Prince Ivan, hunting in the forest,
stumbles upon a magic garden. He watches the dancing of the Firebird and then seizes the
Firebird. He lets her go in exchange for a feather which will protect him from danger.
Act II
Each night twelve maidens who have been
captured by the wicked Tsar Kostchei sneak out to the garden. Prince Ivan falls in love
with a princess with "unearthly beauty". They kiss. When dawn comes, the
departing maidens warn Ivan not to follow. Captured, he pulls out the feather, the
Firebird appears, and forces the evil spirits of Tsar Kostchei to dance to
exhaustion. The Firebird shows Ivan a large egg with the soul of the Tsar Kostchei, he
throws it up, and Tsar Kostchei dies.
Act III
Opens with a radiant city; music and
church bells. Prince Ivan and the Princess, now the new Tsar and Tsarina, marry to echoes
of celebratory music (the music on this page). The ballet ends with a three fold kiss.
Photo used in the welcome graphic is by
Bob Kerns of dancer Patricia Barker
