Boston Ballet’s Le Corsaire

Le Corsaire is here!

“Great dance will take you on an emotional journey and recharge your spirit,” says Mikko Nissinen, artistic director, Boston Ballet.

What better way than meditation or yoga, to recharge your spirit and experience an emotionally uplifting journey than to go to the ballet!! Do you want to experience adventure and romance and some passion too? Lights, camera and action, the Ballet is back and to kick off the season, the Boston Ballet presents the North American premiere of Ivan Liska’s grand production, Le Corsaire, “with lavish sets and costumes, splashy choreography, and a sweeping score.” The ballet begins, Thursday, October 27, 2016 at the Boston Opera House, 7:30PM and runs through November 6, 2016.

Le Corsaire originally premiered for the first time on January 23, 1856 at Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra in Paris, France. It is a beautiful ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and loosely based on The Corsair by Lord Byron published in 1814. Le Corsaire, the ballet is, “the story of the beautiful maiden Medora, a wealthy Pasha determined to add her to his harem, and a dashing pirate Conrad, even more resolved to save her.” For this Boston production the music is by Adolphe Adam, Léo Delibes, Cesare Pugni, Riccardo Drigo, Prinz von Oldenburg and choreography by Ivan Liška and the legend Marius Petipa (1818–1910), the most influential ballet master and choreographer of classical ballet ever in the history of ballet. During his long career as Premier maitre de ballet (First Ballet Master) of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres, Marius Petipa created over fifty ballets and he revived a substantial number of works created by other choreographers. Many of these revivals would go on to become the definitive editions on which all subsequent productions would be based. The most famous of these revivals were Le Corsaire, Giselle, La Esmeralda, Coppélia, among others. Today, all modern productions of Le Corsaire are derived from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg throughout the mid to late 19th century. And it is an immense privilege to experience the Boston Ballet’s North American premiere of Le Corsaire as artistic director, Mikko Nissinen proudly says, “Le Corsaire offers an incredible opportunity for some spectacular dancing.” And Boston is in for a genuine treat as the Boston Globe article shares, “Liška takes his task to maintain historical integrity very seriously. “While I was in the studio, I always left one chair free and imagined Marius Petipa sitting there. Always when I went to modern[ize], he kicked me,” he says, laughing, adding, “The form must be stylized, but the emotion must be true.”!”

With a run time approximately 2 hours and 32 minutes plan accordingly for a special journey and immediately following the performance is the Opening Night Party for the Boston Ballet that is sure to be exciting and fun!! Please come to celebrate the Boston Ballet and the start of a new season at 9:30PM at the Ritz Carlton, Boston Common. It is a wonderful and perfect moment to meet members of the Boston Ballet Company and the artistic staff following the opening night of Le Corsaire. There is still time to participate and support the Boston Ballet so for more information about Le Corsaire and/or for tickets, go to https://www.bostonballet.org/home.aspx and for more information about the opening night party, please contact Linda Jones, Director of Partnerships and Events, 617.456.6352.