Shakespeare's Shrew opens as Bolshoi ballet wins French master's prize

MOSCOW, July 4 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow's famous Bolshoi Theatre stages the world premiere of a ballet based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew on Friday, dancing to the music of Dmitry Shostakovich. Choreography created specially for the Bolshoi is by French master Jean-Christophe Maillot, acclaimed for his nurturing of the Ballet de Monte Carlo and producing, for the first time in 20 years, a work not written for his own company . Even the Paris Opera had failed to win him over during months of effort in bidding for a likewise prize, Maillot said before the final rehearsal. Bolshoi’s artistic director and performer Sergey Filin won such a victory, hiding the secret of his success but revealing his long-cherished dream of dancing to a Maillot composition. “I wanted Maillot to stage the Shrew in the Bolshoi. Our ideas coincided,” he said. Maillot's wife Bernice Coppieters joins her husband for his first staging in the Russian capital, her pumps hung up in retirement and cheating him from seeing her dance on stage as tempestuous lead role Katherine. She's been at his side, though, helping shape the production to curtain-up. The stage has been designed by Maillot’s permanent co-author, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, while Augustin Maillot is the hand behind the costume sketches. Yekaterina Krysanova, Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov dance in the principal roles. “Taming of the Shrew is said to be one of Shakespeare’s most sexual plays - a true analysis of passion between a man and a woman,” the choreographer said. “I came to Russia so the composer should certainly be Russian. I picked Shostakovich,"said Maillot. "The score is based on music he created for cinema and working in the Bolshoi has revealed unique cinema music to me.” Final rehearsing on Thursday won prolonged applause, promising opening night success. Learn more on itar-tass.com