Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: Elizabeth DiStasio-Waddell
Ballet Synopsis
Prince Ivan is hunting in the forest and encounters the legendary magic Firebird. The Prince is captivated by the Firebird's beauty and captures her. The firebird struggles to get free, but cannot escape Ivan's grip. The Prince takes pity on the Firebird and sets her free. In gratitude, the Firebird gives the Prince one of her feathers, telling him, all he need do, is wave the feather and she will come to his aid.
As the Prince continues through the forest, he discovers thirteen beautiful dancing princesses. The thirteenth princess, Princess Tsarevna, is especially beautiful, and Prince Ivan falls instantly in love with her. They explain to Ivan that he is in the enchanted forest of the evil sorcerer, Katscheď, and they are all his prisoners. As Katscheď's spell calls them back to his castle, they beg Prince Ivan not to follow them, or to enter the castle, warning him that Katscheď's evil powers will turn him into stone.
The Prince follows the princesses anyway, and as he enters the castle, he is immediately captured by Katscheď's servants. Katscheď appears and tries to turn the Prince into stone, but in the struggle, the Prince remembers what the Firebird told him and he waves her magic feather. The Firebird suddenly appears and casts a spell on Katscheď and his servants, forcing them to a dance to exhaustion. As Katscheď and his servants collapse from dancing, the Firebird lulls them to all into a deep sleep. She then destroys them, freeing the prisoners of the castle and the enchanted forest. The Prince and Princess Tsarevna are married in a great celebration.