The Ballet “Spartacus” at Bucharest Opera Festival with the Ensembles of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre from Chișinău

The ballet Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian will be performed by the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre from Chișinău at the Bucharest Opera Festival on Monday, June 23, at 7:00 PM, on the stage of the National Opera House Bucharest (ONB) — offering ballet lovers in the capital a rare chance to see this title, which is not currently staged in local theaters.

Khachaturian composed Spartacus in the 1950s, with its premiere taking place in 1956 in choreography by Leonid Yakobson at the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theatre (now the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg), where it remained in the repertoire for many years. The same choreographer created a version for the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, which toured New York in 1962. The most famous production remains the 1968 version choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich. Spartacus is one of Khachaturian’s most iconic works, celebrated for its spectacular solo and male ensemble roles.

The ballet explores the theme of the slave revolt — an archetype of Soviet-era art. A prisoner of the Romans, Spartacus is bought by the patrician Crassus and separated from his beloved Phrygia, who is enslaved. After becoming a gladiator, Spartacus manages to organize a revolt that is eventually crushed by the Roman legions in a battle where the hero is killed. Khachaturian’s music vividly portrays the violent and orgiastic scenes of Ancient Rome — the triumphant marches, gladiator fights, and Saturnalia — drawing a powerful parallel between Spartacus’s rebellion and Europe’s struggle against all forms of tyranny.

Nicolae Dohotaru, General Director of the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre, stated:

“It is a great joy and honor for our theatre to participate in the Bucharest Opera Festival with Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian — a monumental work that combines the epic power of music with the expressiveness and dynamism of contemporary dance. Spartacus is a classical ballet in a modern style, part of the heritage of contemporary musical art, and recognized as a cultural treasure on the international stage. Our production presents an original version, in a classical-modern choreographic vision approved by Khachaturian himself, who appreciated this reinterpretation for its dramatic strength and timely message.
This presence on the stage of the National Opera Bucharest continues a long-standing artistic collaboration between two prestigious institutions, united by tradition, excellence, and a shared cultural vision. We thank the organizers and the Bucharest audience for their hospitality. We come with gratitude, dedication, and the sincere desire to offer a memorable stage experience.”

Founded in 1957, the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Chișinău is the most important lyric and choreographic institution in the Republic of Moldova. Over the decades, it has become a symbol of artistic excellence and a cultural ambassador of the country on international stages. With a rich repertoire of over 100 opera and ballet titles, the theatre promotes classic masterpieces by Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev, alongside modern works and compositions by Moldovan authors.
The theatre’s artists — soloists, dancers, directors, choreographers, and conductors — create high-level productions praised both at home and abroad.

Over 1,500 musicians, dancers, and artistic and technical staff will take part on stage, in the pit, and backstage at Bucharest Opera Festival 2025, as is tradition every June at the National Opera House in Bucharest.

Bucharest Opera Festival is a ten-day event bringing the most important opera and ballet theatres from Romania and abroad to the capital, offering audiences a chance to experience diverse cultural journeys.

Festival program: https://operanb.ro/calendar/?luna=06&anul=2025
Tickets: http://tickets.operanb.ro/ or at the National Opera House Box Office
Watch BOF 2024 recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt1ffMgS-HQ
(Video concept: Virgil Oprina / National Opera Bucharest)