Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vassilev defy gravity in Alexei Ratmansky’s dynamic reimagining of the classic Soviet ballet. Created in 1932 for the 15th anniversary of Russia’s October Revolution, it has a libretto based on Provençal author Félix Gras’s book about the French Revolution and a score by Boris Asafyev based on French popular songs. The boldly graphic sets and costumes channel French popular prints, and Ratmansky’s expressive choreography is executed by Vassiliev and Osipova in a tour de force performance.
Q&A with Katerina Navikova, Press Secretary of the Bolshoi Ballet and Anna Winestein, Executive Director of the Ballets Russes Arts Initiative follows the screening.