La Fille mal Gardée

SEB presents

A comic ballet in two acts
World premiere on July 1, 1789 in Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Premiere in the Estonian National opera on March 26, 2026

Choreographer and Stage Director: Marc Ribaud (Stuttgart Ballet)
Composer: Ferdinand Hérold (France)
Arranged by John Lanchbery (England/Australia)
Music Director and Conductor: Lauri Sirp
Conductors: Mikk Murdvee, Andres Kaljuste
Set Designer: Richard Roberts (Australia)
Costume Designer: Lexi De Silva (Australia)
Lighting: Rasmus Rembel

One of the oldest ballets in the classical ballet repertoire, “La fille mal gardée” originally premiered in 1789 in Bordeaux, France, and has never been out of fashion since. This colourful update of the ballet by Marc Ribaud set in 1950’s rural South of France is stylish, funny and tender, and will put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

When country belle Lise falls in love with farm lad Colas, she upsets her overbearing Mother, the widow Simone. Widow Simone has her own ideas about who her daughter should marry. Unfortunately, the left-footed Alain, son of pompous and wealthy vineyard owner Thomas, is not at all to Lise’s liking. A row of mischievous events follow that bring Lise out of Alain’s clutches and the apron strings of Simone, and into the arms of her lover Colas.

With an engaging story, wonderful wit and pulsating passion, Marc Ribaud’s version remains froma firm favourite for all the family.

© Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited

Cast:

Lise: Laura Maya, Phillipa McCann, Marta Navasardyan, Karina Laura Leškin, Ami Morita, Anna Roberta, Rio Morisawa
Colas: Joel Calstar - Fisher, Ali Urata, Luca Giovanetti, Cristiano Principato, Sacha Barber, Oscar Pouchoulin, Finn Adams
Lesk Simone: William Newton, Marcus Nilson, Finn Adams, Nikos Gkentsef, Oscar Pouchoulin, Liam Strickland
Alain: Antonio Gallo, Yuki Nonaka, Hiroto Nakabayashi, Theo Bourg, Oji Fujino, Hidetora Tabe
Thomas: Finn Adams, Oscar Pouchoulin, William Newton, Marcus Nilson, Benjamin Pierce, Jamie Bögemann
Notary: Vitali Nikolajev, Sacha Barber, Benjamin Pierce, Liam Strickland, Oscar Pouchoulin, Teofil Cosma, Kentaro Takishima
Colas´ friends women: Ketlin Oja, Ellinor Piirimäe, Phillipa McCann, Polina Sosimova, Marta Navasardyan, Rio Morisawa, Gabriella Vidano, Alice Pelizza, Karina Laura Leškin, Abigail Payne, Kim Jana Hügi, Caroline Hamilton, Marjana Fazullina, Ashley Chiu, Sophie Farquhar, Anne - Sophie Marjeram
Colas´ friends men: Cristiano Principato, Luca Giovanetti, Finn Adams, Ali Urata, Oscar Pouchoulin, Liam Strickland, Marcus Nilson, Sacha Barber, Connor Williams, Benjamin Pierce, Hidetora Tabe, Oji Fujino, Rasmus Ahlgren, Nikos Gkentsef, Jamie Bögemann, 
Ciro Lieto
Estonian National Ballet, Tallinn Music and Ballet School