Premda raznovrstan i poznat i s opernih scena, rusko-austrijski skladatelj poljskog porijekla, Ludwig Minkus ipak je povijest najviše zadužio krecijama svojih dvaju baleta, Bajaderom (1877) i nešto mlađim i još popularnijim Don Quijoteom koji je nastao prema libretu i u koreografiji također čuvenoga Mariusa Petipaa. Naravno da su avanture Cervantesove osebujne ličnosti inspirirale mnoge umjetnike i prije i poslije tandema Petipa - Minkus, no njihov je Don Quijote od svog prvog prosinačkog pojavljivanja u Boljšoj teatru 1869. godine, postao uporišnim mjestom svakog renomiranog baletnog kazališta i jednim od najpriznatijih i najizvođenijih baleta uopće. Na splitskoj ga sceni nije bilo već dvadesetak godina, pa stoga ne treba sumnjati s koliko će radosti i oduševljenja biti dočekan u svom novom premijernom ruhu.

In spite of being versatile and already noted from operatic stages, Russian-Austrian composer of Polish origin Ludwig Minkus became famous for his creations of two ballets, La Bayadère (1877) and somewhat younger but even more popular Don Quixote, based on a libretto and choreographed by the famous Marius Petipa.  Adventures of Cervantes’s peculiar personality inspired many artists before and after this tandem, but since its first appearance at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1869 their Don Quixote has become the pivot of any reputable ballet theatre and one of the most recognized and most performed ballets of all. On the Split stage this ballet has not been performed for some twenty years now and there is no doubt that its opening performance will be received with a great enthusiasm.