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Although there are earlier versions, the most famous adaptation of Don Quiotte was created by the chief choreographer of St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Ballet, Marius Petipa, and Austrian-born composer, Ludwig Minkus.

Don Quixote was first premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow in 1869. Petipa then restaged it in a far more opulent and grandiose production for the Mariinsky Ballet in 1871. The ballet was revived by Alexander Gorsky in 1900 and 1902, and although it was controversial at the time, Gorsky’s 1902 revival became the basis for all modern productions of Don Quixote.

The famous Grand Pas de Deux is from the ballet’s final scene and takes place at the wedding banquet of Kitri and Basilio, the two lovers who achieve their happy ending despite the odds being stacked against them. It has become a favourite gala piece for virtuoso dancers all over the world; an opportunity to combine technical skills with distinctive characterisation even within the set structure of a classical pas de deux. The audience is set for a visual treat in which the ballerina and her partner playfully compete in their soaring jumps, bravura pirouettes and poised balances.

Written in 1721, Antonio Vivaldi’s four masterful violin concertos, famously known as The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni), may be the most widely heard piece of classical music ever composed. Choreographer Jenna Lee rejuvenates this much-loved classic into an elegant contemporary ballet with costume designs by April Dalton and lighting design by Andrew Ellis, accompanied by Max Richter’s dynamic re-composition of Vivaldi’s score.

“I really enjoy how familiar melodies do unexpected things, constantly taking you in different directions. The texture in the music perfectly represents each season. The high-pitched plucking from the strings that sound like cold icy rain in winter contrasts beautifully with the balmy music representing a warm August evening. Neoclassical in its ballet vocabulary, The Four Seasons will take the audience on a stylish journey; I think it’s a bold ballet and I’m very proud of it!” (Jenna Lee)

New English Ballet Theatre (NEBT) is a dynamic ballet company created to nurture a new generation of dancers, choreographers, musicians and artists, and to create uplifting and engaging experiences for contemporary audiences. Having just celebrated its 10^th Anniversary, NEBT has gained respect and recognition for its visionary, holistic approach to ballet making.

Returning to The Grange after their unforgettable performance of Contagion in Precipice in 2020, the internationally celebrated Shobana Jeyasingh Dance present an exquisite and explosive fusion of opera and dance.

Shobana Jeyasingh Dance are one of the most dynamic and distinctive forces in UK dance. Their vivid and powerful productions live long in the memory, and their work has been applauded by audiences and critics alike across the globe.

Monteverdi’s ground-breaking operatic cantata, Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, chronicles the love affair between a Saracen woman, Clorinda, renowned as a warrior, and the Christian crusader Tancredi. Concealed in body armour, Clorinda challenges Tancredi in combat and falls mortally wounded, leaving him to realise all too late that this was the woman he had fallen in love with across the battle lines.

Clorinda Agonistes is performed live in both Monteverdi’s version and in the accompanying piece by Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom. Created by the multi award-winning choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh CBE, the new work responds to Monteverdi’s epic story and explores gender and the power of individuals to give voice to their own unique lived experience; as resonant today as when Monteverdi created his masterpiece.

Tenor Ed Lyon (Belmonte in 2018) and Robert Hollingworth (of I Fagiolini) perform both works.

Co produced by Sadler’s Wells.

Supported by the Royal Philharmonic Society with funding from the RPS Drummond Fund.

Images: Chris Nash