St. Louis Ballet’s Opening Night Private Reception for Don Quixote

Saint Louis Ballet, the region’s only professional ballet company, mounted an extravagant production of the fiery classic, Don Quixote, for the very first time May 8-10, 2015 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, University of Missouri St. Louis campus. On opening night, May 8, the ballet hosted a private reception to thank its major donors and sponsors.

Based on the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes, the ballet is known for its demanding choreography and technical wizardry. Guests witnessed bullfights, gypsies, and fiery dance during the three days.

Don Quixote combines a marriage of traditional ballet and Spanish dance — full of “heat”, firelight and thrills. A passionate ballet, Don Quixote follows Spain’s legendary hero and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, to Barcelona on a quest for his dream lover, Dulcinea. Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus, Don Quixote was first presented by the Ballet of the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow, Russia in 1869. Since then, the ballet has been staged by companies all over the world in many different versions, and is considered to rank among the great classics.

Don Quixote’s journeys take him through the streets of make-believe Spain, populated with matadors, mischievous lovers, valiant knights, and spirits. Glittering costumes, lavish sets and a rousing score create a fantastic world filled with passion, bravado and romance.

The company is directed by former New York City Ballet principal dancer, Gen Horiuchi, and is:

• COMPRISED OF 25 INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED DANCERS SELECTED FROM COMPETITIVE NATIONAL AUDITIONS FOR A FULL SEASON OF DANCE.
• LAUDED BY CRITICS FOR ITS ARTISTIC INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE.