The Paris Opera once again ignites its magic with one of the most dazzling titles in the classical repertoire: La Bayadère, in Rudolf Nureyev's sumptuous version of Marius Petipa's legacy, with Ludwig Minkus's hypnotic music. Everything is in place: the sets, the visual splendor, the dramatic intensity… and, of course, a constellation of stars ready to shine.
The Nikiyas: Poetry, Lyricism, and Tragedy
The role of Nikiya, the sacred dancer, demands exceptional technical purity and emotional depth. This year, it will be embodied by a cast of leading figures who promise unique performances:
Valentine Colasante
Dorothée Gilbert
Sae Eun Park
Héloïse Bourdon
Each will bring her own distinctive style: from crystalline elegance to the most heart-wrenching drama. Nikiya is not just technique: she is soul, sacrifice, and an impossible love that unravels in the shadows.
The Gamzattis: Fire, Power, and Rivalry
Facing Nikiya emerges Gamzatti, the proud princess, a figure of strength and determination. The contrast is stark, and the stage duel promises to be electrifying:
Bleuenn Battistoni
Roxane Stojanov
Inès McIntosh
Clara Mousseigne
Bianca Scudamore
Gamzatti is brilliance, authority, and a technique as sharp as steel. Every encounter with Nikiya will be a clash of styles, temperaments, and energies.
The Variations: Jewels of Precision and Beauty
The celebrated Kingdom of the Shades and other iconic scenes are enriched with variations that are true tests of excellence for the soloists:
First Variation
Héloïse Bourdon
Hohyun Kang
Clara Mousseigne
Second Variation
Marine Ganio
Inès McIntosh
Aubane Philbert
Third Variation
Bianca Scudamore
Célia Drouy
Nine Seropian
These ethereal and demanding variations are moments suspended in time, where every arabesque and every balance approaches perfection.
Everything is ready. We don't yet know the exact combination we'll see each night, but therein lies part of the charm: the mystery, the anticipation, the promise of something unrepeatable.
Whichever cast you see, it will be an unforgettable experience. Because at the Paris Opera, when the curtain rises on La Bayadère, there are no minor performances: only nights of pure magic.
This magnificent ballet in three acts features the unforgettable choreography of Rudolf Nureyev, inspired by the original masterpiece of Marius Petipa, set to the divine music of Ludwig Minkus. The libretto, created by Petipa and Serguei Khudekov, tells a dramatic and poetic story of love, betrayal, and destiny in ancient India. Conducting the orchestra will be the brilliant Koen Kessels, one of the world’s greatest specialists in ballet music, a true authority whose musical sensitivity brings dance scores to life with extraordinary elegance and precision.
Minkus, the great genius of ballet composition, wrote a score of irresistible beauty — melodic, emotional, and perfectly crafted for dance. For generations, ballet enthusiasts across the world have delighted in his enchanting music, which forms an essential part of the classical tradition in countries where ballet is a cultural treasure. The musical arrangements by the equally brilliant John Lanchbery further elevate the score, enriching its orchestral colors while preserving its original spirit. Hearing this music performed live by the Paris Opera Orchestra at the Opéra Bastille promises to be nothing short of magical.
Nureyev’s choreography, full of grandeur, lyricism, and technical brilliance, stands as one of the finest interpretations ever created. Like the legendary collaboration between Tchaikovsky and Petipa, the partnership of Minkus and Petipa produced a work of timeless genius. Despite many modern choreographers attempting new versions of La Bayadère, they ultimately return to this classic, recognizing that its perfection is untouchable. Decades pass, yet its beauty remains eternal — truly imperishable.
La Bayadère was originally premiered in 1877 at the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, a historic venue that no longer exists but was the birthplace of many masterpieces. From its very first performance, the ballet was hailed as one of Petipa’s greatest achievements, particularly the iconic scene The Kingdom of the Shades, now considered one of the most celebrated moments in the entire history of classical ballet. Minkus’s heavenly music and Petipa’s poetic choreography created an overwhelming success that continues to move audiences today.
Paris first encountered La Bayadère in 1961, when the Kirov Ballet presented only the third act. Two years later, Rudolf Nureyev staged this famous scene for the Royal Ballet with Margot Fonteyn as Nikiya, with Lanchbery’s re-orchestrated music. The premiere was a resounding triumph and is remembered as one of the most important events in ballet history.
Nureyev’s full Paris production, which premiered on October 8, 1992, is a true visual marvel. He collaborated with the extraordinary designer Franca Squarciapino, who created sumptuous costumes and exquisite tutus for Nikiya and Gamzatti — elegant, refined, and rich in detail. The magnificent sets by Ezio Frigerio, inspired by the Taj Mahal, the architecture of the Ottoman Empire, and original Russian designs from 1877, transport the audience into a dreamlike India of splendor and mystery. The result is a breathtaking spectacle worthy of Hollywood’s greatest epics — like Cleopatra — only this time the journey takes us to India rather than Egypt.
The 1994 filmed performance with Laurent Hilaire, Isabelle Guérin, and the magnificent Élisabeth Platel as Gamzatti remains a legendary document of this glorious production, allowing generations of ballet lovers to continue enjoying its magic.
From June 17 to July 14, 2026, La Bayadère will once again grace the stage of the Opéra Bastille. Although the casting has not yet been announced, one thing is certain: whichever dancers perform Nikiya, Gamzatti, and Solor will be extraordinary. At the Paris Opera Ballet, every cast is worth seeing.
This is not merely a ballet performance — it is a celebration of classical art at its highest level: glorious music, sublime choreography, dazzling visuals, and dancers of world-class brilliance. A masterpiece born in the 19th century that continues to enchant hearts in the 21st.
As Verdi once said, “Let us return to the old.” And indeed, in works like La Bayadère, we rediscover genius that time can never fade.
In Paris, the anticipation surrounding La Bayadère reaches an almost feverish intensity. But beyond the splendor of the production, Minkus's divine music, and Nureyev's masterful choreography, one question ignites every conversation in the foyers of the Opéra, Parisian cafés, and circles of ballet enthusiasts:
Who will be Gamzatti?
Gamzatti, the radiant, proud, passionate, jealous, magnificent princess—this incandescent role often steals the show, so theatrical, virtuosic, and musically irresistible is it. For many ballet lovers, and for me more than any other role in the classical repertoire, Gamzatti is the true queen of La Bayadère. Her choreography is a jewel of bravery and elegance, and Minkus's music in the Grand Pas, sublimely enhanced by Lanchbery's arrangements, is one of the absolute pinnacles of classical ballet.
Each variation of Gamzatti seems to suspend time. The orchestra swells, the stage's gilded splendor shimmers, and the ballerina becomes an empress.
All of Paris holds its breath.
Current stars could naturally embody this captivating princess:
Dorothée Gilbert, with her innate nobility;
Amandine Albisson, pure and musical;
Valentine Colasante, luminous and brilliant;
Hannah O’Neill, fiery and regal;
Sae Eun Park, with her sovereign elegance;
Léonore Baulac, refined and poetic;
Roxane Stojanov, with her flamboyant temperament;
or Bleuenn Battistoni, whose meteoric rise has captivated audiences.
But the history of the Paris Opera has often shown us that Gamzatti is also a role of revelation—entrusted to a young dancer destined for greatness.
We dream of seeing Héloïse Bourdon, already admirable in both the roles of Gamzatti and Nikiya,
or Marine Ganio with her dazzling virtuosity,
Hohyun Kang with her sparkling precision,
Inès McIntosh with her aristocratic bearing,
Clara Mousseigne full of fire,
or the new première danseuse , the australian ballerina Bianca Scudamore, ready to make history.
And why not a prestigious guest, coming to illuminate Paris for a few evenings, as Ulyana Lopatkina once thrilled Parisian audiences with her Odette . It would be wonderful to see a few evenings a star from the Bolshoi , the Mariinsky , La Scala, The Royal Ballet, or The ABT in New York.
Anything is possible.
Because Gamzatti is not just a technical role—she is a character of flesh and blood, a woman in love, wounded, proud, dangerous, and fascinating. She embodies passion in all its power, power, jealousy, but also a tragic grandeur that makes her confrontation with Nikiya unforgettable.
It is this searing intrigue, this duel between women at the pinnacle of classical ballet, that makes the audience's heart beat faster.
Each performance becomes different depending on the dancer:
a more regal Gamzatti,
another more feline,
yet another more tragic.
And that is why one would want to attend every performance—to savor each incarnation, to compare each nuance, to experience each emotion.
To see Gamzatti again and again, in all her guises.
For when the music of the Grand Pas resounds, when the variation begins, when the jewels sparkle and the princess leaps into her majestic balances and breathtaking jumps, one understands why this role is one of the most beloved in the entire history of ballet.
Paris waits.
The corridors of the Opera whisper names.
The enthusiasts speculate, dream, hope.
But one thing is certain:
whoever embodies Gamzatti will be the star of the evening.
And for lovers of this legendary role, it will be a season of pure bliss—a celebration of virtuosity, music, theater, and beauty.
Gamzatti reigns.
Paris holds its breath.
The magic is about to begin.
🌙 As La Bayadère approaches, I dream…
As Paris prepares to welcome La Bayadère back to the majestic stage of the Opéra Bastille, my mind wanders tirelessly. I dream. I imagine. I combine stars, styles, schools, traditions. And I smile to myself, as true aficionados do when they are swept away by the magic of ballet.
Because La Bayadère is not just a ballet: it is a universe.
And Gamzatti and Nikiya are two planets that collide, attract each other, and spark.
What a dream it would be to see Nikiya arrive in Paris from Russia… to imagine Viktoria Tereshkina, imperial and powerful, or the refined and musical Renata Shakirova, or the ethereal Maria Khoreva, or the delicate Olesya Novikova from the Mariinsky.
Or a Bolshoi Gamzatti like Anastasia Smirnova, who has already shone in that role with breathtaking authority, or the majestic Maria Koshkaryova, or the captivating Margarita Shrainer, or Yaroslavna Kuprina—all natural princesses of this character.
Tickets would sell out in minutes.
And how could we not also dream of international stars who have already thrilled us in Paris…? To invite Isabella Boylston back, whose Kitri was a revelation and whose Gamzatti is simply dreamy.
Or to see the extraordinary Nicoletta Manni from La Scala, so luminous, so noble, so perfect for an Indian princess.
Or, why not, to welcome back the legendary Marianela Núñez, perhaps the Royal Ballet's finest Gamzatti, an artist who transforms every appearance into an event.
And then my imagination goes even further.
A Parisian Nikiya facing off against a Russian Gamzatti.
An English Nikiya versus a French Gamzatti.
A blend of schools, styles, and traditions, creating unforgettable evenings.
I imagine Valentine Colasante or Amandine Albisson facing off on stage against a Mariinsky star.
I imagine a Royal Ballet Nikiya like Marianela Núñez or Natalia Osipova, so dramatic, so fiery, opposite a Parisian Gamzatti, cool, noble, and dazzling.
What a clash of worlds.
What electricity on stage.
What magical evenings for the Parisian audience and for visitors from all over the world.
Gamzatti is a role that inspires dreams.
A role every ballerina longs to dance.
A role that aficionados await with racing hearts.
And the problem—a blessed problem—is that there are too many fabulous ones.
One invitation is not enough.
One performance is not enough.
One season is not enough.
I smile at the thought:
If it were up to me, I'd program La Bayadère every month of the year.
Each month with a different Gamzatti.
Each month with a new Nikiya.
Each month with a story reborn.
Many seasons at the Paris Opera have invited international stars. Why not dream that it will happen again this time? Perhaps a Russian, perhaps an Italian, perhaps an American… Dreaming costs nothing—and in the meantime, the excitement grows.
As June approaches, I dream.
I dream of shimmering tutus, of Minkus's music soaring through the hall, of glances of hatred and love between Gamzatti and Nikiya, of endless ovations, of nights we never want to end.
I dream of a Bastille filled, vibrant, electrified by the grandeur of classical ballet.
And I know that, with Parisian stars or special guests, La Bayadère will give us moments that will stay with us forever.
But if, in addition, a major star from the Bolshoi or the Mariinsky were to join us…
Then it wouldn't just be a season. It would be history.
🌙 Solor’s Dream — While Waiting for La Bayadère
As the nights grow warmer in Paris and the lights of the Opéra Bastille begin to glow once more, I feel myself becoming Solor.
Not the warrior of legend, but the dreamer — wandering between reality and fantasy, between the present and a world where ballet lives forever in perfection.
I close my eyes, and suddenly I am no longer in the city.
I am walking into the Kingdom of the Shades.
The music of Minkus rises softly, like a distant heartbeat, and the stage transforms into a mystical landscape of moonlight, waterfalls, temples, and endless beauty. And there, emerging from the mist, Nikiya appears — fragile, luminous, eternal.
But as in every dream, she changes.
Sometimes she is Russian, born of the Mariinsky’s elegance:
Viktoria Tereshkina, powerful and majestic,
Renata Shakirova, refined and musical,
Maria Khoreva, pure as crystal,
Olesya Novikova, poetic and serene.
Other nights she arrives from Paris itself — all aristocratic grace and noble line:
Amandine Albisson, Valentine Colasante, Dorothée Gilbert, Sae Eun Park — each one a different shade of poetry.
And then, as if summoned by destiny, Gamzatti enters the dream.
Not as a rival, but as a queen of light, crowned in gold, blazing with brilliance.
She comes from the Bolshoi — Anastasia Smirnova with imperial authority,
Maria Koshkaryova with towering grandeur,
Margarita Shrainer with fire in her eyes,
Yaroslavna Kuprina with regal presence.
Other evenings she crosses oceans to reach Paris:
Isabella Boylston, dazzling and radiant,
Nicoletta Manni, noble and luminous,
Marianela Núñez, legendary and untouchable.
And suddenly the dream grows richer.
A French Nikiya facing a Russian Gamzatti.
An English Nikiya confronting a Parisian princess.
A Bolshoi queen clashing with a Mariinsky spirit.
Each combination sparks new emotion, new drama, new beauty.
The duel between love and power becomes infinite, reborn every night in a different form.
I watch them dance beneath golden skies, beside cascading waterfalls, among ancient temples glowing in the sunset. The orchestra swells. The tutus shimmer. The silence of the audience trembles before exploding into applause.
In this dream, tickets sell out in minutes.
Paris vibrates with excitement.
The world travels to Bastille.
And yet even this is not enough.
Because there are too many extraordinary ballerinas.
Too many queens worthy of Gamzatti’s crown.
Too many spirits born to be Nikiya.
One guest star is never enough.
One performance is never enough.
One season is never enough.
In my dream, La Bayadère is danced every month.
Each month a new cast.
Each month a new miracle.
Sometimes I laugh softly to myself — because I know this is the madness of love for ballet. But it is the sweetest madness of all.
And then Nikiya returns, drifting toward me like a vision, her arms floating as if carried by the wind.
She looks at me the way she looks at Solor — with tenderness, sorrow, and eternity.
The music fades.
The dream dissolves.
I open my eyes.
Paris is still here.
The Opéra Bastille is waiting.
June is approaching.
But inside me, Solor continues to dream.
To dream of shining tutus, of legendary names, of impossible combinations that might one day become reality. To dream of nights when Paris welcomes not only its own glorious stars, but queens from the Bolshoi, the Mariinsky, the Royal Ballet, La Scala, and beyond.
Perhaps it will happen.
Perhaps one star will arrive.
Perhaps more.
And if not — the dreaming itself is already a gift.
Until the curtain rises, I remain Solor.
Walking between reality and fantasy.
Waiting for La Bayadère.
Dreaming.
Nikiya and Gamzatti — Two Queens of La Bayadère
Although Gamzatti is the role that fascinates me most, I must admit — with complete honesty and admiration — that Nikiya remains the true star of the evening in La Bayadère.
Nikiya is one of the most demanding and poetic roles in all classical ballet. Technically challenging, emotionally deep, and musically sublime, she carries the spiritual heart of the work. Ludwig Minkus wrote some of his most beautiful music for Nikiya, especially in the pas de deux with Solor, where the melodies rise with tenderness, longing, and tragic beauty.
Gamzatti’s music is magnificent — brilliant, regal, and powerful — but Nikiya’s is simply transcendent.
When Nikiya is danced by a delicate, ethereal ballerina, the effect can be magical. Time seems to stop. The audience breathes together. The theatre is transformed into a dream. This is why, in most performances, Nikiya naturally becomes the emotional center of the night.
And yet — ballet is alive.
There are evenings when Gamzatti, if interpreted by a great actress as well as a great dancer, can steal the spotlight completely. Her authority, drama, brilliance, and virtuosity can ignite the stage and win the hearts of the audience.
I have attended many performances of La Bayadère, and the balance has often shifted. Some nights, Nikiya touched me more deeply. Other nights, Gamzatti conquered the stage. And that is the beauty of live ballet.
Every ballet lover has favorite dancers. Every performance is different. And there is no space for rivalry between these two roles — because both are essential, both are rich, and both contain extraordinary variations that define the greatness of this masterpiece.
I remember one particular evening at the Opéra Bastille that remains vivid in my memory.
Héloïse Bourdon danced Nikiya with remarkable sensitivity and grace. Years later, she returned to the same ballet — this time as Gamzatti — while the role of Nikiya was interpreted by the magnificent Mariinsky star Kristina Shapran, who had been invited to Paris as a guest artist.
That night was electric.
Shapran’s Nikiya had the unmistakable Russian purity, softness, and musical depth that make the great white-act ballerinas so unforgettable. Bourdon’s Gamzatti was dramatic, powerful, and fiercely regal. The contrast between them created real theatrical fire — exactly what La Bayadère needs.
I loved both.
The audience was breathless, the applause thunderous, and the memory has stayed with me ever since. I still hope that one day Kristina Shapran — or another great star from the Bolshoi or the Mariinsky — will return to Paris to dance Nikiya again.
For me, Russian ballerinas possess something unique in the great poetic roles of classical ballet — in Swan Lake, Giselle, and especially in Nikiya. There is a purity of line, a depth of musical feeling, and a spiritual quality that feels almost otherworldly.
But whether French, Russian, Italian, or international, what truly matters is the artistry — the ability to transform technique into emotion.
In the end, La Bayadère is not about choosing between Gamzatti and Nikiya.
It is about celebrating two extraordinary women, two destinies, two musical worlds, and two different forms of beauty.
Some nights belong to Nikiya.
Some nights belong to Gamzatti.
And the greatest nights belong to both.
That is why this ballet continues to enchant generation after generation — and why each new performance feels like a fresh miracle.
À Paris, l’attente autour de La Bayadère atteint une intensité presque fébrile. Mais au-delà de la splendeur de la production, de la musique divine de Minkus et de la chorégraphie magistrale de Noureev, une question enflamme toutes les conversations dans les foyers de l’Opéra, les cafés parisiens et les cercles de passionnés de ballet :
Qui sera Gamzatti ?
Gamzatti, la princesse éclatante, fière, passionnée, jalouse, magnifique — ce rôle incandescent qui vole souvent la vedette tant il est théâtral, virtuose et musicalement irrésistible. Pour beaucoup d’amateurs, et pour moi plus que tout autre rôle du répertoire classique, Gamzatti est la véritable reine de La Bayadère. Sa chorégraphie est un joyau de bravoure et d’élégance, et la musique de Minkus dans le Grand Pas, sublimée par les arrangements de Lanchbery, est l’un des sommets absolus du ballet classique.
Chaque variation de Gamzatti fait suspendre le temps. L’orchestre se déploie, les ors de la scène scintillent, et la ballerine devient impératrice.
C’est donc tout Paris qui retient son souffle.
Mais l’histoire de l’Opéra de Paris nous a souvent appris que Gamzatti est aussi un rôle de révélation — confié à une jeune danseuse promise à un grand avenir.
Et pourquoi pas une invitée prestigieuse, venue illuminer Paris pour quelques soirs, comme autrefois Ulyana Lopatkina avait fait frissonner le public parisien ?
Tout est possible.
Car Gamzatti n’est pas seulement un rôle technique — c’est un personnage de chair et de sang, une femme amoureuse, blessée, orgueilleuse, dangereuse et fascinante. Elle incarne la passion dans toute sa puissance, le pouvoir, la jalousie, mais aussi une grandeur tragique qui rend son affrontement avec Nikiya inoubliable.
C’est cette intrigue brûlante, ce duel féminin au sommet du ballet classique, qui fait battre le cœur du public.
Et c’est pour cela que l’on voudrait assister à toutes les représentations — pour savourer chaque incarnation, comparer chaque nuance, vivre chaque émotion.
Voir Gamzatti encore et encore, sous tous ses visages.
Car lorsque la musique du Grand Pas retentit, lorsque la variation commence, lorsque les bijoux scintillent et que la princesse s’élance dans ses équilibres majestueux et ses sauts étourdissants, on comprend pourquoi ce rôle est l’un des plus aimés de toute l’histoire du ballet.
Paris attend.
Les couloirs de l’Opéra murmurent des noms.
Les amateurs spéculent, rêvent, espèrent.
Et pour les amoureux de ce rôle mythique, ce sera une saison de pur bonheur — une fête de virtuosité, de musique, de théâtre et de beauté.
🌙 Mientras se acerca La Bayadère, yo sueño…
Mientras París se prepara para recibir de nuevo La Bayadère en la escena majestuosa de la Ópera Bastille, mi mente viaja sin descanso. Sueño. Imagino. Combino estrellas, estilos, escuelas, tradiciones. Y sonrío solo, como hacen los verdaderos aficionados cuando se dejan llevar por la magia del ballet.
Porque La Bayadère no es solo un ballet: es un universo.
Y Gamzatti y Nikiya son dos planetas que chocan, se atraen y hacen saltar chispas.
Qué sueño sería ver llegar a París una Nikiya venida de Rusia…
imaginar a Viktoria Tereshkina, imperial y poderosa, o a la refinada y musical Renata Shakirova, o a la etérea Maria Khoreva, o a la delicada Olesya Novikova desde el Mariinsky.
O una Gamzatti del Bolshoi como Anastasia Smirnova, que ya ha brillado en ese rol con una autoridad impresionante, o la majestuosa Maria Koshkaryova, o la fascinante Margarita Shrainer, o Yaroslavna Kuprina, todas ellas princesas naturales de este personaje.
Las entradas se agotarían en minutos.
Y cómo no soñar también con estrellas internacionales que ya nos han hecho vibrar en París…
Volver a invitar a Isabella Boylston, cuya Kitri fue una revelación y cuya Gamzatti es simplemente de ensueño.
O ver a la extraordinaria Nicoletta Manni de La Scala, tan luminosa, tan noble, tan perfecta para una princesa india.
O, por qué no, volver a recibir a la legendaria Marianela Núñez, quizá la mejor Gamzatti del Royal Ballet, una artista que transforma cada aparición en un acontecimiento.
Y entonces mi imaginación va más lejos aún.
Una Nikiya parisina frente a una Gamzatti rusa.
Una Nikiya inglesa frente a una Gamzatti francesa.
Una mezcla de escuelas, de estilos, de tradiciones, creando noches irrepetibles.
Imagino a Valentine Colasante o Amandine Albisson enfrentándose en escena a una estrella del Mariinsky.
Imagino una Nikiya del Royal Ballet como Marianela Núñez o Natalia Osipova, tan dramática, tan ardiente, frente a una Gamzatti parisina, fría, noble y deslumbrante.
Qué choque de mundos.
Qué electricidad en el escenario.
Qué veladas mágicas para el público de París y para los visitantes de todo el mundo.
Gamzatti es un rol que hace soñar.
Un rol que toda bailarina desea bailar.
Un rol que los aficionados esperamos con el corazón acelerado.
Y el problema —bendito problema— es que hay demasiadas fabulosas.
Una sola invitación no basta.
Una sola función no basta.
Una sola temporada no basta.
Yo mismo sonrío al pensarlo:
si fuera por mí, programaría La Bayadère todos los meses del año.
Cada mes con una Gamzatti distinta.
Cada mes con una Nikiya nueva.
Cada mes con una historia que renace.
Muchas temporadas de la Ópera de París han invitado a estrellas internacionales. ¿Por qué no soñar con que esta vez vuelva a suceder? Quizá una rusa, quizá una italiana, quizá una americana…
Soñar no cuesta nada — y mientras tanto, la ilusión crece.
Mientras se acerca junio, yo sueño.
Sueño con tutús brillantes, con la música de Minkus elevándose en la sala, con miradas de odio y amor entre Gamzatti y Nikiya, con ovaciones interminables, con noches que no queremos que acaben.
Sueño con un Bastille lleno, vibrante, electrizado por la grandeza del ballet clásico.
Y sé que, con estrellas parisinas o con invitadas de lujo, La Bayadère nos regalará momentos que quedarán en la memoria para siempre.
Pero si además llegara una gran estrella del Bolshoi o del Mariinsky…
Entonces ya no sería solo una temporada.
Sería historia.
🌙 El sueño de Solor — Esperando a La Bayadère
A medida que las noches parisinas se suavizan y las luces de la Ópera de la Bastilla se reavivan, me siento como Solor.
No soy el guerrero legendario, sino el soñador, vagando entre la realidad y la fantasía, entre el presente y un mundo donde el ballet vive eternamente en perfección.
Cierro los ojos y, de repente, ya no estoy en la ciudad.
Entro en el Reino de las Sombras.
La música de Minkus se eleva suavemente, como un latido lejano, y el escenario se transforma en un paisaje místico de luz de luna, cascadas, templos y belleza infinita. Y allí, emergiendo de la niebla, aparece Nikiya: frágil, luminosa, eterna.
Pero como en todos los sueños, ella cambia.
A veces es rusa, nacida de la elegancia del Mariinsky:
Viktoria Tereshkina, poderosa y majestuosa,
Renata Shakirova, refinada y musical,
Maria Khoreva, pura como el cristal,
Olesya Novikova, poética y serena.
Otras noches, llega del mismísimo París, toda gracia aristocrática y líneas nobles:
Amandine Albisson, Valentine Colasante, Dorothée Gilbert, Sae Eun Park, cada una con un matiz poético diferente.
Y entonces, como llamada por el destino, Gamzatti entra en el sueño.
No como una rival, sino como una reina de luz, coronada de oro, radiante de brillo.
Proviene del Bolshoi de Moscú: Anastasia Smirnova con su autoridad imperial,
Maria Koshkaryova con su imponente grandeza,
Margarita Shrainer con su mirada ardiente,
Yaroslavna Kuprina con su presencia regia. Otras noches, cruza océanos para llegar a París:
Isabella Boylston, deslumbrante y radiante,
desde Italia, Nicoletta Manni, noble y luminosa,
desde Londres, Marianela Núñez, legendaria e inalcanzable.
Y de repente, el sueño se expande.
Una Nikiya francesa frente a un Gamzatti ruso.
Una Nikiya inglesa frente a una princesa parisina.
Una reina del Bolshoi chocando con el espíritu del Mariinsky.
Cada combinación evoca una nueva emoción, un nuevo drama, una nueva belleza.
El duelo entre el amor y el poder se vuelve interminable, renaciendo cada noche de una forma diferente.
Las observo bailar bajo un cielo dorado, cerca de cascadas, entre antiguos templos que brillan al anochecer. La orquesta sube de tono. Los tutús relucen. El silencio del público tiembla antes de estallar en aplausos.
En este sueño, las entradas se agotan en minutos.
París vibra de emoción.
El mundo entero acude a la Bastilla.
Y, sin embargo, ni siquiera eso es suficiente.
Porque hay demasiadas bailarinas extraordinarias.
Demasiadas reinas dignas de la corona de Gamzatti.
Demasiadas almas nacidas para ser Nikiya.
Una invitada nunca es suficiente.
Una función nunca es suficiente.
Una temporada nunca es suficiente.
En mi sueño, La Bayadère se baila cada mes.
Cada mes, un nuevo elenco.
Cada mes, un nuevo milagro.
A veces me río para mis adentros, porque sé que esta es la locura del amor por el ballet. Pero es la más dulce de las locuras.
Y entonces Nikiya regresa, flotando hacia mí como una visión, con los brazos flotando como llevados por el viento.
Me mira como mira a Solor: con ternura, tristeza y eternidad.
La música se desvanece.
El sueño se disipa.
Abro los ojos.
París sigue ahí.
La Ópera de la Bastilla me espera.
Se acerca junio.
Pero en el fondo, Solor sigue soñando.
Soñando con los decorados resplandecientes, con nombres legendarios, con parejas imposibles que algún día podrían hacerse realidad. Soñando con noches en las que París reciba no solo a sus gloriosas estrellas, sino también a las reinas del Bolshoi, el Mariinsky, el Royal Ballet, La Scala y más allá.
Quizás suceda.
Quizás aparezca una estrella.
Quizás más.
Y si no, soñar ya es un regalo.
Hasta que se levante el telón, sigo siendo Solor.
Caminando entre la realidad y la fantasía.
Esperando La Bayadère.
Soñando.
Nikiya y Gamzatti — Dos reinas de La Bayadère
Aunque Gamzatti es el papel que más me fascina, debo admitir, con total honestidad y admiración, que Nikiya sigue siendo la verdadera estrella de la noche en La Bayadère.
Nikiya es uno de los papeles más exigentes y poéticos del ballet clásico. Técnicamente desafiante, emocionalmente profundo y musicalmente sublime, transmite el corazón espiritual de la obra. Ludwig Minkus escribió algunas de sus piezas más hermosas para Nikiya, especialmente en el pas de deux con Solor, donde las melodías se elevan con ternura, anhelo y belleza trágica.
La música de Gamzatti es magnífica —brillante, majestuosa y poderosa—, pero la de Nikiya es simplemente trascendente.
Cuando Nikiya es bailada por una bailarina delicada y etérea, el efecto puede ser mágico. El tiempo parece detenerse. El público respira al unísono. El teatro se transforma en un sueño. Por eso, en la mayoría de las funciones, Nikiya se convierte naturalmente en el centro emotivo de la noche.
Y, sin embargo, el ballet rebosa vida.
Hay noches en las que Gamzatti, interpretada por una gran actriz y una gran bailarina, puede acaparar toda la atención. Su autoridad, dramatismo, brillantez y virtuosismo pueden encender el escenario y conquistar el corazón del público.
He asistido a muchas funciones de La Bayadère, y a menudo la balanza se ha inclinado. Algunas noches, Nikiya me conmovió más profundamente. Otras, Gamzatti conquistó el escenario. Y esa es la belleza del ballet en vivo.
Todo amante del ballet tiene bailarines favoritos. Cada función es diferente. Y no hay lugar para la rivalidad entre estos dos papeles, porque ambos son esenciales, ambos son ricos y ambos contienen variaciones extraordinarias que definen la grandeza de esta obra maestra.
Recuerdo una noche en particular en la Ópera de la Bastilla que permanece vívida en mi memoria.
Héloïse Bourdon bailó Nikiya con una sensibilidad y una gracia extraordinarias. Años más tarde, regresó al mismo ballet, esta vez como Gamzatti, mientras que el papel de Nikiya fue interpretado por la magnífica estrella del Mariinsky, Kristina Shapran, quien había sido invitada a París como artista invitada.
Esa noche fue electrizante.
La Nikiya de Shapran poseía la inconfundible pureza, suavidad y profundidad musical rusas que hacen inolvidables a las grandes bailarinas de ballet blanco. La Gamzatti de Bourdon era dramática, poderosa y ferozmente majestuosa. El contraste entre ellas creó una verdadera chispa teatral, justo lo que La Bayadère necesita.
Me encantaron ambas.
El público estaba sin aliento, los aplausos atronadores, y el recuerdo ha permanecido conmigo para siempre. Todavía espero que algún día Kristina Shapran, u otra gran estrella del Bolshoi o del Mariinsky, regrese a París para bailar Nikiya de nuevo.
Para mí, las bailarinas rusas poseen algo único en los grandes papeles poéticos del ballet clásico: en El Lago de los Cisnes, Giselle y, especialmente, en Nikiya. Hay una pureza de línea, una profundidad de sentimiento musical y una cualidad espiritual que se siente casi de otro mundo.
Pero ya sea francés, ruso, italiano o internacional, lo que realmente importa es el arte: la capacidad de transformar la técnica en emoción.
En definitiva, La Bayadère no se trata de elegir entre Gamzatti y Nikiya.
Se trata de celebrar a dos mujeres extraordinarias, dos destinos, dos mundos musicales y dos formas diferentes de belleza.
Algunas noches pertenecen a Nikiya.
Algunas noches pertenecen a Gamzatti.
Y las noches más grandiosas pertenecen a ambos.
Por eso este ballet sigue encantando generación tras generación, y cada nueva función se siente como un nuevo milagro.
🌟 La Bayadère all’Opéra Bastille: un evento attesissimo e un sogno che guarda oltre i confini
Parigi si prepara a vivere una delle stagioni di balletto più emozionanti degli ultimi anni con il ritorno trionfale de La Bayadère all’Opéra Bastille. Questo capolavoro assoluto del repertorio classico, nato dal genio di Marius Petipa e Ludwig Minkus e sublimato dalla coreografia di Rudolf Nureyev, promette serate di pura magia, fasto scenico e grande danza.
Ogni rappresentazione sarà una celebrazione della bellezza: le scenografie monumentali ispirate all’India imperiale, i costumi sontuosi di Franca Squarciapino, le luci dorate, le cascate scintillanti, i templi maestosi e l’orchestra che fa vibrare la sala con le melodie indimenticabili di Minkus. Il pubblico verrà trasportato in un mondo lontano, poetico e tragico, dove amore, gelosia e destino si intrecciano in una delle storie più affascinanti del balletto.
Ma al centro di tutto brillano soprattutto due figure leggendarie: Nikiya, l’ombra eterea dell’amore puro, e Gamzatti, la principessa splendente, potente, orgogliosa e irresistibile.
Gamzatti è il ruolo che incendia il palcoscenico: tecnica virtuosistica, presenza scenica imperiale, costumi abbaglianti e una musica che esalta ogni salto, ogni equilibrio, ogni sguardo. È la vera regina della serata.
Le étoile e le prime ballerine dell’Opéra di Parigi daranno vita a interpretazioni magnifiche, ognuna diversa, ognuna unica. Ogni cast offrirà nuove sfumature emotive e artistiche, trasformando ogni serata in un’esperienza irripetibile.
Eppure, come spesso accade nelle grandi stagioni liriche e coreutiche, nasce spontaneo un desiderio: quello di vedere, accanto alle stelle parigine, anche una grande artista internazionale come ospite speciale.
Sarebbe un sogno per molti appassionati — e per me in modo particolare — assistere a una Gamzatti interpretata da una delle grandi regine della danza mondiale.
E se questo sogno dovesse prendere forma, non si può non pensare alla straordinaria étoile della Scala di Milano: Nicoletta Manni.
Con la sua eleganza naturale, la purezza della linea, la forza tecnica e la regalità scenica che la contraddistinguono, Nicoletta Manni sarebbe una Gamzatti assolutamente divina. Il suo stile raffinato, unito a una presenza luminosa e autorevole, si sposerebbe perfettamente con la sontuosità di questo personaggio, trasformando ogni sua apparizione in un momento storico.
Immaginarla sul palcoscenico dell’Opéra Bastille, avvolta nei tessuti dorati, con la musica di Minkus che esplode nell’immenso Grand Pas, sarebbe un sogno che farebbe vibrare l’intero pubblico parigino e attirerebbe appassionati da tutta Europa.
Naturalmente, anche senza ospiti internazionali, La Bayadère sarà un trionfo annunciato. Ma l’eventuale presenza di una grande étoile straniera renderebbe queste rappresentazioni ancora più leggendarie, creando quell’incontro magico tra scuole, stili e tradizioni che solo il balletto sa offrire.
Parigi è pronta.
Il pubblico attende con impazienza.
La musica è pronta a incantare.
Le ballerine sono pronte a regnare sul palcoscenico.
E mentre il sipario sta per alzarsi su questo capolavoro immortale, resta il desiderio — dolce e appassionato — che una grande stella internazionale, come la meravigliosa Nicoletta Manni, possa illuminare anche solo per una sera questo spettacolo già straordinario.
Perché La Bayadère non è solo un balletto.
È un sogno che prende vita.
La Ópera de París vuelve a encender su magia con uno de los títulos más deslumbrantes del repertorio clásico: La Bayadère, en la fastuosa versión de Rudolf Noureev sobre el legado de Marius Petipa, con la música hipnótica de Ludwig Minkus. Todo está dispuesto: los decorados, el esplendor visual, la intensidad dramática… y, por supuesto, un firmamento de estrellas listo para brillar.
✨ Las Nikiyas: poesía, lirismo y tragedia
El papel de Nikiya, la bailarina sagrada, exige una pureza técnica y una profundidad emocional excepcionales. Este año, será encarnado por un elenco de primeras figuras que prometen interpretaciones únicas:
- Léonore Baulac
- Valentine Colasante
- Dorothée Gilbert
- Sae Eun Park
- Héloïse Bourdon
Cada una aportará su sello: desde la elegancia cristalina hasta el drama más desgarrador. Nikiya no es solo técnica: es alma, sacrificio y un amor imposible que se deshace entre sombras.
👑 Las Gamzatti: fuego, poder y rivalidad
Frente a Nikiya, emerge Gamzatti, la princesa orgullosa, figura de fuerza y determinación. El contraste es absoluto, y el duelo escénico promete ser electrizante:
- Bleuenn Battistoni
- Roxane Stojanov
- Inès McIntosh
- Clara Mousseigne
- Bianca Scudamore
Gamzatti es brillo, autoridad y una técnica afilada como el acero. Cada enfrentamiento con Nikiya será un choque de estilos, temperamentos y energías.
🌙 Las Variaciones: joyas de precisión y belleza
El célebre Reino de las Sombras y otras escenas icónicas se enriquecen con variaciones que son verdaderas pruebas de excelencia para las solistas:
Primera variación
- Héloïse Bourdon
- Hohyun Kang
- Clara Mousseigne
Segunda variación
- Marine Ganio
- Inès McIntosh
- Aubane Philbert
Tercera variación
- Bianca Scudamore
- Célia Drouy
- Nine Seropian
Estas variaciones, etéreas y exigentes, son momentos suspendidos en el tiempo, donde cada arabesque y cada equilibrio rozan la perfección.
Todo está preparado. Aún no conocemos qué combinación exacta veremos cada noche, pero ahí reside parte del encanto: el misterio, la expectativa, la promesa de algo irrepetible.
Sea cual sea el reparto que te toque, será una experiencia inolvidable. Porque en la Ópera de París, cuando se alza el telón de La Bayadère, no hay funciones menores: solo noches de pura magia.
