MACON – The Russian National Ballet presents two classic ballets in one program at The Grand Opera House on Sunday, March 4, at 3 p.m. Act one is Chopiniana, with music by Frederic Chopin, orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov, and choreography by Mikhail Fokine. Act two is the ballet based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Marius Petipa that has been restaged by Russian National Ballet artistic director, Elena Radchenko. Tickets are $32 for adults, $28 for children and students, with discount rates available for groups of 10 or more. Purchase by phone at (478) 301-5470 or in person at The Grand, 651 Mulberry St., open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; or purchase online at TheGrandMacon.com.
Chopiniana made its premiere on Feb. 23, 1907, in St. Petersburg, Russia, inspired by Chopin’s Seventh Waltz. The favorite oeuvre of its creator, Mikhail Fokine, this work has now become standard repertoire for many of the world’s leading ballet companies. The ballet version of Romeo and Juliet follows the Shakespeare tragedy interpreting the poet’s words into dance set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music.
The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded in Moscow during the transitional period of Perestroika in the late 1980s, when many of the great dancers and choreographers of the Soviet Union’s ballet institutions were exercising their new-found creative freedom by starting new, vibrant companies dedicated not only to the timeless tradition of classical RussianBallet but to invigorate this tradition as the Russians began to accept newdevelopments in the dance from around the world.
Today, the Russian National Ballet Theatre is its own institution, with over 50 dancers of singular instruction and vast experience, many of whom have been with the company since its inception. In 1994, the legendary Bolshoi principal dancer Elena Radchenko was selected by Presidential decree to assume the first permanent artistic directorship of the company. Ms. Radchenko is the founder of the Russian National Ballet Theatre, and she has focused the Company on upholding the grand, national tradition of the major Russian ballet works and developing new talents throughout Russia.
The Grand Opera House, a performing arts center of Mercer University, is Central Georgia’s premier historic theatre presenting professional Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, dance and variety shows as well as a full season of GrandKids arts education performances. Our stage is also home to the Macon Civic Club’s annual music revue, Macon Symphony Orchestra, Nutcracker of Middle Georgia and several other civic and arts organizations. The fully renovated 1,000-seat theatre is located at 651 Mulberry St. in downtown Macon, Ga. For a complete schedule of upcoming performances visit TheGrandMacon.com or call (478) 301-5470.
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