19-30 Oct 2011.

In Raymonda, choreography by Rafael Avnikjan from Petipa. Raymonda is the last of Marius Petipa's three-act works still in today's classical repertoire. The ballet premiered in St Petersburg in 1898 and, together with the lovely score by Glazunov, Petipa's sophisticated choreography is often credited with ensuring the success of the work despite a weak and convoluted libretto. The story, in Hungary during the crusades, tells of the battle between a Christian knight and a Saracen warrior to win the heart of the noble maiden Raymonda. But the plot is really just a showcase for some renowned virtuoso ballet. Raymonda has remained in the Kirov repertoire, with numerous revisions over the years. There are also other notable productions including a version by George Balanchine for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1946 and one by Rudolf Nureyev in 1964.