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The Beautiful Blue Danube

to the music of Johann Straussballet in two acts
Duration
60 min (30 min +30 min)
Acts
2
Intermission
1
Age
12+
Staging
Radu Poklitaru — Honoured Arts Figure of Ukraine

The premiere of the production took place on June 26, 2025

The ballet On the Beautiful Blue Danube, set to the music of Johann Strauss, transports the audience to the dazzling world of 19th-century Vienna – with its opulent balls, glittering masquerades, and unceasing spirit of celebration.

In this refined choreographic comedy of manners, created by Radu Poklitaru, contemporary physical theatre seamlessly merges with the stylization of ballroom dances from the Art Nouveau era. Strauss’s nostalgic and passionate music resounds in a sparkling and unexpected choreographic interpretation.

The visual concept of the production is designed by costume designer Dmytro Kuryata and video artist Olha Nikitina.  On the Beautiful Blue Danube promises to become a landmark event of the season, unveiling an era when music and dance were the true language of emotion and passion.

About the show

The new production by the Academic Theatre "Kyiv Modern-Ballet," set to the music of Johann Strauss, invites you into the world of Vienna’s golden 19th-century era – with its true splendor of balls, the brilliance of masquerades, and an unceasing festive spirit.

This refined choreographic comedy of manners plunges you into a whirlwind of events where romantic intrigues and unexpected plot twists are intricately woven with elegant humor. The production fuses contemporary physical theatre with stylized ballroom dances of the Art Nouveau era, creating a space of sophistication, grace, and subtle irony.

In a new choreographic interpretation by Radu Poklitaru, Strauss's brilliant, passionate, and subtly nostalgic music comes alive on stage, captivating with its perfect symbiosis of classic and modern styles.
Delicate transitions from sensual tenderness to frenzied dance energy will reflect the true nature of the characters, revealing their intentions and hidden desires. In Radu Poklitaru’s choreographic score, contrasts explode: comic hustle and romantic longing, repressed impulses and the grand pomp of a ball.

We invite you to a ballet where every movement tells a story of a passionate heart and fervent love, and every plot twist becomes an exquisite choreographic accent unveiling the secrets of an aristocratic court. This premiere offers not only the delight of contemporary choreographic language but also a reminder: true love wears no masks and always finds a way to happiness.
 

Radu Poklitaru

To be honest, I have a deep love for tragic and dramatic stories. But this time, I was swept away by a completely different element – the radiant, light, and fantastically life-affirming music of Johann Strauss. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that, in the history of world dance theatre, among all non-ballet-specific music, it is Strauss’s works that have most often inspired choreographic productions.

So, in order not to get lost among the many ballets based on The Blue Danube, I had to create an entirely new concept and libretto. Vaudeville, comedy of manners, disguises, marital infidelity, and the frivolous treachery of flirtation – multiplied by the aesthetics of contemporary dance – these are the ingredients of the theatrical delicacy we, together with the artists of Kyiv Modern-Ballet, have prepared for you, our dear audience.

Please, try to set yourself in the most serious way for the most unserious mood possible – and enjoy your theatrical appetite!

 

The ballet’s premiere was made possible with funding from the Kyiv city budget under an interest-free revolving assistance programme and marks the first event of the theatre’s anniversary arts project, “20 Seasons of Continuity and Innovation.”

Photo galleries

Press about the production

12 June 2025 · ELLE.UA «На прекрасному блакитному Дунаї»: Раду Поклітару про костюми-метафори й відеосценографію у балеті-комедії до 20-річчя «Київ Модерн-балету»

26 червня та 3 липня в Жовтневому палаці звучатиме музика Йоганна Штрауса, але з абсолютно новим акцентом. Хореограф Раду Поклітару розповів ELLE.UA, чому класичний вальс перетворився на сучасну комедію положень і як костюми та відеопроєкції розкривають справжні мотиви героїв.

Детально

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