Aladdin

ALADDIN, a two-act ballet for children. Librettist: Serhii Kon. Premiere: 29 October 2022.

A mysteriously playful and richly colored, Eastern-inspired ballet for children, “Aladdin” is set to music by the renowned Ukrainian composer Oleksandr Rodin. The production at Kaunas State Musical Theatre was created by the same Ukrainian artists who had already staged the work at the Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre for Children and Youth in 2021, but performances were halted by the war in Ukraine.

The libretto, based on the tale from “One Thousand and One Nights” and its adaptations in films, was written by the director himself, Serhii Kon. “Wonder and magic bring delightful surprise and color to everyday life. This ballet will draw children into an intriguing world of fairy tales, while reminding older audiences of their childhood and restoring their belief that anything is possible,” hopes S. Kon.

The ballet combines classical and modern choreography, incorporates a variety of styles and techniques, and is adorned with elements of Eastern dance. Its sources of inspiration include the medieval Arabic and Persian literary classic “One Thousand and One Nights” and plots from famous films and animated works based on Eastern tales. The story of Aladdin and his magic lamp entered European translations of “One Thousand and One Nights” thanks to the French orientalist and archaeologist Antoine Galland (1646–1715), who included it after hearing the tale from Hanna Diyab (c. 1688), a Syrian Maronite Christian and traveler who was visiting Paris.

The Eastern tale of Aladdin has captivated generations because it explores important moral and ethical themes: the desire for power and profit, the triumph of good over evil, the superiority of wisdom over cunning and hypocrisy, and the power of a pure heart. At the heart of the ballet are the stories of Aladdin, the Genie, the charming Jasmin, and Jafar, who dreams of taking the Sultan’s place and becoming ruler of the world, each living in different worlds.