The literary basis of the ballet was the poem of the same name by A.S. Pushkin, which A. Pushkin himself wrote on the basis of the ancient legend about the Bakhchisarai fountain, otherwise called the Fountain of Tears or Sif-Sibim - on the territory of the Khan's palace in Bakhchisarai.
The ballet was staged for the first time in 1934 on the stage of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater (Mariinsky Theater) by Rostislav Zakharov. It was the first ballet and drama performance of the Soviet era.
In the production of Konstantin Ivanov, the features of the choreodrama are reduced to a minimum, classical ballet reigns on the stage. The "Bakhchisarai Fountain" of the Mari Theater is a grand ballet with luxurious decorations, costumes, many dances and magnificent duets.