Don Quixote, A Ballet in Three Acts

National Ballet of China Production

Executive Director, Producer: Feng Ying

Choreography and Stage Direction by Rudolf Nureyev based upon Marius Petipa's ballet

Libretto by Marius Petipa based on the novel of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Music by Ludwig Minkus

Music Arranged by John Lanchbery

Artistic Adviser: Manuel Legris (Guest)

Stage Designer: Gong Xun

Executive Lighting Designer: Liu Zhao

Stage Supervisors: Zhang Bingzhi, Yue Jianhua, Zhang Jianhua

Costume Designed by Wang Yunqi (After the Design of Paris Opera Ballet)

Costume Supervisors: Yue Songshan, He Xiaoxin

Makeup & Style Designer: Xu Bin

World Premiere: Dec. 14, 1869,the Russian Imperial Ballet

Nureyev's Version Premiere: Dec. 1, 1966, Wiener Staatsoper

Nureyev's Version First Performed in China：Nov. 28, 1985, National Ballet of China

National Ballet of China

Artistic Director: Feng Ying

Repetiteurs: Zhu Yan, Xu Gang, Wang Qimin, Li Jun, Wang Hao, Wang Qi

Piano Accompaniments: Yin Yue, Wang Jing, Wang Jinyi

National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Liu Ju

Concert Master: Wang Xiaomao

Stage Production: Stage Production Department of NBC

Synopsis of Don Quixote (A ballet in Three Acts)

Don Quixote with his squire Sancho Panza will set out together in search of adventure and they will defend virtue and punish all violators of the code of chivalry.

Act I  A Large Square in Barcelona

Little Kitri, the daughter of the publican Lorenzo, is looking for the good-hearted tramp Basilio. The arrival of Lorenzo interrupts a series of joyous dances. He is not at all happy that Basilio might become his son-in law as he has heard that the rich nobleman Gamache intends to ask for Kitri's hand in marriage. Kitri resists this attempt with all her might. For her Gamache with his ostentatious clothes, the enormous umbrella and his clumsiness is a figure of fun, whom everyone teases. Father and daughter continue to quarrel.

Don Quixote appears with his squire Sancho at his side. Impressed by his noble, chivalrous behavior, Lorenzo invites our hero into his inn to take some refreshments. Sancho waits outside, where soon the young friends of Kitri and Basilio make fun of him. They push him, get up to all sorts of pranks and throw him up into the air. Again Don Quixote intervenes and rescues him from this awkward situation. He sees Kitri and declares her his Dulcinea. He asks her to dance and thus provokes Gamache's jealousy and anger, who nevertheless politely declines the invitation to join the round dance. Neither Don Quixote nor Gamache are made for dancing, because suddenly there is utter chaos. Kitri and Basilio use this chaos to flee. Their escape, however, is soon discovered; Lorenzo and Gamache pursue them. They in turn are pursued by Don Quixote and Sancho Pansa.

Act II  Scene I  At Campo de Montiel

Kitri and Basilio have ended up in gypsy camp. They dance with their arms tightly round each other and go to sleep in a windmill. There the gypsies discover them. They had intended to rob them, but when they realize that their victims are as poor as they are, they change their minds and decide to help the lovers. They quickly dress them up as gypsies, and in order to help them further the gypsies decide on an experiment. With a performance of their puppet theatre they hope to dissuade Gamache and Lorenzo from their intentions. The focal point of the story is the foolishness and vanity of Lorenzo and Gamache, who, it appears, intend to make Kitri and Basilio thoroughly unhappy. The knight Don Quixote feels that his time has now come. He believes the heroine of the play to be his Dulcinea and thinks that she is being attacked. He comes to her aid and attacks the theatre. With his lance he destroys the marionettes and takes Gamache and Lorenzo prisoner. In his delusion he thinks that the nearby windmills are giants and attacks these as well. During his battle with the windmills he is lifted off the ground by one of them and is burled through the air. He ends up unconscious on the ground.

Act II  Scene II  In the Dream World of Don Quixote

Don Quixote now dreams a peculiar dream. He is in a fairytale land surrounded by the queen of the nymphs and her entourage. They are all dancing for him, and his Dulcinea comes towards him. He can now confess his love for her. But the dream shatters and the fairytale land vanishes.

Act III  Scene I  In an Inn

Kitri and Basilio have found a new refuge in an inn but are still being pursued. With the help of the young people there and their friend, the bull-fighter Espada, the lovers succeed once more in escaping. But they are soon discovered again. Despite the vehement resistance from the lovers and their friends, Lorenzo prepares to get his daughter back by force. Suddenly Basilio has a plan. He pretends to commit suicide and collapses 'stabbed' at Lorenzo's feet. Kitri pretends deepest despair and asks Don Quixote for help. Lorenzo is taken in by this deceit and gives the lovers his blessing. As soon as he has done this, Basilio gets up and embraces his newly wedded wife. Gamache is angry and accuses Don Quixote of having given his support to all this. He challenges him to a duel. Again Gamache makes a fool of himself as the knight disarms him. Lorenzo cannot do anything other than grin and bear it.

Act III  Scene II  The wedding

The last scene shows the wedding celebration. Kitri and Basilio celebrate their engagement (Grand Pas de Deux). In a somewhat melancholy and sad mood Don Quixote and Sancho Panza set out for new adventures.