The Firebird

The Cache Valley Civic Ballet performed Firebird for the first time in 2010.

Stravinsky's ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing Firebird, that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor. The story centers around the journey of its hero, Prince Ivan who enters the magical realm of the giant ogre Kashchei, who is an evil immortal. It is nighttime and Ivan is in Kashchei's garden, when he catches a glimpse of the Firebird. She flees, but giving chase, he captures her. In exchange for her freedom, she gives him one of her feathers. When he is in greatest need, he can use the feather to summon the Firebird to protect him.

Ivan also sees 13 captive princesses and falls in love with the most beautiful one. He decides to confront Kashchei to ask to marry the princess and soon they are quarreling. Kashchei sends his monstrous creatures to capture Ivan and the Firebird true to it's word intervens, casting a spell on the creatures and causing them as well as Kashchei to fall asleep. While Kashchei is under the spell, the Firebird tells Prince Ivan the secret to Kashchei's immortality. Once Kashachei is dead, his magic is broken and all the creatures and palace vanish, leaving all of the 'real' people to awaken. With one fleeting appearance from the Firebird, they all celebrate the victory over the ogre.