7 historical productions of the Bolshoi Theater still performed today

1. ‘Swan Lake’

This is Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s first ballet. It premiered at the Bolshoi Theater in 1877, but the audience disapproved of the performance. The rebirth occurred in 1895 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, where Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created a new version of the ballet. ‘Swan Lake’ triumphantly returned to the Bolshoi in 1901 in a production by Alexander Gorsky and has since become a kind of symbol of Russian ballet.

One of the most famous performers of the role of Odette-Odile was ballerina Maya Plisetskaya. She danced in ‘Swan Lake’ for 30 years, from 1947 to 1977, performing in about 800 productions.

Today at the Bolshoi, ‘Swan Lake’ can be seen in the now-canonical version by Yuri Grigorovich (1969), which combines classical choreography with a contemporary interpretation.

2. ‘Boris Godunov’

Modest Mussorgsky himself described this opera as a “folk musical drama”. It was first staged at the Bolshoi Theater in 1888, but its true triumph came at the beginning of the 20th century, when the title role was performed by legendary tenor Fyodor Chaliapin.

Today, audiences can see the historical version of the 1948 production. It’s a large-scale production with vibrant costumes and sets that recounts the events of the ‘Time of Troubles’.

3. ‘Don Quixote’

This great ballet was born in Moscow and premiered at the Bolshoi Theater in 1869. Inspired by memories of Spain, Marius Petipa based the production on folk dances.

In 1900, Alexander Gorsky transformed it into a manifesto of the Moscow style: he broke strict symmetry, added a colorful crowd and invited young artists Konstantin Korovin and Alexander Golovin. The audience was shocked, but, since then, ‘Don Quixote’ has become a “launchpad” for great dancers: Ekaterina Maximova, Natalia Osipova, and Ivan Vasiliev all shone in this production.

4. ‘Eugene Onegin’

Incredibly, Tchaikovsky did not believe his opera, based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel, would be a success. He considered it a chamber work, not suited for a large stage. ‘Eugene Onegin’ was first performed in 1879 by conservatory students and its premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre took place two years later. Since then, it has become one of the theater’s signature productions.

Over time, the production has featured stars such as Galina Vishnevskaya, Pavel Lisitsian, Sergei Lemeshev and Ivan Kozlovsky.

5. ‘Spartacus’

This famous ballet by Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian was first staged in the mid-1950s. But, its true triumph came in 1968, when the premiere of Yuri Grigorovich’s version took place at the Bolshoi Theater.

Spartacus and his antagonist Crassus set new standards for heroic male dance. At the premiere, Spartacus was danced by Vladimir Vasiliev, while Maris Liepa danced Crassus.

6. ‘Carmen Suite’

This ballet was created by composer Rodion Shchedrin specifically for ballerina Maya Plisetskaya. The premiere at the Bolshoi on April 20, 1967, received a lukewarm reception; Plisetskaya was even called a “traitor to classical ballet” for her overly extravagant style.

However, the performance gradually won over the public and, during tours in Spain, the ballet experienced a triumph. Today, ‘Carmen Suite’ is danced by the Bolshoi’s leading soloists.

7. ‘The Nutcracker’

The premiere of Tchaikovsky’s ballet took place at the Mariinsky Theater in 1892, together with the opera ‘Iolanta’. The composer intended for these two works to be performed consecutively on the same evening.

But, the ballet’s true fame came in 1966 with Yuri Grigorovich’s production at the Bolshoi Theatre. He cast adult dancers in the children’s roles and created a festive, fantastical atmosphere for the performance. It was this ‘Nutcracker’that became the country’s main New Year’s fairy tale and one of the theater’s most recognizable productions.