Premiere “SPARTACUS”
Ballet by Aram Khachaturian
Choreography Sergey Bobrov
Scenography and Costumes Asya Stoimenova
Ballet of State Opera Varna
The ballet by Aram Khachaturian tells the story of the uprising of gladiators and slaves led by the Thracian Spartacus and their defeat by the troops of the Roman general Crassus. It is based on real historical events from the history of Rome in the 1st century BC. Both in Khachaturian’s music and in the choreographic interpretation of Yuri Grigorovich, Spartacus is portrayed as brave and noble, while the idea of freedom defines his life and actions. The cunning and cruel Crassus strives for personal glory and the unlimited power of imperial Rome. The ballet presents the opposing figures of Spartacus and Crassus, embodying the clash of two worlds. Central roles also include Spartacus’s devoted companion Phrygia and the treacherous courtesan Aegina, Crassus’s accomplice.