Ludwig Minkus "Don Quixote" (ballet in two acts). Russian Classical Ballet TheatreWe act as primary and secondary tickets reseller. The ticket prices may be lower or higher than the face value
Running time: 2 hours Bolshoi Theatre buildings are closed and not available for any visit 4 Aug - 4 Sept 2025. And while the legendary Bolshoi Theatre is on its summer break, the joy of Russian ballet continues just next door. The Summer Ballet Festival features dynamic performances with dancers trained at the same prestigious academies as the Bolshoi stars. Many performers are current or former members of the Bolshoi Ballet Company, ensuring world-class artistry on every stage. This is your chance to experience the sparkle, passion, and brilliance of top-tier ballet in Moscow — where the spirit of the Bolshoi shines all summer long. A Joyful and Colorful Tale That Never Fails to Delight! Don Quixote is the most cheerful and vibrant ballet — a fiery celebration of Spanish love and culture! It has everything: a clear, engaging plot; passionate, color-rich dances; dazzling classical variations; daring lifts; spirited music; romance and humor; toreadors and gypsies — in short, a festive experience for audiences of all ages. A beloved treasure of world ballet, Don Quixote was born in Moscow. The great master of classical choreography, Marius Petipa, inspired by his travels through Spain, envisioned a production that would bring to life the country’s rich and diverse folkloric traditions. Don Quixote, the chivalrous dreamer from Cervantes' novel The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, is portrayed as a secondary character here — a noble yet comically outdated figure longing for the ideals of knightly valor and his imagined muse, Dulcinea. Those around him treat him kindly, with a touch of pity. After all, who among us hasn’t longed, even for a moment, to escape into the beauty of dreams? The ballet’s libretto is based on Cervantes’ classic, one of the most widely published and translated books in the world. However, at the heart of the ballet lies the lively love story between Kitri, the spirited innkeeper’s daughter, and the charming barber Basilio. Though many versions of the story have appeared on stage, it was the genius of Marius Petipa and composer Ludwig Minkus — whose sparkling music perfectly matches the ballet’s exuberance — that solidified Don Quixote as a timeless masterpiece. The ballet features breathtaking lifts, joyful pantomime (Basilio’s mock-suicide scene never fails to make audiences laugh), 32 iconic fouettés, and a grand pas de deux so dynamic it is often performed on its own in international ballet competitions. Libretto by Marius Petipa © Bolshoi Theatre | |||||
