Ballet on British stages may largely be a thing of the past for now (Birmingham Royal Ballet do have live performances planned for October), but the Bolshoi Ballet is again opening its doors to audiences in cinemas worldwide for the 11th consecutive season.
Between October and December, audiences will have the opportunity to discover three major ballets of the company’s repertoire, all captured live on the historic stage in Moscow.
The 2020/21 season will open in October with Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s heartbreaking drama. Choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, it features Bolshoi principals Ekaterina Krysanova and Vladislav Lantratov in the roles of Verona’s young lovers.
A November treat comes in the shape of John Neumeier’s soulful ballet after Dumas Fils’s novel, The Lady of the Camellias. The screening features Bolshoi star Svetlana Zakharova as Marguerite Gautier along with Hamburg Ballet’s principal dancer Edvin Revazov, specially invited to join the cast as Armand Duval, Marguerite’s suitor.
December means Nutcracker, and as tradition dictates, Tchaikovsky’s festive ballet returns on the Sunday before Christmas. Principal dancer Semyon Chudin and soloist Margarita Shrainer lead in Yuri Grigorovich’s magical choreography.
The Bolshoi Ballet in Cinemas season will continue in 2021 featuring four additional titles to be announced at a later date. It is hoped that these will include live broadcasts from Moscow if the global health crisis permits.
Romeo and Juliet – Sunday October 11, 2020
Choreography by A. Ratmansky / Music by S. Prokofiev
Official Trailer
The Lady of the Camellias – Sunday November 1, 2020
Choreography by J. Neumeier / Music by F. Chopin
The Nutcracker – Sunday 20 December 2020
Choreography by Y. Grigorovich / Music by P.I. Tchaikovsky
To check which cinemas are showing the ballets and to book tickets, visit bolshoiballetcinema.co.uk.