Spartacus

Succes for Spartacus in Vilnius.

Liudmila Kudriavceva as Frigija, Photo: Minsk National Ballet

The Minsk “Spartacus” was staged by choreographer and set designer Valentin Yelizaryev Eugene Lysikov, in 1980

.  Furthermore it is the first time that the wellknown Spartacus history is presented in Lithuania as ballet.

In addition to wonderful solos, pas de deux, two of them to the very well known music, which in the 1960´was used for the sailship film “Windjammer”. The monumetal and moving group work by the whole ensemble was very well functioning, and suited the history and the music. Furthermore all the dramatic fighting scenes netween the gladiatores and between Spartacus and the Roman Consul Crassus.

The Synopsis of the «Spartacus» Ballet is based on the Libretto – Nikolay Volkov in a version by Valentin Elizariev and Eugeny Lysik

Act 1:

Rome
Slaves
Captivity
Uprising

Spartacus, Anton Kravcenko.

Freedom

The powerful Rome of the 1st century BC conquers new territories and peoples. Having seized great amount of spoils of war and slaves, with another victory, the legions of the Roman Consul Crassus brilliant danced with great virtuocity and power of  Yuri Kovalev, are returning to Rome. Among the enchained slaves are the Thracian king Spartacus wonderfully and powerful performed by the outstanding soloist Anton Kravchenko and his wife Phrygia performed with beauty, softness, virtuosly and nearly acrobatically by the brilliant Lyudmila Kudryavtseva. The gently loving married couple is separated.

Spartacus

Horrible lot is prepared for them. Phrygia, turned to slavery, has to become one of Crassus’s concubines; Spartacus has to become one of gladiators in order to die in life-death fight, amusing the Roman nobles. Rebellious and freedom-loving Spartacus calls up the slaves for uprising.

Act 2

Feast of Crassus
Phrygia
Victory of Spartacus

On the occasion of victory Crassus has invited in his palace the Roman patricians. The guests are amusing themselves, enjoying the atrocious

Jurij Kovaliov surronded by wimen in SPartacus

scenes of gladiators’ fights, who have to fight blindfold. Has the arena been hardly cleared from dead bodies, it fills with slave-dancers. Among them is Phrygia. When the orgy reaches the climax, all of a sudden Spartacus, leading a group of rebels, bursts into the palace. In panic Crassus and his guests escape, running away they swear to take revenge. The insurgent people are exulting! They won back the long-awaited freedom.

Act 3

Crassus
Spartacus
Separation
Freedom or Death Requiem

Having gathered considerable forces, Crassus pursues the rebellious slaves. The troops of Spartacus, weakened by defeats in unequal battles, by inner discords and betrayals, can’t stand up against well-equipped Roman army
. The Revolt is doomed to a failure, but faithful brothers-in-arms stay with Spartacus till the very tragic end, choosing dearth over slavery.

The brilliant performance demanding for the ensemble and the orchestra, was a great experience for the audience.

Anton Kravcenko as Spartacus and Liudmila Kravcenko as his wife Frigija

The Spartacus team has guested with “Spartacus” in Western Europe and Asia, including in Portugal, Greece, Great Britain, India, France, Switzerland, Japan, the Netherlands. After touring in London, the British press reported that “twenty productions of” Spartacus “in the USSR, this is certainly one of the best”. Furthermore Spanish critics compared the performance with the Belarusian great works of Sergei Eisenstein’s film “Ivan the Terrible.” Summer 2010 the Belarus ‘Spartacus’, in its plastic resembling ancient murals and monumental sculptures of the past, for the first time with great success has been shown in Italy. The audience enthusiastically took the play, which took place on the stage of an ancient Roman amphitheater, where once, perhaps, were the Roman gladiators.

All photos from The National Ballet of Belarus, Minsk.