You wouldn't think the words 'Ivan The Terrible' and 'ballet' would belong in the same sentence, but then again, story lines for some of the greatest ballets of all time came from historical figures, tragedies, even wars. But we promise that this take on the Russian prince isn't a royal drag, in fact it's loaded with thrilling drama, and been performed by the illustrious ballet troupe since its debut in 1975 to wide acclaim. In just the first act, Ivan ascends to power, takes a wife and wins a war, but life for the young ruler takes a turn for the worse in the second act as he faces some treacherous boyars out to ruin him. The Bolshoi's depiction of Ivan definitely brings a humanizing touch to the man often believed to be ruthless, and this screened performance will have you yearning to know more about this man's complicated reign.
Sun., April 19, 1 p.m.; Tue., April 21, 7 p.m., 2015
Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.