Ballerino Jeon Min-chul to make full length debut at 'La Bayadere'

Dancers portray temple dancer Nikiya, right, and warrior Solor, in a 2015 production of the classical ballet "La Bayadere." The Universal Ballet Company presents this blockbuster ballet in September celebrating its 40th anniversary. Courtesy of Universal Ballet Company

The Universal Ballet Company (UBC) will present the blockbuster ballet "La Bayadère" to commemorate its 40th anniversary from Sept. 27 to 29, with rising star Jeon Min-chul making a full-length debut.

Jeon is joining the prestigious Mariinsky Ballet in February next year as a soloist, becoming the second Korean to do so following ballerino Kim Ki-min.

Ballet dancer Jeon Min-chul / Courtesy of Seongnam Arts Center

The 20-year-old was one of the winners in the pas de deux category of the classical dance competition at the Youth America Grand Prix, the world's largest student ballet scholarship audition, in 2023.

"La Bayadère," set against the backdrop of the golden Indian empire, tells a tale of love, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness involving the characters Nikiya, a temple dancer, and Solor, a warrior. Jeon is cast as the warrior.

With over 150 performers, 400 dazzling costumes and a massive elephant prop, the production promises a grand spectacle that is sure to impress ballet enthusiasts.

This marks the return for UBC's "La Bayadere" after six years since its 2018 production.

Tickets for the Sept. 29 performance, featuring Jeon and UBC soloist Lee You-rim, sold out within minutes, attesting to the high anticipation for this production.

UBC principals with a dedicated fan base, Kang Mi-sun, Hong Hyang-ki, Elizaveta Cheprasova and Suh Hae-won will dance Nikiya, while Konstantin Novoselov, Rhee Hyon-jun, Lee Dong-tak and Kang Min-woo take on Solor.

A dancer performs the Gold Idol solo in classical ballet "La Bayadere" in 2018. Courtesy of Universal Ballet Company

Among the numerous spectacular scenes, highlights include a wedding procession in act 2 with a giant, 2-meter-tall, 200-kilogram elephant prop, and the Golden Idol solo, reminiscent of depictions of East Asian deities, will be performed in full gold body paint.

The "Kingdom of the Shades" scene in act 3, considered one of the pinnacles of classical ballet alongside "Swan Lake" and "Giselle," will be another breathtaking moment with some 32 dancers, performing a flawless ensemble all dressed in white tutus and scarves.

Julia H. Moon, general director of the UBC, stated, "Following its successful Korean premiere in 1999, Universal Ballet's 'La Bayadère' was the landmark production that captivated audiences at three major opera houses in the U.S. in 2001. Given the immense scale and artistic demands of this production, we will be leveraging our 40 years of expertise to create an unforgettable performance."

"La Bayadère" will be staged at the Seoul Arts Center's Opera Theater in southern Seoul.