The Bluebird and Princess Florine

A ballet in three acts, seven scenes. Libretto by A. Miroshnichеnko based on the fairy tale The Blue Bird by Madame d’Aulnoy.

World premiere was performed in Perm in 2014. Running time: 3 hours including 2 intervals

Envious of the happiness of the beautiful princess Florine and prince Charming, the evil queen turns the prince into a Bluebird. In order to return him to human form, Florine must give her own life. But, having lost his beloved, Charming himself will die of a broken heart… Of course a happy ending awaits the heroes, but before they reach it they must overcome traps, deception and treachery that await the lovers at every corner.

Audiences will be familiar with Princess Florine and the Bluebird from the wedding celebrations of Prince Désiré and Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty). The creators of the ballet decided to create further stories for these previously secondary characters. The man behind the idea of the production, choreographer Alexey Miroshnichеnko, wrote the libretto based on the fairy tale by Madame d’Aulnoy and the musical foundations of the work are taken from several fragments from the works of Adolphe Adam. The resulting work has much in common with Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, and, of course it is the intention that the work should be in the classical romantic style of productions from the late 19^th century.

The ballet promises to become a colourful masterpiece of the theatre’s repertoire. The set designer Ernst Heidebrekht (who received a Golden Mask award for the set design of the opera Orpheus in the Georgii Isaakyan production) has created scenery in the style of the 15^th century manuscript illuminations The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry by the Limbourg brothers. And a collection of sumptuous costumes designed by Tatyana Noginova will make audiences feel that they have been plunged into a real fairy tale.

 Project Sponsor is Mr. Toshihiko Takahashi