changed my mind after seeing Martinez's. Especially because of the lively, dynamic second act. Wonderfully lively. Martinez's concept is a very joyful one.“ Ricardo Leitner

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  • “The strength of the Brno ensemble was amply demonstrated throughout an exceptional cast. Shoma Ogasawara impressed in the powerful Gypsy solo and Anna Yeh was suitably sprightly as a cute Cupid (and alongside Momona Sakakibara as Kitri’s synchronised friends). Ogasawara and Sakakibara will debut as Basilio and Kitri in a later cast. Hugo Martinez portrayed Sancho Panza without the usual rotundness, as an accident-prone and excitable squire to an imposing and honourable Don Quixote (Dillon Perry) who is horseless in this interpretation. Nanaka Ogawa lit up the stage as Dulcinea (and it was a delight to see Ksenia Ovsyanick, now a resident in Brno, give a sublime interpretation as the Queen of the Dryads in the second cast). There is an undeniable excitement about this company, both on and offstage. The National Theatre of Brno has long been regarded as the hotspot of Czech opera (it performs, after all, in the theatre named after Leoš Janáček) but, on this evidence, the ballet company is building a similar reputation.“ Graham Watts

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