stage
Artists
Credits
Music: Karen Khachaturian
Libretto: Gennady Rykhlov after the fairy-tale of the same name by Gianni Rodari
Choreography: Genrikh Mayorov
Set design and costumes: Valery Levental
Music Director and Conductor: Philip Selivanov
Production Ballet Master: Alexander Omar
Lighting Designer: Tatiana Chumicheva
Designer for the revival of the scenery and costumes: Oleg Molchanov
Artistic advisor on the adaptation of set design and costumes: Vyacheslav Okunev
2 hours 20 minutes
two intermissions
Cipollino, one of the best ballets for children and their parents, returns to the NOVAT stage in a new version!
The witty plot, based on the famous fairy-tale by Gianni Rodari, takes the viewer on an exciting adventure in the company of the onion boy and his friends. The heroes will be able to resist Prince Lemon and Signor Tomato, protect the weak and instill in the hearts faith in true friendship, kindness and justice.
The favourite fairy-tale will sparkle with new colours, thanks to the bright scenery and costumes of the outstanding theatre artist Valery Levental. He has designed more than 200 performances around the world, and today many of his works are in the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Museum of Musical and Theatrical Art in St. Petersburg, the A.A. Bakhrushin Theatre Museum and in private collections.
The Cipollino ballet will captivate viewers of all ages with its fun music, complex choreography and fabulous scenery — and will be a great reason for a family trip to the theatre!
ACT I
It’s a square of a fairy-tale town. It just seems like there are vegetable baskets and fruit boxes on it. In fact, these are big and small houses where vegetables and fruits live, which are so reminiscent of people...
The Radish and Onion families meet in the square. Cipollino gets to know Little Radish, and a strong friendship develops between them. Nearby, cobbler Grape is mending shoes. Professor Pear plays the violin. Grandfather Pumpkin is looking for bricks to build his own house. All the inhabitants of the fairy-tale town are dancing.
Suddenly, Signor Tomato rushes into the square and announces that very soon Prince Lemon himself, who wishes to address his people, is due to arrive in the square. The Prince has issued a new law: everyone must now pay for their share of the sunshine, the rain, and the wind.
The people are outraged. All those who rebel are immediately arrested. Cipollino appears and begs Prince Lemon to free the people, but accidentally steps on his foot. The guards are going to punish the “rebel”. Cipollone saves his son, but ends up in custody himself.
It's not just the Onion family that is grieving – all the residents of the town are saddened. Cipollino returns and realizes what he has done, apologizes to Mother Cipolla, but what is done can't be undone. Professor Pear appears, he plays a cheerful melody on the violin, but his music does not help Cipollino much. However, when the professor suggests that he try to play something himself, it takes a while, but the young hero has a smile, and Little Radish is now dancing to his tune, as well as other inhabitants.
It's not easy for Pumpkin either – he can't build himself a house. And the inhabitants, led by Cipollino, are helping him at this. As soon as the construction is completed, Signor Tomato appears once again. He almost bursts with anger when he sees the house: after all, it was built on the land of Countesses Cherries. Cipollino, defending the Pumpkin's house, engages in a frolicsome duel with Tomato and, of course, wins. But Prince Lemon's guards arrive and destroy the Pumpkin's new house.
Cipollino and Little Radish invoke to fight for justice. They go in search of the arrested Cipollone.
ACT II
Cipollino and his friend Little Radish sneak into the palace to find the dungeon where Prince Lemon imprisoned Cipollone.
Count Cherry lives in the palace. Among all the most beautiful flowers, he likes Magnolia the most. Despite the excuses of gardener Cactus, Cherry still decides to take care of her.
When Count Cherry is left alone, Cipollino and Little Radish appear in the garden. They meet Count Cherry, who is bored and lonely without friends. They dance merrily together – now they are friends.
Trying to find the prisoner, they almost fall into the hands of Signor Tomato, but they manage to escape, moreover, Count Cherry is successful to steal the key to the door, behind which Cipollone is languishing.
A ball begins in the palace; it is given by Countesses Cherries in honour of Prince Lemon. Lemon and all the other guests are enjoying the exquisite dancing. Count Cherry also starts dancing, but he gets cramps in his stomach (of course, not seriously, but according to the idea of friends). Cherry manages to distract those present and help Cipollino open the door and free Cipollone.
Prince Lemon and Signor Tomato discover the missing prisoner. They're furious.
ACT III
The Prince Lemon’s guards and the police are looking everywhere for fugitives. Cipollino manages to save his father and Little Radish, but he is thrown into prison under guard.
Cherry and the beautiful Magnolia come to the rescue of their friend. Magnolia enchants the guards, and they start dancing, everyone wants to dance with the beauty. Magnolia reciprocates them, but only to besot them with her fragrance. Finally, Cherry and Magnolia are left alone, and they set Cipollino free.
Prince Lemon and Signor Tomato rush to punish the good-for-nothing rebel, but they see that the dungeon is empty. The enraged Prince orders that the town be bombarded with cannon fire. But Cipollino and his friends, pretending to be guards, stuff Prince Lemon himself into the cannon.
The smoke from the shot dissipates. There is no Lemon, no cannon, no guards. The inhabitants of the fairy-tale town rejoice at the victory over the tyrant. And under the blue sky and bathed in sunshine, a new fairy-tale town will grow up. The town of friends!