Bolshoi Theater of Belarus celebrates Old New Year

According to director Yuliana Shirmo, this ball stands out for its atmosphere of mystique. It brings together an abundance of lights, shadow theater, and all kinds of magic. Traditionally, the celebration consists of two staged balls: the mystery ball In Search of Lost Time and the miracle ball Wonders at the Bolshoi. The gates for the participants are opened by the talented choreographer Marius Petipa.

“When creating this concept, we wanted to immerse the audience in the epicenter of the events. The ball is based on the legend of how joy came to this earth through the emergence of the elements. Since the theme of the ball is Time, we will encounter characters, emperors, and composers from various periods,” Yuliana Shirmo said.

“Participants and guests of the ball can journey through locations such as The Score of an Unknown Composer, The Book of Eternity, The Gate of Time: Wind, Fire, Marius Petipa Invites, The Shadow Play, and Visiting the Phantom of the Opera: Water. The audience can guess who the Phantom of the Opera is in our theater and test how well they know our artists, as well as have the Keeper of Secrets reveal everything that will happen to them at this ball. Additionally, at one of the locations, the tale of Princess Turandot, who suddenly turned cold, can be revisited,” the director added.

Choreographer Yulia Dyatko noted that the program includes waltzes, polkas, contredanses, and polonaises. It features both new dances and those from previous years. The opening polonaise involved 80 couples. While many of them were far from first-timers, there were also beginners just starting to learn the art of ballroom dance.

“During rehearsals, we naturally pay special attention to those who aren’t very skilled at dancing, who have come for the first time and want to try something new. The most difficult dance is the waltz. This year, we have three levels of difficulty. For the more technically demanding level, we have a strict selection process,” explained the choreographer, adding that anyone can take part in the ball. It is enough to register or call the Bolshoi Theater to participate in the official program, as well as purchase tickets in advance.

According to her, rehearsals are held once or twice a week. Everyone tries to approach them very responsibly. The youngest participants are 18 years old, while the oldest couple was born in the 1940s.

Conductor Vitaly Grishchenko emphasized that the musical program of the ball consists of well-known classical pieces as well as works from opera and ballet repertoire that are not entirely traditional for a ball. The main thing is that they all fit the phantasmagorical theme. Those who regularly attend the theater may recognize certain pieces and enjoy dancing even more to the music that performers danced to on stage.

Tatyana and Nikolai Radyno are attending the ball for the first time, though many of their friends and relatives have been here before. Tatyana is a lawyer, and Nikolai is an associate professor and a candidate of sciences who teaches at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Belarusian State University (BSU). They have no background in dancing at all, so there were initial doubts and difficulties, but they managed to overcome them during rehearsals.

They were particularly drawn to the people who work in the theater: vivid, uninhibited, confident, and energizing.

“On 6 February, we will celebrate 28 years together, so fulfilling my wife’s dream is a gift for our anniversary,” Nikolai Radyno said.

Tatyana made no secret of her excitement. “I am a bit nervous, yet the theatre itself lends strength, and the energy in everyone’s eyes is contagious. I made the dress myself, using the pattern of my wedding gown, and my husband is also wearing a suit similar to his wedding one,” she explained.

Mikhail and Larisa Danilov are attending the ball for the second time, as they enjoyed the ball at the Bolshoi Theatre so much. “The atmosphere here is simply magical. You want to feel like Cinderella, if only for a moment, even as an adult. That’s precisely why I chose such an ethereal look. I used to do ballroom dancing myself, but I decided to get my husband involved. At first, he wasn’t very keen, but now we happily attend ballroom dance classes together and go to various concerts,” Larisa Danilova noted.

In her opinion, even the hallways of the Bolshoi Theatre carry a mystical aura, and the stage sets offer a chance to step into the past. “My husband and I have been together for 45 years now, so we’d like to make a wish for a long life together and feel the New Year’s magic,” the ball participant concluded.