Eifman Ballet

Boris Eifman, choreography
Vyacheslav Okunev, set and costume design
Alexander Sivaev and Boris Eifman, lighting design

In his riveting Russian Hamlet (2019), the audacious choreographer Boris Eifman conjures the intrigues and passions of the notorious House of Romanov through electrifying imagery, bold theatricality, and opulent costumes. In this recently revamped production, Eifman reimagines Shakespeare’s play in the context of Russian history, focusing the action on the tragic figure of Tsar Paul I as he grapples with a hostile world built on violence, treachery, and lies. The lavish staging and sensuous choreography are set to music by Beethoven and Mahler. “The Eifman image is always provocative, frequently outlandish and always daring. It is relevant, never dull” (The New York Times).