Mariinsky Theatre performs ‘Undina’ in Moscow

The Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre of opera and ballet is on tour in the Russian capital.   Its latest productions will be presented on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. The first is the long-awaited premiere of ‘Undina’.

A tragic love story of a fisherman and a mermaid is a production by French choreographer Pierre Lacotte and is performed by the young stars of the Mariinsky Theatre. 

A young ballet dancer, Elena Obraztsova, looks as if she was born to perform a creature from a fairy tale. Her graceful manner and talent to perform in the French ballet  style made her the only candidate to take the lead in ‘Undina’. 

‘I love my character very much! Undina is an unreal woman – she is a naiad. She is a Sea Goddess.  I am so happy to take part in this performance,’ the ballet dancer says.  

Leonid Sarafanov plays the role of Undina's lover – the fisherman Matteo.

Both ballet dancers are nominated for the nation's prestigious theatre award, the Golden Mask for their leading roles in this ballet.  

‘I don't really care if I get the Golden Mask prize this year. The most important thing for me now is to successfully perform Undina on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre,’ Leonid states. 

French choreographer Pierre Lacotte is well-known for discovering new ballet stars. 

‘It is good to give first hand to someone talented. I will be so proud in a few years to know that Obraztsova and Leonid are the big stars,’ he says.  

Lacotte's staging of the modern version of Undina is very close to the original. 

The ballet was composed by Cesare Pugni and first staged by Jules Perrot in the middle of the 19th century in London. Even the sets and costumes for Lacotte's production are almost identical to the first performance. 

The only thing he changed was the ending. Instead of the original happy end, the main characters of the beautiful love story die in the deep waters of the sea.