Ballerino Jeon Min-cheol, who will join the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia next year, will make his full-length ballet lead debut through Universal Ballet's production of La Bayad?re.
Universal Ballet announced on the 26th that Jeon Min-cheol will perform as the lead Solor in the grand production La Bayad?re, which will be staged from September 27 to 29 at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary.
La Bayad?re is set in the Indian Golden Empire and depicts the love, betrayal, revenge, and forgiveness among the main characters within a strict caste system: the beautiful temple dancer 'Nikiya,' the brave warrior 'Solor' favored by the Raja king, the princess 'Gamzatti' who loves Solor, and the high priest 'Brahmin' who desires Nikiya. La Bayad?re means 'The Indian Dancer' in French.
La Bayad?re was created by Marius Petipa, a French choreographer known as the father of classical ballet, for the Russian Imperial Ballet. It premiered on January 23, 1877, in Saint Petersburg by the Mariinsky Ballet (formerly the Kirov Ballet), and was first introduced in Korea in 1999 by Universal Ballet at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to mark the company's 15th anniversary.
La Bayad?re is a massive production, making frequent performances difficult. Universal Ballet's staging of La Bayad?re is also the first in six years. The cast numbers over 150 performers, and more than 400 elaborate costumes are required. Notably, in Act 2 during Solor and Gamzatti's wedding scene, a giant elephant appears, standing 2 meters tall, weighing 200 kg, with a trunk nearly 1 meter long. La Bayad?re is also famous for Act 3's 'Kingdom of the Shades' scene. The 'Kingdom of the Shades,' considered the highlight of La Bayad?re, is ranked alongside the 'Lake of the Swans' from Swan Lake and the 'Wilis' forest' from Giselle as the pinnacle of Ballet Blanc (white ballet).
Jeon Min-cheol is a promising ballet dancer who graduated from Universal Ballet's premium ballet education brand, Julia Ballet Academy. He has been recognized by Moon Hoon-sook, the director of Universal Ballet, since his time at Sunhwa Arts Middle School. After progressing through Universal Ballet's Junior Company and Sunhwa Arts High School, he entered the Korea National University of Arts' School of Dance early as a gifted student in 2022, excelling in various competitions. He will join the Mariinsky Ballet next year.
In addition to Jeon Min-cheol, Konstantin Novoselov, Lee Dong-tak, Lee Hyun-jun, and Kang Min-woo will perform as Solor.
The role of Nikiya will be performed by Universal Ballet's veteran principals Kang Mi-sun and Hong Hyang-gi, along with principal dancer Elizaveta Cheprasova, soloist Lee Yu-rim, and demi-soloist Seo Hye-won. Cheprasova, Lee Yu-rim, and Seo Hye-won will make their debut in the role of Nikiya. Lee Yu-rim left a strong impression last May playing 'Juliet' in the full-length Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet.
Kang Mi-sun, Hong Hyang-gi, and Lee Yu-rim are also scheduled to perform the role of Gamzatti. Additionally, demi-soloist Jeon Yeo-jin will take on the role of Gamzatti.
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