by Nadine Staes-Polet
Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) is ending its 2014 season with a bang – its grand finale performance will be Don Quixote, one of the most cherished classical ballets of the 19th century. Don Quixote is the first new full-length performance to be added to SDT’s existing repertoire in the past seven years, and will be staged from 4 to 7 December 2014, at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
First choreographed in 1869 for the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, Don Quixote is a ballet with a long history. Set in Spain, the ballet is based on Miguel de Cervantes’s tale of romance and chivalry that follows the heroic adventures of the aged knight, Don Quixote, and his devoted squire, Sancho Panza. Their paths cross with Kitri (an innkeeper’s daughter) and Basilio (a young barber) – two lovers who have run away from home to elope. With a series of chivalrous acts, whimsical twists, and comically feigned suicide, will Kitri and Basilio finally be able to celebrate their marriage with Don Quixote’s help?
With staging by the legendary Cynthia Harvey, costumes and set by Australian designer Bruce McKinven, lighting design by Adrian Tan, and soaring music by Ludwig Minkus, Don Quixote is set to be an impressive and breathtaking ballet.
Tickets are available through all SISTIC outlets and the SDT office, and prices start from $30 with discounts available for students.
