Andrey Kaydanovskiy’s modern ballet d’action,

The Blizzard

REVIVAL OF "THE BLIZZARD"

Andrey Kaydanovskiy’s modern ballet d’action, The Blizzard, returns to the stage of the Nationaltheater on Sunday 19 December 2021. The score was commissioned from Lorenz Dangel.
 
Both the choreographer and the composer have seized the opportunity afforded by this revival to undertake a number of minor changes. As far as the music is concerned, the present performances are the first to use the original version of the score. An additional horn, a bass clarinet and several more strings ensure a more subtly differentiated and fuller orchestral sound, the cinematic character of which is further enhanced in this way. As was the case during the initial run of performances, the Bayerisches Staatsorchester will be conducted by the music director of the English National Ballet, Gavin Sutherland.
 
Andrey Kaydanovskiy’s original choreography was tailored to the conditions that obtained during the earlier part of the coronavirus pandemic in April 2021, and he too has made a handful of minor alterations to the ensemble scenes, at least to the extent that the present situation allows. Changes have been made in the Ball Scene and in the Villagers’ Dance, and there will now be more dancers whirling and swirling onstage during the blizzard of the title. The Vienna-based choreographer concedes that “because of the coronavirus pandemic we are unfortunately still unable to perform the real ‘original version’, but we are working to get step by step to the originally planned version.”
 
A number of roles have been recast for this revival: the role of the desperately lovesick Maria will be performed this season not only by company principal Maria Baranova but also by demi soloist Bianca Teixeira. Carollina Bastos, who was recently awarded the Bavarian Arts Promotion Prize, is also rehearsing the part. Maria’s young lover Vladimir will once again be played by Dmitrii Vyskubenko and Jonah Cook. Burmin will be played for the first time by Emilio Pavan, appearing alongside Jinhao Zhang. Injury prevented Pavan from taking the part in the initial run of performances in April 2021.

A LIMIT ON AUDIENCE NUMBERS AND CURRENT REGULATIONS

As a result of the pandemic, the world premiere of The Blizzard in April 2021 had to take place within the framework of a purely digital ballet festival week and was performed to an empty house. For the performances in the summer of 2021, some 670 audience members were admitted to the auditorium.
 
At present the Bayerische Staatsoper is performing to 25% capacity houses in keeping with the official regulations currently in force. In addition, members of the audience must be vaccinated or must have recovered from Covid-19. They are also required to present evidence of the results of a rapid antigen test no more than 24 hours old or of a PCR test no more than 48 hours old. Audiences are further required to wear a FFP2 mask throughout the entire building, also during the performance.
People who have already received their third vaccination will soon be exempt from compulsory testing. Information on this and all other current regulations may be found here.

PROGRAMME FOR DECEMBER 2021 AND THE NEW YEAR

In addition to two performances of the fairytale ballet Cinderella on Sunday 26 December 2021, there will be a total of four performances of The Blizzard. The Bayerisches Staatsballett will be ushering in the New Year on Saturday 1 January 2022 with a performance of Kaydanovskiy’s modern narrative ballet.
 
In mid-January Giselle returns to the repertory of the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Peter Wright’s version of this most popular Romantic ballet, before two performance of the triple bill Paradigma are given in early February.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

THE BLIZZARD
Sun 19 December 2021, 6 pm, revival of the original version of the score
Mon 20 December 2021, 7.30 pm
Wed 29 December 2021, 7.30 pm
Fri 1 January 2022, 6 pm
 
CINDERELLA
Sun 26 December 2021, 2.30 pm family show
Sun 26 December 2021, 7.30 pm
 
GISELLE
Fri 14 January 2022, 7.30 pm, revival
Sun 16 January 2022, 3.00 and 7.30 pm
Sat 22 January 2022, 7.30 pm
Fri 28 January 2022, 7.30 pm
 
PARADIGMA
Sat 5 February 2022, 7.30 pm
Tue 8 February 2022, 7.30 pm