Date:05/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/05/stories/2009010551920400.htm

New Delhi

Bolshoi Ballet enthrals the Capital

Staff Reporter

“Don Quixote” set to the music of Ludwig Minkus presented

NEW DELHI: The Doon School Old Boys’ Society, a non-profit alumni society involved in charitable works, hosted the Bolshoi Ballet at Siri Fort Auditorium here over the weekend.

The Bolshoi ballet presented “Don Quixote”-- set to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The excitement, colour and wit of Cervantes’ masterpiece was perfectly conveyed in this sparkling production.

Stating that a show of such magnitude and grandeur had not been recently seen in India, Doon School Old Boys Society’s Kishore Lahiri said the troupe of 110 members consisted of 50 ballet dancers and ballerinas, besides a 50 member philharmonic orchestra along with support staff.

Several shows

Informing that the Navoi Opera and Ballet Grand Academic Theatre in Tashkent has become one of the leading centres of performing arts in Central Asia, Mr. Lahiri said many famous conductors and musicians, artistes and singers have performed there and are still performing.

“In fact, this is one of the only three theatres that was given the status of Bolshoi, meaning big, in the erstwhile Soviet Union. The artistes of Navoi Theatre Company have graced the stages of La Scala, Milan, The Paris Opera, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan and the Bolshoi and Mariynsky theatres. Its wide repertoire ranges from classical favourites such as Swan Lake and Don-Quixote, to original creations, inspired by ancient Uzbek folk tales. Their performances can be compared to the best in the world,” added Mr. Lahiri.

While the Doon School Old Boys’ Society hosted the Bolshoi Ballet in Delhi, the ballet’s performances in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad will be hosted by Travel Masters Entertainment of Chennai.