The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote

 

At the beginning of January, when I arranged my wishes for 2020 in a picture, I put: “the Royal Opera House in London/Royal Opera House/Royal Christmas” by chance (my real dream was Metropolitan opera but this came up by chance so I put it).

This week, an opera buddy sent me an email with the info that the Royal Opera House in London will broadcast from its repertory for Christmas one opera - Mozart's The Magic Flute, and one ballet - Don Quixote. Just a year ago I watched at Berlin State Opera The Magic Flute and I did not liked this opera, but Don Quixote is one of my favorite ballets. Just a year ago, also on the eve of Christmas I watched Don Quixote in Sofia by the Stara Zagora’s opera house with principal dancers from the Berlin State’s Ballet Iana Salenko and Marian Walter, and with the choreography by Arshak Ghalumyan – it was marvelous.  

For me Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without The Nutcracker but the Royal Opera House obviously decided something else. I saw the name of Carlos Acosta and decided to have the chance and watch.

On the Christmas evening the Royal Opera House, London broadcasted The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote (2013) after Marius Petipa and the music by Ludwig Minkus, with the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Don Quixote is one of Marius Petipa's much-loved 19th-century classics - its story is drawn from Miguel de Cervantes's classic novel and set to Ludwig Minkus's score. Production and choreography - Carlos Acosta; arranged and orchestrated by Martin Yates, designs Tim Hatley; conductor Martin Yates. Cast Basilio - Carlos Acosta, Kitri - Marianela Nunez. Carlos Acosta's production was created for The Royal Ballet in 2013.

The costumes are very, very beautiful, colorful, really a holiday of colors (especially the square and the dream scenes). Everyone in the cast dances so that they make you want to dance in place; light, ethereal, emotional, in sync. In fact I danced in place in Act I as it’s my favorite. Beauty, mood, joy, emotion emanated from the stage/the screen. Ballet was a holiday for the senses, a holiday for the soul.

 

The Magic Flute (2017) and Don Quixote (2013) will be broadcasted via YouTube for free (donations are possible/expected) of between 25 December 2020–6 January 2021. Otherwise a lot other performances can be seen on the Opera house’s site on purchase.

So closing this strange year some wishes came through on a different way.