LEWISTON – Bossov Ballet Theatre will showcase Vivaldi’s famous “Four Seasons” at performances Friday and Saturday, May 4-5, at the Franco-American Heritage Center.

Included in the program will be choreographer Andrei Bossov’s original “Litany,” first performed at the historic American Revolution-era Christ Church in Gardiner.

When in St. Petersburg, Russia, Bossov was principal dancer, choreographer and director of the famed Kirov Ballet. He taught at Vaganova Academy, one of the top ballet schools in the world.

In 1725, Vivaldi composed a set of 12 violin concertos, Opus VIII: The Content of Harmony and Intervention, the first four of which portrayed in musical form the essence of spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Vivaldi’s classic work became a part of the ballet world in the early 20th century when Russian-born Mikhail Fokine, held by some to have been the greatest choreographer in the history of ballet, created a ballet inspired by and set to the music of those first four concertos from Opus VIII.

Bossov, a graduate of the same St. Petersburg school that produced Fokine, has applied his own talents to choreographing a new original ballet to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Drawing on all 12 concertos, Bossov’s ballet reflects a multitude of moods from “The Winter” through “The Three Graces,” “The Thunderstorm,” “Children’s Games,” “The Mist,” and others.

“In this piece, I didn’t make any storylines, but only followed the music with its beautiful violin solos and fast-changing moods and tempos. But as Balanchine once said, ‘You put men and women on the stage and you have a story,'” Bossov said in a prepared statement.

The Bossov dancers performed Bossov’s work in St. Petersburg’s historic Estrada Theatre on April 10. It earned enthusiastic applause from the Russian audience.

In the summer of 1999, Christ Episcopal Church officials contacted Bossov Ballet Theatre to inquire whether it would be feasible to produce a ballet commemorating the 2000th Anniversary of Jesus Christ at Midnight Mass on the Eve of the New Year, Anno Domini 2000.

Bossov agreed to choreograph the piece, and it was commissioned. For music, he selected a short oratorio composed in 1994 by Estonian composer Arvo Part titled “Litany.”

“I made it as a tribute to the Mother of Christ and, through her, to all mothers who give life to their children with a great hope and no less fear for their future. The prayers go as waves overwhelming each other, reaching immense emotional bursts in the end, as is possible, did John in his famous sermons,” said Bossov.

The ballet will be performed by six ballerinas en pointe, costumed in white.

The Bossov Ballet Theatre was founded in 1996, providing year-round, world-class ballet instruction to many national and international students.

The ballet performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. both days at the heritage center on Cedar Street. Tickets are $15, $13 for students and senior citizens. For more information, call 783-1585, or go online to www.francoamericanheritage.org.