Dancers portray the temple dancer Nikiya (right) and the warrior Solor in a 2015 production of the classical ballet “La Bayadere.” The Universal Ballet Company will present this blockbuster ballet in September to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Courtesy of the Universal Ballet Company

Universal Ballet celebrates its 40th anniversary

By Park Jin-hai

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Universal Ballet Company (UBC) presents the blockbuster ballet “La Bayadère” from September 27 to 29, featuring rising star Jeon Min-chul making his full-length debut.

Jeon will appear as a soloist with the prestigious Mariinsky Ballet in February next year and is the second Korean to take on the role after ballerino Kim Ki-min.

Ballet dancer Jeon Min-chul / Courtesy of Seongnam Arts Center

The 20-year-old was one of the winners in the pas de deux category of the 2023 classical dance competition at the Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest audition for ballet scholarships for students.

Set against the backdrop of the golden Indian Empire, “La Bayadère” tells a story of love, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness. The characters are Nikiya, a temple dancer, and Solor, a warrior. Jeon plays the warrior.

With over 150 performers, 400 dazzling costumes and a giant elephant prop, the production promises a magnificent spectacle that is sure to impress ballet lovers.

This marks the return of UBC’s “La Bayadère” six years after its production in 2018.

Tickets for the September 29 performance featuring Jeon and UBC soloist Lee You-rim sold out within minutes, underscoring the high level of anticipation for this production.

UBC principal dancers with a loyal fan base, Kang Mi-sun, Hong Hyang-ki, Elizaveta Cheprasova and Suh Hae-won, will dance Nikiya, while Konstantin Novoselov, Rhee Hyon-jun, Lee Dong-tak and Kang Min-woo will dance Solor.

A dancer performs the Gold Idol solo in the classical ballet “La Bayadere” in 2018. Courtesy of Universal Ballet Company

The highlights of the numerous spectacular scenes include a wedding procession in the second act with a giant, two-meter-high, 200-kilogram elephant as a prop and the Golden Idol solo, which is reminiscent of depictions of East Asian deities and is performed entirely in gold body paint.

The third act’s “Kingdom of Shadows” scene, considered one of the high points of classical ballet alongside “Swan Lake” and “Giselle,” will be another breathtaking moment, with about 32 dancers all dressed in white tutus and scarves forming a flawless ensemble.

Julia H. Moon, UBC’s General Director, said, “Following its successful Korean premiere in 1999, Universal Ballet’s ‘La Bayadère’ was a groundbreaking production that delighted audiences at three major opera houses in the United States in 2001. Given the immense scale and artistic demands of this production, we will draw on our 40 years of experience to create an unforgettable performance.”

“La Bayadère” is performed at the Opera House of the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul.