Irina Kolesnikova Season: La Bayadere

Celebrating one of the world's best dancers

World-renowned prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova and the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre will conclude their winter touring season by starring in a thrilling production of La Bayadere (The Temple Dancer) at the London Coliseum. Set in ancient, feudal India, a temple dancer is admired by two men, but she only loves one in return. However he is betrothed to another, causing her heartbreak. This beautiful yet tragic ballet is considered one of Marius Petipa's greatest works of choreography, and showcases the grace of Kolesnikova perfectly as well as the ethereal Kingdom of the Shades dream sequence.

What is it about?

With a lyrical score by Ludwig Minkus, the setting takes place in exotic, ancient India, where the gods wreak fury, warriors gain glory, and temple dancers are revered. A bitter rivalry between the beautiful bayadere, Nikiya, and her jealous rival, Gamzatti are fighting for the love of a warrior, who is betrothed to the latter. Gamzatti later poisons her rival with a snake hidden in a basket of flowers, and Nikiya chooses death rather than life without love in revenge for her attempted murder.

Solor sinks into a depressed state, and in an opium induced haze dreams of Nikiya surrounded by spirits of the underworld (Kingdom of the Shades) where they reunite - briefly. When he awakes, he realises that he is due to get married to Gamzatti. Whilst the wedding ceremony takes place, the vengeful gods, angry at the death of their sacred servant strike all in the palace dead - Solor is finally reeunited with Nikiya - in death.