Maurice Ravel wrote "Bolero" at the request of Ida Rubinstein for her newly founded ballet company, and its premiere was on the same night as that of his "Waltz" on November 22, 1928. The ballet was choreographed by Bronislava Nijinskaya, the first female master of ballet. Alexander Benois’ stage design evoked a cheap Barcelona tavern in which a woman (Ida Rubinstein) danced on a huge table, surrounded by men panting with lust.
The spectators had the opportunity to behold this ballet for the first time in Russia, reproduced from original sketches and photographs, as well as notes made in the hand of Bronislava Nijinskaya, kindly provided by her granddaughter Natalie Raets. The ballet was staged with the help of Hillary Mitchell - a student of Nina Yushkevich, a ballet dancer and choreographer from Nijinskaya’s company.
