Gulfshore Ballet will perform “Don Quixote” at the Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point.
The ballet bears the name of Don Quixote, but the knight errant is actually a complication in the love life of Kitri and Basilio. Her dad wants her to marry some rich guy. Kitri has her heart set on Basilio even though he’s just a poor barber. Don Quixote imagines her as a beautiful princess he’s destined to marry and protect.
With a set-up like that, it’s small wonder that the threesome’s comical romantic adventures enthrall audiences. It doesn’t hurt that the costumes are stunning, the choreography breathtaking and the flamenco-inspired movement, castanets and fans add depth to the staging.
Onstage at the Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point for one performance only at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, Gulfshore Ballet’s “Don Quixote” promises an unforgettable evening of grace, excitement, and theatrical magic.
MORE INFORMATION:
"Don Quixote" is a three-act ballet based on Miguel de Cervantes’ novel “Don Quixote de la Mancha,” featuring music by Ludwig Minkus and choreography by Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero after Marius Petipa. Petipa’s adaptation was the first major ballet to embrace a Spanish theme, incorporating his extensive knowledge of Spanish dance gained during his years in Spain.
The ballet is renowned for its Spanish theme and Spanish-inspired melodies. It includes difficult balances, pirouettes and leaps, particularly in the roles of Kitri and Basilio, and dazzling, high-energy dances such as the “Kitri’s Variation” and the famous grand pas de deux in Act III.
Gulfshore Ballet performed “Don Quixote” at the Wang Opera Center on Feb. 28 during Opera Naples’ Festival Under the Stars.
Gulfshore Ballet is a not-for-profit classical ballet school. It has an internationally acclaimed teaching faculty and offers area students the unique opportunity to study with professional instructors of the highest caliber. The training at Gulfshore Ballet combines Cuban, American and Russian technique.
Classical ballet is one of the most beautiful yet arduous art forms. Time, effort and commitment from both the student and instructors are prerequisites to realizing the true benefits of classical ballet. Correct instruction begun at the appropriate age is critical to the development of technically and artistically proficient ballet dancers.
For more stories on WGCU about Gulfshore Ballet, visit https://www.wgcu.org/tags/florida-gulfshore-ballet.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
