Star Dreams of the Princess (Luceafarul)

Symphony Ballet

2 actions, 7 scenes

Libretto - Emil Loteanu

The ballet  was written according to the similarly-named poem of Mihai Eminescu. 

The libretto and the scene of the ballet

This is a magical love story about how the princess Catalina fell in love with the immortal son of the Sun – a star from the sky. She called him, and in response to her call Lucheaferul assumed the similitude of an elegant youth and came to the princess. He calls her to the sky to become a star like he is. But the princess Catalina doubts and fears, and on the contrary, she invites him to become mortal and to share an earth love with her. Lucheaferul agrees. He asks his father to save him of eternity, of immortality and to be allowed to become a man and join his destiny with the princess. But his father does not agree. 

Meanwhile, page Catalin tries to capture the princess attention, and she begins to listen to his speeches. But her love to the Sun’s son and to a celestial star wins in her soul. She can not forget Lucheaferul, although they are separated forever. 

The ballet “Lucheaferul” was created based on the story of the greatest work of the Romanian literature classic Mihai Eminescu. The principles of the classic symphony and national character are combined in his music. At the fist time, the ballet "Star Dreams of the Princess" (Luceafarul) was presented on June 6, 1983 at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet staged by the Kyiv choreograph Valery Kovtun. The conductor was Alexander Samoile; the artistic director was Vyacheslav Okunev. Eugen Doga was awarded the State Prize of the USSR for the ballet “Lucheaferul”. The ballet was performed at the Bolshoi Theatre, at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses in Moscow, and it was shot by the Leningrad TV. Several performances took place in St. Petersburg, Minsk, Kyiv and Odesa. 

At the beginning of this century the ballet “Lucheaferul” was performed at the Chisinau Philharmonia with an orchestra, soloists and chorus of “Doina”. 

In 2006 the ballet was restaged at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. In 2007 and 2012 the concert performance of “Lucheaferul” took place at the Royal Hall of the Romanian Philharmonia “ATENEU ROMÂN” in Bucharest played by the Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra named after George Enescu. 

An interesting educational project has been also successfully carried out when the ballet was performed to the public at the Chisinau Central Cathedral Park with a symphony orchestra, a choir and a ballet company.

Ballets

The libretto and the scene of the ballet