On December 19, 2017, on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace, the Christmas gala concert of the world ballet stars “Christmas Ballet Gala”, so much anticipated by the capital’s audience, will take place. The highlight of this year will be Moscow premiere of Ivan Vasiliev’s ballet “A Christmas Carol” based on the novel by Charles Dickens.

“Through the story of one person, we show what the simple values ​​of life mean: love, friendship, mutual assistance,” tells Ivan Vasiliev. – “My character, Scrooge, forgot them, crossed them out, he turned into a calculator. And he is not the only one, there are many fools around. “

The choreographer knows and loves the tale of the miserly Mr. Scrooge, who is visited on Christmas night by three spirits of the past. “This story has accompanied me since childhood,” the choreographer continues. – “When I was very young, I knew it from start to finish. For me, this is a very strong association with Christmas and New Year.”

Ivan chose the music for the production himself. And he chose Tchaikovsky: pieces from “Children’s Album” and cycle “Seasons”, fragments from symphonies. “It looks like the birth of a thought,” says Ivan Vasiliev. – “Here it already seems to exist, and you need to find words to express it; and such words come as if by themselves. So it is with ballet: such music comes on which everything that I want to express is ideally projected.”

In his work, Ivan Vasiliev relies on two allies: a sense of humor and a close-knit team that is ready to support any of his undertakings. The ballet is conceived as “populous”: Irina Perren, Ivan Zaitsev, Marat Shemiunov, Veronika Ignatieva, Valeria Zapasnikova, Anna Kuligina, Alexei Kuznetsov, who together with Ivan through the experience of the first productions, will appear on the stage, and many other artists who the director managed to inspire with a new idea. For the main role of Mr. Scrooge, Ivan Vasiliev “”approved himself.”

“Christmas Ballet Gala” has already become an annual Christmas ballet festival, a bright cultural event, a meeting place with world-class performers, a multifaceted mirror reflecting the creative interests and trends of modern world ballet art.

This evening, on the eve of the most magical night of the year, the brightest world ballet stars will gather on the stage, the best compositions of the XX-XXI centuries staged by outstanding choreographers will be shown, and Moscow premiere will be the highlight of the program.