“Spartacus” titled winner of “Ballet of 21st century”
Renowned Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian’s “Spartacus” ballet was awarded champion’s title at “Ballet of 21st century” first pan-Russian forum. It’s already three years “Spartacus” ballet by Aram Khachaturian and play by Yuri Grigorovich is staged in opera and ballet theatre of Krasnoyarsk, “Itar-Tass” reported.
Aram Khachaturyan was maturing the conception of “Spartacus” during the World War II, though for some reason the ballet was completed only in 1954. The ballet scenario based on motifs from the novel “Spartacus” by Raffaello Giovagnoli was written by N. Volkov, a Soviet playwright.
The premiere of “Spartacus” took place in 1956 on the stage of Leningrad Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre after S. Kirov (Mariinski Theatre). The first performance was staged by the famed choreographer L. Jacobson (conductor P. Feldman, set designer V. Khodasevich).