Originally staged by Marius Petipa in Saint Petersburg in 1877, and produced here by the Joffrey Ballet, La Bayadere is a lavish Indian romance galvanized by Russian nihilist angst. Cruelty leads to disaster in the final act as the sexy, impetuous princess Gamzatti retaliates after she’s rejected on the altar by her fiance, Solor, a peerless warrior haunted by the spirit of his lover—the temple dancer Nikiya, whom Gamzatti murdered a couple acts earlier by planting a venomous snake in her basket of flowers. Compared to the extravagant attentions of Gamzatti, Solor’s modest love affair with Nikiya provides a contrast that echoes the famous stylistic rift between the classical “Kingdom of the Shades” act and the decadent backdrop of the rest of the ballet.
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10/16-10/27: Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 7:30 PM, Sun 2 PM; additional shows Wed 10/16 and Thu 10/24, 7:30 PM Auditorium Theatre 50 E. Congress 312-386-8905joffrey.com $31-$152
