Desdemona

DEZDEMONA
A two-act ballet

Music director and conductor: Ričardas Šumila
Director and choreographer: Anželika Cholina
Conductor: Julius Geniušas
Set designer: Marijus Jacovskis
Costume designer: Olga Filatova Kontrimienė
Hair and makeup designer: Dalia Žakytė
Lighting designer: Audrius Jankauskas
Premiere: May 26, 2023

Performed by the theatre’s ballet company and guest ballet dancers

Anatolijus Šenderovas’s ballet “Dezdemona” is based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello,” in which the psychological worlds of two very different characters—Othello and Iago—collide. Othello, commander of the Moorish army, was a general in the Venetian army defending Cyprus against the Ottoman invasion. He married Desdemona, a Venetian woman much younger than himself. Their engagement took place against her father’s wishes. Iago, Othello’s army standard-bearer, driven by a desire for revenge, maliciously stokes his commander’s jealousy, claiming that Desdemona is unfaithful to him with Othello’s friend Cassio. Inflamed by jealousy, Othello’s imagination paints a picture of his wife’s infidelity. The Moor, seized by blind rage, kills the only woman dear to him.

Because its themes of passion and jealousy are eternally relevant, Shakespeare’s tragedy remains relevant today and continues to inspire many different interpretations on the drama stage. These themes, however, have been explored through choreography much less often. In this context, choreographer Anželika Cholina offers a distinctive perspective on the tragedy of “Othello.” Her production “Dezdemona” differs in many respects from the original staging at LNOBT in 2005. We hear a different version of the musical score, more closely linked to the plot of Shakespeare’s tragedy in accordance with the choreographer’s libretto. In A. Cholina’s production, dancers from the small ballet company of Kaunas State Musical Theatre perform several roles each, creating not only an effect of scale but also giving meaning to the theatrical wonder of characters transforming. The ballet “Dezdemona” delves more deeply into the characters’ feelings and emotions, with music and choreography closely intertwined. The musical score of “Dezdemona” features a prominent percussion section, demanding exceptional concentration to bring out its finest nuances. The performance also features live playing by renowned jazz percussionist Arkadijus Gotesmanas, who took part in the ballet’s first staging. The theatre’s ballet company performs in the ballet.