Don Quixote – Singapore Dance Theatre’s 2014 Grand Finale
PUBLISHED November 26th, 2014 10:00 pm | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:16 pm
Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) will be adding one of the most cherished classical ballets of the 19th century to their existing repertoire – the first new full-length performance to be added in the past seven years. Founded in 1988, SDT is Singapore’s premier professional dance company with six main showings a year, including the widely popular Ballet Under the Stars at the Fort Canning Park, Masterpiece in Motion, and Passages Contemporary Season.
The Story
Don Quioxte is the protagonist in a Spanish novel titled “El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes. Translated as “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”, the novel chronicles the exploits of Don Quixote, a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with tales of chivalry, he wanders the land in search of adventure accompanied by his horse Rocinante (well past its prime) and his sidekick Sancho Panza.
Asking to be bestowed knighthood by an innkeeper who he believes is the lord of a castle, battling wind mills that he thinks are ferocious giants, Don Quioxte also gives up food, shelter, and comfort in the name of a peasant woman, Dulcinea del Toboso, whom he envisions as a princess. Unsurprisingly, he becomes the subject of many cruel jokes – the novel eventually ends with him regaining his full sanity and renouncing all chivalry.
Published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is recognized as one of the world’s best works of fiction and has inspired countless works of art, theater, music, opera, dance and film. The first known ballet interpretation was presented in Vienna in 1740. In1869, choreographer Marius Petipa premiered his version at the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, accompanied by a commissioned score by Ludwig Minkus.
SDT’s Don Quixote
Utilizing Pepita’s choreography, SDT’s rendition is based on an episode from the second part of the novel. As the ballet begins, Don Quixote becomes obsessed with stories of ancient rivalry. Pretending to be a brave knight, he imagines setting out to rescue the lady of his dreams, named Dulcinea, with his trusty servant-turned-squire Sancho Panza. While fighting invisible rivals, puppets, and windmills, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza meet runaway lovers, Kitri and Basilio.
Kitri, the beautiful daughter of Lorenzo the innkeeper, has fallen in love with the poor young barber, Basilio. Alas, Kitri’s father is set on her marrying the wealthy fop, Gamache. 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?
Working with the Singapore Dance Theatre on the staging of Don Quioxte is the legendary Cynthia Harvey, who danced virtually every ballerina role with American Ballet Theatre and is currently guest teacher and ballet mistress (very much in demand). On top of being the first American dancer to join the Royal Ballet as a principal ballerina, she’s performed as a guest artist with internationally renowned ballet companies like Baryshnikov and Company and Nureyev and Friends before retiring in 1996.
‘The decision to proceed with a full-length production of Don Quixote was not one that SDT approached lightly. It is a ballet with a tremendous history and huge expectations attached to it,’ says Artistic Director, Janek Schergen. ‘Don Quixote requires a large cast that can dance, act and move a story along. We had to make sure that we had the right dancers with style, artistic maturity, and technique to bring it to the stage properly. With costume and set designs by Bruce McKinven (a leading Australian designer with 20 years of experience in dance, theatre, festivals and film), and staging and coaching by Cynthia Harvey, I feel completely confident that this is the right time for us to see Don Quixote join our permanent repertoire.’
With striking lighting design by Adrian Tan and soaring music by Ludwig Minkus, SDT’s Don Quixote is set for an impressive premiere. Prepare to be dazzled by the colourful exuberance and joyous choreography in this glorious visual treat of ballet, drama and romance, from breathtaking solos to energetic gypsy dances, from the captivating dream sequence to the thrilling pas de deux by Kitri and Basilio in the wedding finale. This is one production not to be missed!
Don Quioxte is running 4-7 December 2014 at the Esplanade Theatre. For tickets and more information, please see SISTIC or SDT’s website.
SDT Images by Bernie Ng, Cynthia Harvey Image from Behind Ballet
Written by Nithia Devan
