Varna International Ballet and Orchestra is visiting the UK for the very first time in its 75-year history with classical performances of The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Coppélia.
Presented by Raymond Gubbay Limited, Varna International Ballet and Orchestra will stop over at Oxford New Theatre between 30 January and 01 February.
Renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet, the company has been delighting audiences for decades at home in Bulgaria and abroad with its performances of the highest quality.
Artistic Director Daniela Dimova and Music Director and Chief Conductor Peter Tuleshkov from Varna International Ballet and Orchestra said:
“We are thrilled to be bringing our highly talented company of dancers and musicians to the UK for the very first time. We can’t wait to perform for British audiences and to bring these magical ballets to life on stage.”
Varna State Opera was founded in 1947 by the renowned Bulgarian tenor Peter Raycheff. The main credit for developing the ballet troupe goes to Galina and Stefan Yordanov, who were Artistic Directors and choreographers for over 25 years (1960-1985).
They formed the image of the Varna Ballet and brought it to the international stage and founded the first and now world-famous Varna International Ballet Competition in 1964. Since 2010 Varna State Opera and Varna Drama Theatre have been united in one cultural institute called Theatre and Music Production Centre Varna.
The ballet performances for this season are:
Coppélia – Every toy has a story, especially in this charming comedy of errors, a witty combination of antics and abracadabra, set in a doll maker’s workshop. This lighthearted tale of mistaken identity and confused lovers follows mischievous Swanilda, her impetuous suitor Franz and the eccentric toymaker Dr Coppelius as they are brought to life by sparkling choreography and the animated score of Delibes. Coppélia is perfect for first-time ballet goers, families and everyone in between.
Read more: Win tickets to Coppelia by Varna International Ballet and Orchestra
Giselle – The most poignant of all classical ballets, is filled with dramatic passion in a chilling and heart-rending tale of love, treachery and forgiveness from beyond the grave. The moving story of delicate Giselle and her aristocratic but duplicitous lover Albrecht is set to a glorious score. From the visual splendour of the rustic villagers happily gathering the harvest at the start of the story to the eerie moonlit forest haunted by beautifully drifting spirits, this production is unforgettable.
The Nutcracker – This most famous of fantasy ballets for all the family begins as night falls on Christmas Eve. As snowflakes fall outside, the warm glow of the open fire sends flickering shadows across the boughs of the Christmas tree and all the presents beneath. When midnight strikes, we are swept away to a fairy-tale world where nothing is quite as it seems, toy dolls spring to life, the Mouse-king and his mouse-army battle with the Nutcracker Prince, and we travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins…
