The Bucharest National Opera presents the premiere of the Sleeping Beauty ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, starting at 18:30, on Saturday, 12^th May 2018, and on Sunday, 13^th May 2018. The direction and the choreography are signed by Vasily Medvedev și Stanislav Fečo, while the set design, costumes and lighting are made by Pavol Juráš. Maestro Ciprian Teodoraşcu will conduct the orchestra. We talked about this premiere with the principals Cristina Dijmaru and Ovidiu Matei Iancu - the protagonists on 12^th May.

How do you feel about the direction of the performance?

Cristina Dijmaru: This version of the ballet is a classical one, while the setting is new, very beautiful, and vividly coloured and we look forward to seeing how everything is going to come out.

Ovidiu Matei Iancu: This performance is an entirely new one. It's been produced from scratch: the choreography and the design of both the costumes and the set. Even the musical scores have been changed here and there. Musically speaking, it's not exactly similar to the older version.

What are some of the most difficult parts of your roles?

Cristina Dijmaru: For the ballet lovers who have probably seen other productions of the Sleeping Beauty, the most difficult part is the famous Rosa Adagio, where the four knights take us along the choreographic score, which I consider one of the heaviest moments in this ballet, while the second one is the last pas de deux in Act III.

Ovidiu Matei Iancu: Besides the technical score which is quite difficult, I think the most challenging aspect in this ballet, both for the boy and the girl, and that which differs a lot from the other ballets, is the style. The style is purely classic. I could even say that it is one of the most classical ballets in terms of style, which makes it very difficult given the fact that those who have mounted the ballet have brought it into the 21st century, technically speaking; they also very much wanted to preserve the style, which then made the combination between technique and style very difficult to do.

There are a few more days until the premiere. How was your collaboration with the director and the other stage partners?

Cristina Dijmaru: Our collaboration was very good. I am very happy that I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Vasi Medvedev și Mr. Stanislav Feco. They are two wonderful people from whom I could learn a lot as always. And as far as my stage partners are concerned, they are my colleagues with whom I work on a regular basis, and as far as Ovidiu is concerned, I can say that he was my partner during the last season, so we work very well together.

Ovidiu Matei Iancu: I already worked with Feco and Vasili in the past, for the production of the ballet Le Corsaire. They are two special people who are very fond of what they do, and they also inspire us to give our best. And, as to my stage partners, as Cristina has just said, we have known each other for a long time. We danced a lot together lately, so things are simple and beautiful.

The Sleeping Beauty is, first of all, a love story. How do you intend to attract the audience to come to this ballet?

Cristina Dijmaru: It's a ballet both for adults and children. I think the children will love the fairy-tale atmosphere they will experience once the stage curtains will rise; especially the little girls who love the magical world of princesses will enjoy that marvellous colours. As for the adults, they will experience that story exactly as it was 100 years ago, just like you said.

Ovidiu Matei Iancu: Yes. It's a colourful and lively performance. It has a story based on music. It is simply wonderful. I think that ballet lovers and other people as well should come to see the performance and I am convinced that they will love what they will see.