Maribor, 11. June (STA) – The European Capital of Culture, Maribor, will this week host a unique show, a horse ballet featuring horses from the French palace of Versailles. The show dubbed “La Voie de l’ecuyer” (The Way of the Rider) is considered to be one of the highlights of the culture capital project.

The performance celebrating the extraordinary elegance of horses and the magic of theatre is directed by acclaimed French horse trainer, film producer and impresario Bartabas.

Visitors will be able to admire 30 horses, mostly Lusitanos, a breed known for its beauty and elegance, and a dozen of actor-horsemen, most of whom are women on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Kamnica hippodrome.

According to the head of the programme section EPK Terminal 12, Aleš Šteger, the show is a part of The Stage between the Sky and the Earth section, bringing performances which exceed the boundaries of theatre.

The show “La Voie de l’ecuyer”, which will be staged outside France for the first time, questions the borderline between man and animal.

Bartabas does not see horse training as a type of sport but rather as a form of art. The management of Versaille entrusted him in 2003 with the management of former royal horse stables, where he founded an academy for theatre with horses Theatre equestre Zingaro.

Using special techniques for training horsemen and horses, Bartabas created a completely new and unique style, combining dancing, singing, artistic fencing and the traditional Japanese art of archery called Kyudo, one of the performers, Laure Guillaume, told Monday’s press conference in Maribor.

The show, for which a total of 2,970 tickets are available, will be held in all weather conditions.