Choreographic revision by Igor Kolb, featuring choreography by Marius Petipa 

Libretto: Igor Kolb, based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s ballad The God and the Bayadere and the original libretto by Sergei Khudekov

Musical director and conductor: People’s Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Artem Makarov

Choreography and staging: Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation Igor Kolb 

Designer: Lyubov Sidelnikova

Lighting designer: Kiryl Bazhok

Running time: 3 hours 10 minutes with two intervals

Premiere: 6 June 2026

Никия – Ника Скребкова

Гамзатти – Мария Музалевская

Солор – Константин Белохвостик

Брамин – Юрий Ковалев

Раджа – Антон Кравченко

Факир Магедавея – Владислав Коляда

Золотой божок – Артем Задворнов

Трио теней – Алина Руденко, Анастасия Юркевич, Диана Багатова

Act I

Scene 1

During the Indian Ritual of Fire, Solor is on a tiger hunt in the forest with his friends. He falls behind the group, along with Magdaveya, the Head Fakir, in order to arrange to meet Nikiya, his beloved, who lives in a pagoda deeper in the forest. At Solor’s behest, the hunters leave him. 

Meanwhile, at the temple, preparations for the Ritual are underway. The High Brahmin makes his entrance, followed by priests and temple dancers, bayadères. Nikiya begins the sacred dance. The High Brahmin is enamoured with her, but she rejects his advances. He threatens her, but Nikiya is patiently expecting Solor, who Magdaveya reports is somewhere nearby. They leave.

Night falls. Solor is by the temple. He urges Nikiya to run away with him and pledges his eternal love for her over the sacred fire. Their rendezvous is interrupted by the High Brahmin, who, in a jealous rage, begins to plan his vengeance. As the sun rises on the temple, the tiger hunters are returning with their trophy and the temple dancers are going out to collect holy water. Solor leaves to join the hunters.

Scene 2

The Rajah Dugmanta of Golconda announces to his daughter, Gamzatti, that she is to be wed to Solor. Solor attempts to politely decline this honour, but the Rajah declares that the wedding is to be held very soon. The High Brahmin arrives and, after all have been ordered to leave, he informs the Rajah of Solor’s secret meeting with the temple dancer. The Rajah declares his intent to kill Nikiya, but the High Brahmin reminds him that she belongs to the god Vishnu, whose wrath will surely be invoked by her death. So, he says, it is Solor, who should be killed instead. The Rajah decides to take advantage of the festivities to send Nikiya a basket of flowers with a venomous snake hidden inside. Gamzatti overhears their conversation. She sends for Nikiya, and, inviting her to dance at the following day’s wedding ceremony as a pretext, she shows her a portrait of the groom-to-be. Nikiya is absolutely appalled. Gamzatti offers her many riches to flee the country, but Nikiya cannot even bring herself to consider leaving her lover behind. Enraged, she takes a dagger and flings herself at Gamzatti, whose loyal maid comes to her defence, saving her life. Nikiya flees the scene. A furious Gamzatti vows to condemn Nikiya to eternal suffering.

Act II

Scene 1

The feast begins in the garden before the Rajah’s palace. The Rajah is with his daughter. He commands Nikiya to entertain the guests. She begins to dance. Gamzatti orders the flower basket be brought to Nikiya. The deadly snake bites her and Nikiya says goodbye to her lover, reminding him one last time of his sacred oath to love her forever. The High Brahmin offers Nikiya an antidote, but she chooses death. The Rajah and his daughter revel in their victory.

Scene 2

Solor deeply regrets betraying his beloved. He retires to his chambers to grieve her in solitude. Magdaveya brings him opium. Warriors enter Solor’s chambers to prepare him for the wedding ceremony, but Solor’s visions do not cease. Gamzatti appears. She tries to speak with her groom, showing concern for his wellbeing, but his responses are curt, hollow and insincere. He assures her that he is alright and that he does, indeed, love her, but Gamzatti can feel him disengaging from her. She tries to divert him and offers him comfort, but he repeatedly asks to be left alone. Finally, Gamzatti becomes irate and proclaims that the wedding will continue as planned whether he likes it or not. Solor dreams of the Kingdom of the Shades, where Nikiya’s soul is. He misses her deeply.

Act III

At the wedding ceremony, the Golden Idol dances in the shadow of the Buddha statue. The bayadères, too, perform their ritual dance. Solor, once again, is haunted by Nikiya’s spirit. As soon as the High Brahmin completes the wedding ceremony, there is a violent earthquake. The vengeance of the gods is unleashed upon the entire temple, along with Solor, the oath-breaker himself. All the wedding guests perish under the rubble of the temple. The souls of the lovers, Solor and Nikiya, are finally reunited in the afterlife.

.