History of Belarusian Ballet

The art of ballet became known in Belarus in the second half of the 18-th century. The biggest Belarusian-Polish feudal lords, such as Radziwils, Oginskis, Thiesenhausens, Sapiegas had at their palaces drama theatres, chapel of singers, choirs, musical and ballet schools and spent more money for their upkeep than some monarchs would do…

That tradition died in the 19th century and was regenerated at the beginning of the 20th century. Attempts to stage simple ballet performances were made well before a stationary ballet-and-opera was established. At long last, in 1933, the State Opera House, the first in the history of Belarus, was opened in Minsk. The young ballet group set themselves a task to create a national ballet repertoire. The first Belarusian Ballet “Nightingale” composed by M. Kroshner and staged by A. Yermolaev, is of interest as successful experience gained in synthesising classical and folk dances. “Prince-Lake” by V. Zolotarev and K. Muller was another Belarusian Ballet. Belarusian composers E. Glebov and G. Wagner have had a particular bent for ballet music and genre.

Of course, classical ballets and works by A. Adan, Ts. Pugni, L. Mincus and, above all, the immortal creations by P. Tchaikovsky, never leave the stage; they are an excellent school of mastery for the dancers of all generations. In staging the ballets of the classical heritage, the Ballet theatre strives to renovate the original choreographic text by J. Perrault and A. Bournoville, M. Petipa and M. Fokin and others.

Today, the repertoire of the ballet-theatre of Belarus includes ballets of different epochs and styles: “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky, “Giselle” by A. Adan, choreographic suite “Chopeniana”, “Don Quixote” and “Pajita”, “Shadows” by L. Mincus, “La Sylphide” Kh. Levenskold, “Pas-de-quatre” by Ts. Pugni, “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai” by B. Asafiev, “Spartacus” by A. Khatchaturyan, “Сreation of the World” by A. Petrov, “Alpine Ballad” by Y. Glebov, “Carmen Suite” by J. Bizet and arranged by R. Shchedrin, “Bolero” by M. Ravel, “Chipollino” by K. Khachaturyan, vocal-choreographic performance of “Carmina Burana” cantata by K. Orff, “Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev, “The Cavalery Halt” by I. Armsgeimer, “Passions” by A. Mdivany, “Krugovert” by A. Zaletnev, “Doctor Aibolit” by I. Morozov, “Rite of Spring” and “Firebird” by I. Stravinsky, “Raimonda” by A.Glasunov…

The present-day ballet group includes 100 dancers – graduates from the Belarusian State Ballet Academy, among them 30 soloists: many of them have honorary titles and are well known outside Belarus.

The first country the ballet theatre toured in 1974 was Hungary, then Poland, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Syria, Vietnam, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, Norway, Turkey, Egypt, Hong-Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Japan and many others. The press of these countries highly estimated the professional mastery of the Belarusian Ballet.

The Belarusian ballet theatre greatly owes its home and international recognition to its Artistic Director Valentin Yelizariev, Academician of the International Slavonic Academy, Laureate of the State Premium of the Republic of Belarus, People’s Artist of the USSR and Belarus, Professor of the State Academy of Music, who has managed the ballet group and later the Academic Bolshoi ballet theatre of Belarusian Republic since 1973…