Don Quixote to thrill at Civic Theatre

The Imperial Russian Ballet's production of Don Quixote at Rotorua's Civic Theatre tomorrow night will be a night to remember.

Hailed by theatregoers in New Zealand as "one of the best ballets they have seen" this full production of one of the repertoire's timeless classics sees 37 dancers at the height of their powers perform a story backed with romance, derring do and high comedy.

Don Quixote was written by Spaniard Miguel de Cervantes and published in two volumes in 1605 and 1615.

The ballet tells the story of Alonso Quijano, an ageing Spanish nobleman who reads so many novels on chivalry, romance, princesses and knights, that he starts to lose touch with reality.

He takes it upon himself to revive chivalry under the name Don Quixote, so chosen because it rhymes with Lanzarote (Lancelot), one of the more famous Knights from history.

As Don Quixote, Alonso imagines himself as a brave Knight in search of the lady of his dreams, Dulcinea, a local farm girl he had once loved.

Accompanied by a simple peasant farmer - his faithful squire Sancho Panza - Don Quixote sets off on their adventures.

Along the way he leads a charge against imaginary enemies, he fights castles thinking they are giants, he pays homage to gypsy kings and takes part in castle festivities.

The Moscow-based Imperial Russian Ballet Company is highly regarded world-wide for its interpretations of classic masterpieces.

Its version of Don Quixote proudly follows in this tradition and is a must-see event for lovers of dance, theatre and spectacle.

The Imperial Russian Ballet was formed in 1994 by the Bolshoi Theatre soloist, Gediminas Taranda.

They have staged classic masterpieces in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and the Mossovet Theatre.

The home venue for the troupe when they perform in Moscow is now the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.