Doctor Aybolit – ballet for children

Doctor Aybolit 

ballet in two acts  for children

Choreography: Miahil Krapivin (Russia)
Music: Igor Morozov (Based on the tale by K. Chukovsky)
Set Design: Zhivojin Trajanovikj
Costume design: Marija Pupuchevska

Performing soloists and the ballet ensemble of the National Opera and Ballet

Doctor Aybolit – synopsis

Act One

***On the seashore, surrounded by greenery, stands the house of Ofboly – the doctor who treats animals and birds. His bad sister Varvara lives with him, and his neighbors are the girl Tanya and the boy Vanya. In front of Ofboly’s house is always lively – his patients – animals and birds – gather. Tanya and Vanya help them and knock on the door, but the bad Varvara chases them all away. The sick animals still manage to enter Ofboly’s house. Varvara is very angry and brings the ruthless trainer Kapitoni who traps the animals. Varvara helps him in this, and Tanya and Vanya try to stop them. Doctor Ofboli is furious because of Kapitoni’s cruelty, takes away his whip, frees the trapped puppies, and chases him away. The postman arrives and brings the doctor sad news – monkeys have fallen ill in distant tropical regions. The doctor decides to travel there and takes with him the dog Ava, the monkey Chichi, the fox, the swallow, the cat, the rooster and the bear, and leaves the other animals with Varvara. Tanya and Vanya beg the doctor to take them with him, but he does not want to put the children in danger. Then Vanya comes up with the idea to secretly hide them in the medicine boxes, prepared for the journey. The ship slowly sets sail. Pleased with the departure of Dr. Ofboli, the evil Varvara calls the trainer Kapitoni.
***The monkey settlement is located in a sunny valley full of tropical plants. The adult monkeys and the local doctors – the giraffe and the crocodile – try unsuccessfully to help the sick monkeys. A swallow flies in and announces the arrival of Dr. Ofboli. The doctor examines the sick and gives them medicine. The monkeys recover quickly. A ceremony begins in honor of the doctor. Robbers unexpectedly arrive with the bloodthirsty Barmaley. They break the boxes and Tanya and Vanya emerge from there. Barmaley and the robbers attack them. The doctor runs up. He tries to save the children, but he himself is captured.

Act Two

***Through the forest, the robbers carry the captured Tanya, Vanya and the doctor. Followed by the dog Ava, the monkey Chichi and the fox. The fox sprinkles the bouquet with sleeping powder, which the doctor secretly threw to her.
***A dark cave. The robbers lock the doctor in a dungeon, and Barmaley orders the children to cook dinner. Ava and Chichi come to the cave to help their friends. But the robbers capture them too. Chichi manages to escape, but the dog is chained. The robbers are preparing to eat the children… Suddenly, a well-dressed fox appears. She coquettishly hands them the bouquet sprinkled with sleeping powder. The robbers court her, smell the bouquet and slowly fall asleep under the influence of the powder. Vanya opens the dungeon and frees Doctor Ofboli. Everyone slowly leaves, except for the rooster, who wakes up the robbers with his boastful crowing….
***A steep seashore. The brave Vanya climbs a tall palm tree. The palm tree leans towards the other cliff and the fugitives climb over that bridge. Barmaley and the robbers slowly catch up with them, but carelessly Barmaley falls into the abyss, and the robbers run away in fear into the forest. Everyone rejoices at the victory over the criminal.
***Ofboli’s house. The evil Varvara and Kapitoni have turned it into a menagerie where they torture the captured animals. A swallow flies in with the good news of Ofboli’s return. Varvara and Kapitoni are terrified. Ofboli, Tanya, Vanya and their friends get out of the boat. After the doctor sees how much misfortune and tears Varvara and Kapitoni have caused the animals, he chases them away. Everything is happy and beautiful again. The animals and birds celebrate Ofboli, Tanya and Vanya. Everyone gets involved in the common dance of companionship and friendship!