Mikhailovsky Ballet premieres its ‘Le Corsaire’ in America

Bustling bazaars, the roaring seas, dashing pirates and exotic harem dancers make for an enchanted experience when the Mikhailovsky Ballet from St. Petersburg, Russia returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA on November 18-20 with the American premiere of its production of Le Corsaire.

Cherished as one of the most beloved ballets in the Russian repertoire, Le Corsaire is filled with action, adventure and gravity-defying choreography. The Mikhailovsky production is tailored for today’s modern audiences and features Russian ballet superstar Ivan Vasiliev in the title role of “Conrad”, the pirate who falls in love with a beautiful Greek maiden, Medora.

“The Mikhailovsky’s Le Corsaire is a winner,” declared The Guardian.

Performing with the Novat Orchestra, this will be the Mikhailovsky Ballet’s second appearance at the Center. Single tickets to the show start at $29 and go on sale Sunday, October 2 at 10 am. They will be available online at SCFTA.org, by calling (714) 556-2787 and at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

The Center’s International Dance Series is made possible by the Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. This production honors a special classic that is over 150 years old.

“As I worked on Le Corsaire, I focused on Konstantin Sergeyev’s version staged at the Kirov in the 1970s,” recalled Ballet Master Mikhail Messerer. “It is Sergeyev’s versions of many ballets of the classical repertoire that ballet goers in St. Petersburg still enjoy today. I was lucky enough to know Sergeyev personally, so I am delighted to be able to invite audiences to see this production, which has been created according to the ‘recipe’ of this master.”

Previously called the “Orange County Performing Arts Center”, Segerstrom Center is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School, where students ages 3-14 are taught by acclaimed teachers utilizing the renowned ABT National Training Curriculum.

Photos: Mikhailovsky Ballet in Le Corsaire, featuring Irina Perren and Ivan Vasiliev (top.) Photos by Sergei Tiagin.