Nacho Duato: “I want to be Chekhov in choreography”

The outstanding Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato is world famous for his modern one-act abstract ballets. In 2011, becoming the artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Theater ballet troupe, which he still heads, Duato also enjoys creating contemporary original versions of classical ballets. The tradition began in 2011 with The Sleeping Beauty, and the latest addition to the collection was the ballet Hidalgo from La Mancha in the fall of 2022. In it, the choreographer decided to show the Russian audience – in contrast to the “Spanish fantasies of Marius Petipa” – the real Don Quixote and living Spain without fans and castanets.

Now Duato is connected with Russia by almost two dozen productions created with Russian ballet troupes. In an interview with Vedomosti, the choreographer spoke about how modern versions of legendary classical ballets help preserve the ballet heritage and why he will never support a cultural boycott of Russia.