Don Quixote Ballet Performance – The Best Guide (2024)
Don Quixote Ballet, with its lively and vibrant choreography, is a heart-warming, romantic comedy, full of Spanish flair.
Set against the backdrop of sunny Spain, this ballet invites the audience on a delightful journey brimming with love, humour, and cunning mischief.
It truly offers something special for everyone to enjoy!
In this blog post, I will examine Don Quixote Ballet, exploring its rich and humorous narrative, as well as its elements of love and honour.
DON QUIXOTE BALLET STORY
Based on the renowned novel by Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote follows the adventures of the eccentric nobleman Don Quixote and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza.
Within the ballet, one such adventure takes centre stage, revolving around a lively young couple named Kitri and Basilio.
Don Quixote endeavours to unite the lovers, against all odds, while dealing with his inner turmoil and a quest for nobility.
PROLOGUE
The tale begins in Don Quixote’s study, where he immerses himself in books about knights on noble quests.
As he drifts into slumber, he envisions himself as a knight deeply in love with a mystical woman named Dulcinea.
Convinced that his dream is a reality, he embarks on his next quest alongside his faithful squire, Sancho Panzo.
ACT 1 – A PLAZA IN BARCELONA
Act 1 opens in a lively Spanish town filled with flirtatious dancing, where traditional classical ballet is combined with Spanish flair.
Kitri, Lorenzo’s daughter and the town’s sweetheart is in love with the local barber Basilio.
Much to her despair, she learns of her father’s intention to marry her to Gamache, a wealthy nobleman lacking everything, except money.
Don Quixote and Sancho enter on horse and donkey, allowing Kitri and Basilio time to escape.
ACT 2 – A TALE OF TWO PARTS
Act 2 is usually divided into two parts, the gypsy village and the dream scene.
Kitri and Basilio stumble upon a gypsy village, seeking refuge from Kitri’s father and his unreasonable desire to arrange a marriage just for money.
The scene is pure joy and freedom until Don Quixote arrives.
His imagination leads him to believe he must defend against a giant windmill, embodying his knightly ideals.
Exhausted, Don Quixote collapses and drifts into a much-needed sleep, where his dream unfolds.
In his dream, he encounters the woman of his dreams, Dulcinea, portrayed by Kitri. Surrounding him are ethereal nymphs and Cupid, the trusted matchmaker.
This dream sequence represents Don Quixote’s deepest desires and ideals, transporting the audience into a realm of romance and fantasy.
ACT 3 – THE TAVERN AND THE WEDDING
Act 3 begins in a local tavern, where Lorenzo and Gamache discover Kitri and Basilio hiding, despite the town’s efforts to conceal them.
Determined to avoid Kitri’s marriage to the wealthy Gamache, Basilio devises a cunning plan.
Pretending to stab himself in jealous despair, he enlists Kitri’s assistance, who gradually catches on to his scheme, to seek Don Quixote’s help.
Lorenzo is ultimately forced to bless the lovers, believing Basilio is on the brink of death, until Basilio, surprise surprise, makes a miraculous recovery.
Finally, Kitri and Basilio, surrounded by the entire town, joyously celebrate their wedding. As the festivities unfold, Don Quixote congratulates the newlyweds, bidding farewell as he seeks to resume his adventures.
With the curtain coming down, the ballet concludes with a happy ending and the timeless notion that love cannot be bought with wealth alone.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Prepare to be transported to the colourful Spanish landscape through breathtaking sets and costumes.
With characters ranging from Torredors to Gypsies, this ballet will leave you laughing in your seat with its humour, romance, and dazzling choreography.
THE SPANISH BACKDROP
The Spanish backdrop in the ballet Don Quixote serves as a vivid and bustling setting that captures the essence of Spanish culture and tradition.
It resembles a lively marketplace, pulsating with energy and activity.
The scene is filled with colourful characters, including Spanish matadors exuding confidence and pride, the strong and sexy Mercedes, and villagers immersed in their daily lives.
As the dancers take the stage, the ballet has a fiery spirit with movements that are both bold and expressive.
The choreography transports the audience to a world filled with rhythm, movement, and excitement.
THE GYPSY VILLAGE
The gypsy village in Don Quixote lives up to its name, embodying the vibrant spirit of Romani culture.
Following the escape of both Kitri and Basilio from the clutches of Gamache and Kitri’s father, they find themselves immersed in the lively company of gypsies known for their love of dance and celebration.
Amidst the backdrop, Don Quixote succumbs to delirium, his illusions escalating until he falls asleep into a deep dream.
THE DREAM
The dream scene in the ballet Don Quixote is full of mystical enchantment. Here, we meet the Queen of the Dryads, Dulcinea, Cupid, and the ethereal female corps of nymphs.
This portion of the ballet offers a nice contrast to the Spanish ambiance throughout the performance and provides a magical interlude where we witness Don Quixote’s quest for the woman of his dreams.
MAIN CHARACTERS
KITRI
ROLE
Kitri, brimming with life and possessing a fiery spirit, is the village sweetheart. Her heart belongs to Basilio, the town’s barber, whom she is determined to marry (even if she has to fool her father a little).
COSTUME
Kitri wears a vibrant red dress that exudes Spanish flair. Her skirt, unlike the traditional tutu, is mid-length, embodying the essence of flamenco style.
Throughout the ballet, she gracefully dances with a fan in hand.
In the final act of the ballet, Kitri usually wears a white classical tutu embellished with intricate and elegant details, accompanied by a white fan.
DANCER’S PORTRAYAL (CHARACTER TRAITS)
BASILIO
ROLE
Basilio is characterised by his flirtatious nature and captivating charm. He is in love with Kitri (despite often being seen flirting with the whole town).
His fast wit and cleverness allow him to outsmart Gamache and earn Kitri’s father’s approval for their marriage.
COSTUME
Basilio is portrayed as a villager, typically wearing brown mid-length trousers paired with a loose-fitting white shirt. This is often accompanied by either a grey or red vest.
For the final act of the ballet, he usually wears black tight-fitting pants and a bolero-style blazer adorned with intricate details.
DANCER’S PORTRAYAL (CHARACTER TRAITS)
DON QUIXOTE
ROLE
Don Quixote embodies the ideals of idealism and chivalry as a knight committed to defending the weak and upholding justice, despite facing ridicule and disbelief from others.
His unwavering devotion to Dulcinea drives his quest throughout the performance, as he battles with the blurred lines between reality and fantasy.
COSTUME
His costume typically includes a suit of armour, a helmet, and a tunic. His overall look is intended to evoke the image of a gallant and valiant knight on a noble quest.
DANCER’S PORTRAYAL (CHARACTER TRAITS)
GAMACHE
ROLE
Gamache embodies the traits of an arrogant and self-important nobleman who believes his wealth and status entitle him to whatever he desires, including Kitri’s affection and hand in marriage.
He is characterised by his ineptitude and clumsiness, serving as a colourful and entertaining figure whose exaggerated behaviours and comedic antics add depth and humour to the storyline.
COSTUME
Gamache is often depicted in extravagant clothing, excessively adorned and overdressed to impress, accentuating his affluent status.
His clothing is outrageously absurd, adding to the audience’s amusement and laughter.
DANCER’S PORTRAYAL (CHARACTER TRAITS)
SANCHO PANZA
ROLE
Sancho is Don Quixote’s loyal and trusted squire who joins his master on his many adventures around the world.
Sancho is a favourite with the audience with his cheerful and inquisitive nature, leaving us laughing at his foolish antics.
COSTUME
Sancho wears loose-fitting trousers, and a vest or jacket in earthy colours such as brown, beige, or grey, reflecting his roots as a traveling peasant and loyal squire.
Dancers often wear extra padding to accentuate his plump physique.
DANCER’S PORTRAYAL (CHARACTER TRAITS)
A DANCER’S PERSPECTIVE OF DON QUIXOTE
THE DYNAMIC AND POWERFUL KITRI
Written by Alicia Townsend, Professional Ballerina, Greek National Opera Ballet
Having the opportunity to dance the principal role of Kitri was an opportunity that despite being so grateful and excited for, also came with a lot of pressure and nerves.
Dancing any principal role, especially in Kitri, in such a high-energy and lengthy three-act ballet, is a huge responsibility and a tough but rewarding challenge.
Naturally being a softer, more ‘lyrical ‘classical dancer, I had to focus on training my fast-twitch muscles for the strength, stamina, energy, speed, and precision of this role.
I experienced moments during rehearsal where I questioned my self-belief and capability, however, once I let that go, I found something special and empowering.
It was a reminder that anything is possible with hard work, passion, self-belief, and most importantly, determination.
It’s an experience I will never forget and will always remain a highlight in my career.
WHEN STREET MEETS THE STAGE
Written by Sophie Scicluna, Professional Ballerina, Queensland Ballet
I was ecstatic when I was given the role of Street Dancer (Mercedes) to dance in my graduating year at The Australian Ballet School.
It’s one of the most vibrant, showy characters in such a fun and entertaining traditional ballet!
Street Dancer, in particular, has a mix of solo dancing, partnering, and storytelling which is ultimately everything you can ask for in a role. However, this means your focus changes from practising hard steps in your own time to working with others around the stage to bring your performance together.
One of the bigger challenges in this role is manoeuvring backward on pointe through multiple knives planted into the stage.
This takes practice, precision, and trust!
It’s also a balancing act, no pun intended, to pull off the skill without the audience reading your nerves or fear of knocking one of the knives over.
This in turn means a lot of mental preparation too, so calming the breath, finding some quiet time, and mentally going through any tricky moments to picture how you want to pull it off.
These are all rituals I still use to this day when performing leading roles, and helped me get my first professional job.
BRINGING SANCHO TO LIFE
Rei Masatomi, Professional Dancer, Balet NDM Ostrava
When I got the chance to perform Sancho Panzo, I was 24 years old, and it was my first character role in a full-length ballet.
I’ve always loved acting but this role was a challenge, as performing a variation full of technical jumps and turns in character is hard.
The choreography gave me a lot of freedom to put my personality into the role. I had to think about every scene and how I could build my version of Sancho throughout the ballet.
My vision was to make him cheeky, clumsy, and childish, but also pure, kind, brave, and yes, adorable!
Luckily I performed alongside other character roles (Don Quixote, Gamache, and Lorenzo), who were professional actors from the theatre. They helped guide me in the process and I learned a lot from them.
Despite the challenges of wearing a fake stomach under my costume and walking with bent knees throughout the entire performance (to create a chubbier and shorter persona), I had such a fun and rewarding time on stage, and this experience will remain with me always.
DON QUIXOTE BALLET PERFORMANCE FAQS
HOW LONG IS DON QUIXOTE?
Don Quixote is a full-length ballet and the performance usually lasts for just under 3 hours, including two intervals, depending on the choreographer and ballet company.
WHO IS THE MUSIC COMPOSER FOR DON QUIXOTE?
Don Quixote is composed by the 19th-century composer, Ludwig Minkus. His musical score for Don Quixote is one of his most famous works in the ballet repertoire.
HOW DO YOU BUY DON QUIXOTE BALLET TICKETS?
To buy tickets for the ballet Don Quixote, keep updated by regularly visiting the ballet company’s website and consider subscribing to their newsletter.
By doing so, you’ll receive updates on the latest deals, performance schedules, and ticket prices, ensuring you won’t miss out on this entertaining production.
WHAT TO WEAR TO THE DON QUIXOTE BALLET?
Watching a ballet, for example, Don Quixote, in a theatre offers a chance to immerse oneself in a night of art and culture.
To watch Don Quixote, I’d recommend dressing in smart attire, elegant yet comfortable, as the ballet is long. Plus, getting a little dressed up adds to the overall ambiance and beauty of the theatre.
WRAP UP
For newcomers to ballet and those seeking a departure from traditional white tutus and pristine lines, Don Quixote is a performance not to be overlooked.
The dazzling choreography and captivating characters breathe life and passion into the stage, while the narrative sweeps you away on a noble knight´s quest.
Trust me, what’s not to love?
