The Orient and exoticism of Petipa’s La bayadère, here in the version by Natalia Makarova, was first presented at La Scala in 1992. Lauded as being the most audacious yet also the most reverent restaging of Petipa’s ballet, this choreography was last seen at La Scala in 2006, when it was also filmed for public release.

In an India of legend, the intrigues and romantic dramas of the beautiful Nikiya, of Prince Solor and of Gamzatti, the Raja’s daughter, are played out with veils, incense and group scenes rich in the colours and perfumes of the era. A high point of the ballet is the Kingdom of the Shades scene, a choreographic composition of perfect harmony and balance and an example of classical ballet in its purest form