Imperial Russian Ballet to tour ‘Don Quixote’

In April and May, The Imperial Russian Ballet Company will bring the flamboyant and festive ballet Don Quixote to 19 cities across Australia. The company’s tour will kickoff at the Civic Centre in Ipswich on Thursday, April 3.

Don Quixote is a full-length classical ballet about a retired gentleman (Don Quixote) traveling the roads of Spain searching for glory and grand adventure. Accompanying him is a somewhat bewildered labourer named Sancho Panza, who he has persuaded to accompany him as his faithful squire. Don Quixote promises to make Sancho the wealthy governor of an island in return for his services. However, as the story concludes, Don Quixote gives up food, shelter and comfort all in the name of a peasant woman named Dulcinea del Toboso, who he envisions as a princess. 

Don Quixote, which was first performed in 1869 in Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, has since been performed all over the world by Russian and international ballet companies. Now it will be presented by The Imperial Russian Ballet Company, which was formed in 1994 by the Bolshoi Theatre soloist Gediminas Taranda. 

After opening in Ipswich, the company’s Australian tour will visit 18 other cities. For tour dates and locations, see below. For more information, visit www.russianballet.com.au.

TOUR DATES:

IPSWICH – Civic Centre 

Thursday, April 3

BRISBANE – QPAC Concert Hall

Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5

MARYBOROUGH – Brolga Theatre 

Sunday, April 6 

CALOUNDRA – The Events Centre 

Thursday, April 10

GOLD COAST – The Arts Centre Gold Coast

Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12

ROCKHAMPTON – Pilbeam Theatre 

Monday, April 14 

MACKAY – Entertainment Centre 

Wednesday, April 16

TOWNSVILLE – Civic Theatre 

Thursday, April 17 

CAIRNS – Civic Theatre 

Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20

TOOWOOMBA – Empire Theatre 

Wednesday, April 23

PORT MACQUARIE – Glasshouse 

Friday, April 25

NEWCASTLE – Civic Theatre 

Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27

WOLLONGONG – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre 

Tuesday, April 29 – Thursday, May 1

SYDNEY – State Theatre 

Friday–Sunday, May 2-4 

CANBERRA – Canberra Theatre

Monday and Tuesday, May 5 and 6 

FRANKSTON – Arts Centre 

Friday, May 9

MELBOURNE – Palais Theatre 

Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11

ADELAIDE – Festival Theatre 

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 13 and 14

PERTH – Crown Perth 

Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18

Photo courtesy of The Imperial Russian Ballet Company.