“Jesters’ Wedding” Ice Show in Malta

IMG_8704On December 13, 2019 the European Foundation for Support of Culture and the Ilya Averbukh Production Company with the support of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra  presented an exclusive project in Malta - the “Jesters’ Wedding” Ice Show, an adaptation of the Crystal Palace ballet to the music by the contemporary American - Maltese composer Alexey Shor.

IMG_9099The Ilya Averbukh Production Company is an internationally-known Russian company that creates unique, grand ice shows featuring world-class skating stars. These shows combine figure skating, drama theatre, live vocals and music and state-of-the-art stage designs.

The project was directed by Ilya Averbukh, world-famous figure skater, Olympic silver medalist, World Champion, two-time World Junior Champion, Merited Master of Sports of Russia. Averbukh has also won TEFI, Russia’s national television industry award, as the “BestTV Programme Producer”; the Theatre goer’s Star award for the first musical on ice, and the Oleg Yankovsky Creative Discovery prize for staging a musical of “Carmen” on ice.IMG_9580

The Ice Show and its story are set in 18th century Russia during the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna. Empress Anna was fond of sumptuous celebrations and unusual entertainments and once decided to marry two of her court jesters in a palce of ice built on the Neva river.

IMG_0642The project  featured world acclaimed figure skaters, such as: Tatiana Totmyanina and Maxim Marinin, Olympic champions, two-time world champions, five-time European champions and three-time champions of Russia  performed as Lovers; Alexey Yagudin, Olympic champion, four-time world champion, three-time European champion, two-time winner of the Grand Prix finals performed as a Jester Balakirev; Dmitry Solovyov and Ekaterina Bobrova, Olympic champions, Olympic Games silver medalists, European champions, three-time European championship silver medalists, seven-time champions of Russia  performed as Empress Anna Ioannovna and her lover Jester Biron; Ivan Righini, four-time Italian champion, multiple international competitions winner  performed as a court gentlemen and many others. Anna Aglatova, leading opera soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia  joined the project as the Opera Diva. The event was held at one of Malta’s most popular venues – Fosos square, Floriana.

“Jesters’ Wedding” Ice Show was the first Ice Show in Malta ever. The premiere of “Jesters’ Wedding” was expected to be broadcasted by international and Maltese media.