Davide Dato

Since its 1856 premiere at the Paris Opera, Le Corsaire has been regarded as one of the most impressive narrative ballets of the 19th century. The work became particularly popular in the versions by Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa and, of course, through the spectacular “Le Corsaire pas de deux,” made world-famous by Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. For this first performance of the ballet in full at the storied Wiener Staatsoper in 2016, Wiener Staatsballett director Manuel Legris—after a 23-year tenure as an étoile dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet!—choreographed a new version based largely on the rich French and Russian performance traditions. Action, music, choreography, scenery and costumes are carefully combined into a new overall picture which focuses on the high points of the colorful events surrounding the leading couple of Conrad and Medora, sublimely danced by Robert Gabdullin and Maria Yakovleva!

An obsessive and almost surreal love story between Alessandro, a young model of rare beauty, and Sofia, an Argentine girl who has ended up in Rome for a strange game of destiny. Young couple having to adapt at all costs to the logic of this new world, are increasingly forced to live in a dramatic detachment from reality.

The Wiener Staatsballett performs Rudolf Nureyev's world-famous choreography of "The Nutcracker." Recorded live at the Vienna State Opera, 7 October 2012.