A spectacular dance production by the Ballet of the National Opera of Odessa
A two-act ballet based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen in music by Yuri Shevchenko and libretto by Mykola Brovchenko
The world-renowned Ballet of the National Opera of Odessa presents the grand ballet production Thumbelina, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairytale. A dazzling performance with stunning sets and costumes, extraordinary stage effects, and the participation of the company’s leading soloists.
The brightest performance for the whole family, this December at the Athens Concert Hall! 5-7.12.2025
The Ballet of the National Opera of Odessa, alongside the famed Opera, carries a tradition spanning two centuries, having staged works by some of the greatest creators in history. This December, Athens welcomes one of the world’s most distinguished ballet companies with their latest international production, Thumbelina. Andersen’s imagination gave life to one of the most enchanting fairytales ever written.
Everyone knows Thumbelina, the heroine born from a magical flower. This time, she comes to life in the beautiful flower of Athens – the stage of the Athens Concert Hall. Commissioned by the theatre, the creative team has composed the music, written the libretto, designed the choreography, sets, and costumes. The Ballet of the National Opera of Odessa will fill the stage with fairytale magic, unforgettable music, humor, and dazzling dance.
PARTICIPANTS:
Music: Yuri Shevchenko
Libretto: Mykola Brovchenko, based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen
Director–Choreographer: Gary Sivoyan
Choreographer: Viktor Litvinov
Sets: Ganna Ipareva
Costumes: Sergiy Vasilyev
Lighting: Maksym Dyentov
Composer's C.V
Yuri Shevchenko – composer
1953 – 2022
Yuri Shevchenko is a famous Ukrainian composer. He is one of the most successful opera and ballet composers in Ukraine over the several past decades. His creative path has been marked by many state prizes and awards, including nine "Kyiv Pectoral" theatre prizes.
He is the author of numerous works for chamber and symphony orchestras, which are constantly being performed by leading orchestras both in Ukraine worldwide. The most remarkable Shevchenko’s opus is the work "We Do Exist!" for violin and strings created by the composer in 2014, as a paraphrase based on the National Anthem of Ukraine. Yuri Shevchenko also created a number of bright chamber music works, choral pieces, as well as music for theatre and radio performances, movies and animated films.
Yuri Shevchenko's operas and ballets heritage is a cultural treasure of Ukraine. During his lifetime, the composer created music for more than 100 large-scale theatrical shows, which are still performed by leading theatres of Ukraine. Among them, on the stage of the National Opera of Ukraine are the ballets "The Adventures of Pinocchio", "Chasing Two Hares” and the kid's opera "Puss in Boots".
On the stage of the Kyiv Municipal Children's Theatre (Kyiv Opera), the ballet "Barmaley and Aibolyt " and the opera "King Thrushbeard", which have been gathering sold-outs of the youngest Ukrainian audiences for many decades.
The ballet "Thumbelina" commissioned by the Odesa National Opera was the composer's last major work. This large-scale show was presented in June 2023 in Odesa, and then 15 sold-out performances took place in Athens in December 2023, enchanting the audience with the atmosphere of a magical fairy tale supported by excellent choreography.
Yuri Shevchenko was a person with a deep understanding of theatre. His music remains an unique source of inspiration for many listeners and surely will take its place in world's musical heritage.
