Having returned to the playbill this year, the legendary production from the so-called ‘golden fund’ — Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev-Lavrovsky, the Bolshoi decided to enrich its Shakespeareiana with a ballet version of the play-testament of the English bard. One of Shakespeare's wisest, saddest, and most enlightened plays, when translated into the language of ballet, will gain a vibrant presentation at the Bolshoi, resonating with contemporary times and reflecting the advancements of high theatrical technologies. The performance is so unusual that during its preparation, it has been decided to hold a presentation for the audience. This revives the tradition of presenting upcoming ballet premieres to the public, which existed at the Bolshoi in the mid-2000s.

Choreographer Vyacheslav Samodurov, in his own words, set himself the goal of addressing the main aspects of this great play:

— Our main questions are: what is a person and civilization, nature and culture? For me, an important and complex topic is the nature of power and the nature of mercy. But we are in the territory of dance, and dance is about the body. This allows us to approach an understanding of nature not in a landscape sense, but in a deeper meaning. What is a person? Who are they? Which of these characters is more humane?

Set designer Alexey Kondratyev emphasizes the crucial role that light plays in this performance, (lighting designer Sergey Vasiliev). The scenery, far from merely imitating the deserted shore of an abandoned island, comes to life and into play under the influence of light that literally pierces it. Costume designer Igor Chapurin describes the light as ‘futuristic’ and believes it is one of the most reliable means of conveying the plot’s development and the characters’ emotional experiences, as envisioned by the choreographer.

Kondratyev is extremely fascinated by the idea of viewing this play as a theatrical performance — a kind of theatre within a theatre. The magician Prospero, who, like a giant puppeteer, pulls the strings of the puppets he has collected on the deserted island, appears to our production designer as a somewhat unkind (as sometimes happens) director, trying to subordinate the actors involved in his experimental performance to his will. However, as a purely theatrical person, Alexey Kondratyev believes that if a storm overtakes you, the best refuge can be the walls and stage of the theatre, where, of course, storms are also played out, but are still staged, playing with reflected light.

For Igor Chapurin, the central theme in The Tempest is the idea that the wizard Prospero eventually realizes: “Mercy is stronger than death”. In the mind of our costume designer, the uninhabited island where the ballet unfolds is rejected by the world of good but serves as an ideal backdrop to illustrate a person's journey towards simple and clear truths. These include the desire to live, the ability to be human, the aspiration to become human, and the nature of hatred. This hatred — a tangle of emotions experienced on this island — has the potential to turn a person into a savage, of which there are plenty here, or, conversely, by overcoming it, allow a person to reclaim their humanity.

The costumes, in terms of materials, colours, cut, modern technologies used, and the differences in approach demonstrated in the clothing of humans and spirits, also promise many surprises for the audience.

The 248th season was a tribute to composer Yuri Krasavin. Both world premieres were his work. When asked whether The Tempest provided a space for rhythmic experiments or required him to write “for the feet”, Krasavin explained that he initially began with more restrained tones. However, Mr. Samodurov criticised this approach, and the first act was ultimately rewritten from start to finish. The choreographer wanted activity and variable rhythms, so Krasavin almost went to the other extreme. Nevertheless, they managed to complete the work in harmony. Krasavin considers his score quite complex, but has no concerns, as the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra has “wonderful musicians — each one individually is just a beast — and they know how to play”.

The premiere series of the performances will be held on the 4th, 5th, 6th (12:00 and 19:00) and the 7th of July.