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Three of the best dancers of the Mariinsky Theater perform the role of Anna Karenina on the big stage. Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater: repertoire We are becoming a ballet province

The Mariinsky Theater brought the ballet "Anna Karenina" to Moscow. He will compete for the prestigious Golden Mask award. 40 years ago, Rodion Shchedrin wrote the music and presented the ballet to Maya Plisetskaya. She was the first to dance Karenina. Now the main role is performed by three stars. There is almost no scenery on the stage. The main thing is dance, bright and passionate.

She admits that she would dream of living in the 19th century, if only for the sake of such dresses and hats. In a huge bag, the rising star of the Mariinsky Theater Ekaterina Kondaurova has ballet shoes, 6 pairs, as many as she might need for this crazy-paced performance, and a worn volume of Tolstoy. Her Karenina is sensual and selfish.

Anna Karenina for Mariinsky Theater prima Diana Vishneva is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“She is tormented between her love for her family, her son and the Vronskys - this is a woman who is on the edge,” says prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater ballet troupe, People’s Artist of Russia Diana Vishneva.

Alone in the silence of the ballet class, Ulyana Lopatkina is concentrated and thoughtful. I am sure strong women like her Karenina still live today, and although they wear jeans and drive cars, they still dream of true love.

Even at the premiere in St. Petersburg, her dance was admired by the one for whom this ballet was written by Shchedrin 40 years ago. The first Anna Karenina - Maya Plisetskaya.

Choreographer Alexei Ratmansky decided to dance Tolstoy's novel from the end. Anna is no longer alive. And Vronsky recalls their all-consuming passion, which began with a fatal meeting on the platform. There is a minimum of scenery on stage, and the world in which Anna and other characters exist is recreated with the help of video projections - the station, the Karenins' house, the hippodrome. And the events themselves rush by at great speed, accompanied by the sound of wheels.

A life-size railway carriage is a full-fledged character in the tragedy and one of the most impressive images. He will turn towards the audience with windows frosted with frost, or the cozy world of a first class compartment. And it’s like living your own life.

Maestro Valery Gergiev is at the conductor's stand. After all, it was his idea to stage the modern “Anna Karenina” on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater - a ballet that instantly became a hit throughout Europe.

“It seems to me that for theatrical Moscow this is also, to some extent, an interesting journey through three performances, if someone is lucky enough to see all three,” said People’s Artist of Russia, artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater Valery Gergiev. “Maybe it will be for fans ballet is an interesting and, perhaps, in some ways even a fascinating journey through the same performance three times."

Three Annas. Impulsive - Diana Vishneva, passionate - Ekaterina Kandaurova, majestic - Ulyana Lopatkina - on the stage of the Stanislavsky Theater for three evenings in a row, the love story of one woman will be told by three Marinka primas - brilliant and absolutely different.

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Mariinsky theater ballet, Mariinsky theater ballet
The history of the Mariinsky Theater ballet troupe began with court performances, where many professional dancers and dancers participated, who appeared after the establishment of the Dance School by Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1738 under the direction of the French teacher Jean Baptiste Lande.

The ballet troupe was part of the theaters:

  • St. Petersburg Bolshoi Theater (Kamenny; from 1783),
  • Mariinsky Theater since 1860,
  • State Mariinsky Theater (since 1917), which in 1920 was renamed the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (since 1935 named after S. M. Kirov), and in 1992 returned its former name - the Mariinsky Theater.
  • 1 XIX century
  • 2 XX century
  • 3 XXI century
    • 3.1 Ballet dancers
      • 3.1.1 Ballerinas and premieres
      • 3.1.2 First soloists
      • 3.1.3 Second soloists
      • 3.1.4 Character dance soloists
      • 3.1.5 Corypheas
  • 4 See also
  • 5 Notes
  • 6 Links

19th century

Ricardo Drigo, 1894 Lev Ivanov, 1885 Caesar Pugni, 1840 Marius Petipa, 1898 Leon Minkus, 1865 Pyotr Tchaikovsky Alexander Glazunov

S. L. Didelot had a noticeable influence on the development of St. Petersburg ballet. Didelot's dance poems "Zephyr and Flora" (1804), "Cupid and Psyche" (1809), "Acis and Galatea" (1816) by Kavos foreshadowed the onset of romanticism. 1823 the theater staged the ballet “Prisoner of the Caucasus, or the Shadow of the Bride” to music. Kavos (1823). The repertoire created by Didelot revealed the talents of M. I. Danilova, E. I. Istomina, E. A. Teleshova, A. S. Novitskaya, Auguste (O. Poirot), N. O. Golts. In 1837, the Italian choreographer F. Taglioni and his daughter M. Taglioni showed the ballet La Sylphide in St. Petersburg. 1842 in the ballet “Giselle”, staged by J. Coralli and J. Perrot, E. I. Andreyanova performed successfully. In 1848-1859, the St. Petersburg ballet was headed by J. Perrault, who staged the ballets “Esmeralda”, “Catarina” and “Faust” by Pugni. In 1859, the ballet was headed by choreographer A. Saint-Leon, who staged the ballets “The Little Humpbacked Horse” (1864) and “The Golden Fish” (1867). Perrault and Saint-Leon were succeeded by Marius Petipa (from 1847 a ballet soloist, then a choreographer, and from 1869-1903 the theater's chief choreographer).

During his stay in Russia, Marius Petipa staged ballets on the imperial stage: “The Pharaoh’s Daughter” to the music of Caesar Pugni, in 1862; "King Candaules" by Caesar Pugni, in 1868; “Don Quixote” by L. F. Minkus, 1869; “Two Stars” by Caesar Pugni, 1871; “La Bayadère” by L. F. Minkus, 1877; “The Sleeping Beauty of P. I. Tchaikovsky, edited by Drigo, (1890-1895), acts I and III, in collaboration with Lev Ivanov (Ivanov’s text - 2nd scene of the first act, Venetian and Hungarian dances in the second act, third act, with the exception of apotheosis); “Swan Lake” (together with L. I. Ivanov, 1895); “Raymonda” to the music of A. K. Glazunov, 1898; “Corsair” to the music of Adan, Pugni, Drigo, Delibes, Peter. Oldenburgsky, Minkus and Trubetskoy, 1898; “Paquita” by Deldevez, 1899; “The Trials of Damis” by A. K. Glazunov, “Seasons” (Four Seasons) by A. K. Glazunov, 1900; “Harlequinade” (Harlequin’s Millions). ) Drigo, 1900; “Mr. Dupre’s Students”, 1900; “The Magic Mirror” by Koreshchenko, 1904; “The Romance of the Rosebud”, Drigo (premiere did not take place).

Marius Petipa's ballets required high professionalism of the troupe, which was achieved thanks to the teaching talents of Christian Johanson and Enrico Cecchetti. The following performers performed in the ballets of Petipa and Ivanov: M. Surovshchikova-Petipa, Ekaterina Vazem, E. P. Sokolova, V. A. Nikitina, Maria Petipa, P. A. Gerdt, P. K. Karsavin, N. G. Legat, I. F. Kshesinsky, K. M. Kulichevskaya, A. V. Shiryaev.

XX century

A. V. Shiryaev, 1904 A. A. Gorsky, 1906 Mikhail Fokin, 1909

At the beginning of the 20th century, the custodians of academic traditions were artists: Olga Preobrazhenskaya (1871-1962), Matilda Kshesinskaya, Vera Trefilova, Yu. N. Sedova, Agrippina Vaganova, L. N. Egorova, N. G. Legat, S. K. Andrianov , Maria Kozhukhova (1897-1959), Olga Spesivtseva (1895-1991) (July 5 (18), 1895 - September 16, 1991)

In search of new forms, Mikhail Fokin relied on modern fine art. The choreographer’s favorite stage form was the one-act ballet with laconic continuous action and a clearly defined stylistic coloring.

Mikhail Fokin owns the following ballets: Armida's Pavilion, 1907; "Chopiniana", 1908; "Egyptian Nights", 1908; "Carnival", 1910; "Petrushka", 1911; “Polovtsian Dances” in the opera “Prince Igor”, 1909. Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky and Anna Pavlova became famous in Fokine’s ballets.

The first act of the ballet “Don Quixote”, to the music of Ludwig Minkus (based on the ballet by M. Petipa), reached contemporaries in the 1900 edition of Alexander Gorsky.

Later, in 1963, “The Little Humpbacked Horse” was staged (by Alexander Gorsky, revived by Mikhailov, Baltacheev and Bruskin.

Since 1924, Fyodor Lopukhov staged plays at the theater, the first production of which was the play “Night on Bald Mountain” (music - Modest Mussorgsky); then in 1927 - “The Ice Maiden”; 1929 - “Red Poppy”, together with Ponomarev and Leontyev; 1931 - “Bolt”, music - Dmitry Shostakovich, 1944 - “Vain Precaution” to the music of G. Hertel (Leningrad Maly Opera Theater in evacuation in Orenburg and Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov); 1947 - “Spring Tale” music. B. Asafieva (based on musical materials by Tchaikovsky) (Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov)

In the first years after the October Revolution of 1917, the theater was faced with the task of preserving its heritage. Leading artists worked at the theater: E. Ville, E. P. Gerdt, Pyotr Gusev, A. V. Lopukhov, E. M. Lyuk, O. P. Mungalova, V. I. Ponomarev, V. A. Semenov, B. V. Shavrov.

  • In 1930, choreographers Vasily Vainonen, Leonid Yakobson and V.P. Chesnokov staged the Ballet “The Golden Age” to the music of Dmitry Shostakovich.
  • From 1932 to 1942 the following ballets were staged: “The Flames of Paris”, choreographer Vasily Vainonen, 1932; “The Bakhchisarai Fountain”, choreographer Rostislav Zakharov, 1934; in 1939 - “Laurencia”, choreographer Vakhtang Chabukiani.

In 1940, choreographer Leonid Lavrovsky staged the ballet Romeo and Juliet. This performance was later resumed by Semyon Kaplan in 1975.

During the Great Patriotic War, the artists who remained in besieged Leningrad, under the leadership of O. G. Jordan, went to the front, performed in factories and hospitals. The main team was evacuated to Perm, where in 1942 the play “Gayane” was staged by choreographer Nina Anisimova

The soloists of the ballet theater of the period 1920-1940 were students of A. Ya. Vaganova, M. F. Romanova, E. P. Snetkova-Vecheslova and A. V. Shiryaeva: Nina Anisimova, Fairy Balabina, Tatyana Vecheslova, Natalya Dudinskaya, A. N. Ermolaev, N. A. Zubkovsky, O. G. Jordan, Marina Semyonova, Konstantin Sergeev, Galina Ulanova, Vakhtang Chabukiani and Alla Shelest, Tatyana Vecheslova.

In 1941, after graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School in the class of St. Petersburg teacher Maria Kozhukhova, Inna Zubkovskaya entered the theater.

In the post-war period, new productions appeared in the ballet repertoire of the Kirov Theater, in which danced: I. D. Belsky, B. Ya. Bregvadze, Inna Zubkovskaya, Ninel Kurgapkina, Askold Makarov, Olga Moiseeva, N. A. Petrova, V. D. Ukhov, K.V. Shatilov, N.B. Yastrebova.

In the last releases of A. Ya. Vaganova of the 50s, two names appeared and sparkled: Irina Kolpakova and Alla Osipenko; from the 1957 season, V. S. Kostrovitskaya’s student Gabriela Komleva appeared in the theater; in 1958, N. A.’s student appeared in the theater. Kamkova Alla Sizova, in 1959 E. V. Shiripina released the future world star Natalia Makarova, in 1963 L. M. Tyuntina’s student Natalya Bolshakova appeared in the theater, in 1966 - a student of the same teacher Elena Evteeva, in 1970 in the theater Galina Mezentseva, a student of N.V. Belikova, appeared, and also in 1970-1972. a graduate of the same teacher, Lyudmila Semenyaka, danced in the theater; students of Alexander Pushkin, Rudolf Nuriev, since 1958, and Mikhail Baryshnikov, since 1958, worked in the Kirov ballet; since 1958, Yuri Solovyov (a student of Boris Shavrov).

In the 80s, the next generation came to the theater, among the new stars Altynai Asylmuratova, Farukh Ruzimatov, Elena Pankova, Zhanna Ayupova, Larisa Lezhnina, Anna Polikarpova.

XXI Century

In the new millennium, the theater’s ballet troupe includes: Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Yulia Makhalina, Alina Somova and Victoria Tereshkina.

Ballet dancers

As of 2016, the core of the Mariinsky Theater ballet consists of the following artists:

Ballerinas and premieres

  • Ekaterina Kondaurova
  • Ulyana Lopatkina
  • Yulia Makhalina
  • Daria Pavlenko
  • Oksana Skorik
  • Alina Somova
  • Victoria Tereshkina
  • Diana Vishneva
  • Timur Askerov
  • Evgeniy Ivanchenko
  • Kimin Kim
  • Igor Kolb
  • Vladimir Shklyarov
  • Danila Korsuntsev
  • Denis Matvienko (guest soloist)

First soloists

Second soloists

Character dance soloists

Corypheas

    "Pharaoh's Daughter", 1898

    One of the performances, 2005

    "Swan Lake", 2004

    "La Bayadère", 2011

see also

  • History of the St. Petersburg ballet school

Notes

  1. Soloists of the Mariinsky Theater ballet. Mariinskii Opera House. Retrieved August 17, 2016.

Links

  • Ballet soloists - on the Mariinsky Theater website

Mariinsky Theater Ballet, Mariinsky Theater Ballet, Mariinsky Theater Ballet, Mariinsky Theater Ballet

Mariinsky Theater Ballet Information About

The Mariinsky Theater ballet troupe's tour in New York has ended. The main impression from these tours: at best, Valery Gergiev does not understand the art of ballet, at worst, he does not like this art.

Let's look at the facts.

BAM - Brooklyn Academy of Music is one of the theater centers of New York. Dancers from modern theaters and drama theaters constantly perform on the BAM stage, but not large troupes dancing classical ballets.

The stage at BAM is long and narrow. It was impossible to fit the corps de ballet of swans on this “treadmill”, and the number of corps de ballet dancers was reduced. The rest were still squeezed into this space so that they almost touched each other in packs, sometimes forming some kind of “mess” in the cramped space. The best corps de ballet in the world was placed in such conditions! What kind of “breathing” is there, what kind of magic is there when there is nowhere to dance?! And in general, all the scenes of the play looked sandwiched between the backdrop and the ramp.

When Ulyana Lopatkina in the role of Odile brilliantly twirled 32 fouettés at the back of the stage literally on one spot, not only I, as I learned, was worried: would she hit the Sovereign Princess sitting behind her in the face with her sock?

The theater did not bring its own linoleum, and the floor on the BAM stage is slippery. The dancers fell (one of the soloists was seriously injured). I'm not even talking about such “little things” as shallow wings. Or the lack of space behind the backdrop, which meant that performers had to run under the stage to enter the stage from the other side if necessary for the performance. How was it possible to bring a troupe to the theater without first checking whether the stage was suitable for a ballet performance?!

There is no ballet conductor in the theater, and this tragically affects the performance of ballet by the dancers. Neither Gergiev nor the other conductors coordinated their tempos with the choreography.

A ballet conductor is a separate profession, and such conductors have always been at the Mariinsky (Kirov) Theater. The most brilliant orchestra conductor in the world does not necessarily have this profession. How the most brilliant ballerina may not necessarily become a good tutor.

When the dancer does not have time to fix the pose and let us enjoy its beauty, or when the performer cannot finish the pirouettes cleanly because the conductor has “pushed” the tempo, the viewer is indifferent to how the violins play at that moment. A conductor can demonstrate his art to its full potential when performing with an orchestra at the Philharmonic or Carnegie Hall. Yes, Balanchine adhered to a different principle, but he was both a musician and a choreographer at the same time, and he understood that artists could dance at that tempo and what they could not, and he created a completely different ballet performance.

And, in any case, the Mariinsky Theater ballet should not dance the way other, the best ballet troupes in the world dance. The Mariinsky Theater ballet has its own historical characteristics, and they should not be neglected. At the Mariinsky Theatre, the style of performing classical ballet includes the obligatory concept of beauty as an integral part of the performance. This is a distinctive feature of Russian ballet in general. And the ballet conductor must understand this and give the dancers the opportunity to embody this beauty on stage.

Perhaps 100 years ago the pace was different, but during this time the style of performance and technique have changed so much that these circumstances cannot be ignored.

Moreover, each ballet dancer has his own individual characteristics. Some people need an accelerated tempo to successfully perform a fouetté, some need a slow tempo, and the ballet conductor used to always check the tempos with the soloists.

All this is not a whim of the artist, this is the condition under which he can dance at his best. Undoubtedly, music is the basis of ballet, but in a ballet performance dance dominates. Therefore, the main goal of the theater is to show the performance in its best quality. And this quality depends not only on the skill of the artists, but also on whether the conductor understands the art of ballet.

Gergiev did not think about the performance, which at times affected the quality of performance.

Program for the performance. It would be interesting to know who compiled it. The program lists Valery Gergiev, director of the Mariinsky Theater. But Yuri Fadeev is not indicated... Yes, his position in Russia is indicated vaguely: acting. But in fact, Fadeev is the director of the ballet troupe. Fadeev’s name is not in the “who’s who” section, where information is given - also not about all the theater soloists. But the program included a sheet of paper listing all the solo musicians of the orchestra... Who put this information on the program with such disdain for ballet?

And – the final chord. The last program consists of ballets to Chopin's music. The evening began with Chopiniana. The ballet was staged by Mikhail Fokin to Chopin's piano music orchestrated by A. Glazunov. But on tour in America, the ballet was danced to the piano (as they explained to me, Gergiev and the orchestra went to En Arbor for a two-day tour).

There are no complaints about the dancers in such conditions, but we were present at... a patron concert of the theater at the factory. I must say that American critics also noted the same shortcomings that I noted. In such conditions as the ballet was staged on tour, I have no right to judge the condition and quality of the troupe at the moment. Although some prime ministers successfully coped with difficulties.

Of course, Ulyana Lopatkina danced Odette-Odile with the talent and skill expected of her. But I would like to highlight two more acting successes.

Diana Vishneva in Alexei Ratmansky's ballet Cinderella. Why they chose this not the best Ratmansky ballet for the tour - I don’t know (I think the choreographer is also not happy with this choice). But Vishneva took this ballet to another level. She appeared in this performance as a creature from another planet, a different worldview and attitude.

And we should also mention Ekaterina Kondaurova in the second duet in Jerome Robbins’s ballet “In the Night”. It was a bright, talented performance, a kind of masterpiece. And Evgeny Ivanchenko was not only a partner - the history of their relationship was “read” in their duet.

But let me return to the general impression of the tour. Why did the ballet troupe's tour open with a performance of... an opera?... A small remark, but it fits into the overall picture...

Over the past few months, three Russian ballet companies have come to New York. The Bolshoi and Mikhailovsky Theater ballet danced at Lincoln Center and showed their best sides. One ballet of the Mariinsky Theater was placed in unfavorable conditions. And if Gergiev is named the sole leader of the tour, he should be responsible for them.

But here's the question that worries me. I'm not the only one who sees the flaws. Why is everyone silent? Am I the only one who continues to love this troupe so much that I am the only one who is offended by the disrespectful attitude towards it?

One of the oldest and leading musical theaters in Russia. The history of the theater dates back to 1783, when the Stone Theater was opened, in which drama, opera and ballet troupes performed. Department of opera (singers P.V. Zlov, A.M. Krutitsky, E.S. Sandunova, etc.) and ballet (dancers E.I. Andreyanova, I.I. Valberkh (Lesogorov), A.P. Glushkovsky, A.I. Istomina, E.I. Kolosova, etc.) troupes from the dramatic occurred in 1803. Foreign operas were performed on stage, as well as the first works of Russian composers. In 1836, the opera “A Life for the Tsar” by M.I. Glinka was staged, which opened the classical period of Russian opera. Outstanding Russian singers O.A. Petrov, A.Ya. Petrova, as well as M.M. Stepanova, E.A. Semyonova, S.S. Gulak-Artemovsky sang in the opera troupe. In the 1840s The Russian opera troupe was pushed aside by the Italian one, which was under the patronage of the court, and transferred to Moscow. Her performances were resumed in St. Petersburg only in the mid-1850s. on the stage of the Circus Theatre, which after a fire in 1859 was rebuilt (architect A.K. Kavos) and opened in 1860 under the name Mariinsky Theater (in 1883-1896 the building was reconstructed under the direction of architect V.A. Schröter). The creative development and formation of the theater are associated with the performance of operas (as well as ballets) by A.P. Borodin, A.S. Dargomyzhsky, M.P. Mussorgsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, P.I. Tchaikovsky (many works for the first time) . The high musical culture of the group was promoted by the activities of conductor and composer E.F. Napravnik (1863-1916). Choreographers M.I. Petipa and L.I. Ivanov made a great contribution to the development of ballet art. Singers E.A. Lavrovskaya, D.M. Leonova, I.A. Melnikov, E.K. Mravina, Yu.F. Platonova, F.I. Stravinsky, M.I. performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. and N.N. Figner, F.I. Chaliapin, dancers T.P. Karsavina, M.F. Kshesinskaya, V.F. Nizhinsky, A.P. Pavlova, M.M. Fokin and others. The performances were designed by major artists , including A.Ya. Golovin, K.A. Korovin.

After the October Revolution, the theater became state, and since 1919 - academic. Since 1920 it was called the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, since 1935 - named after Kirov. Along with classics, the theater staged operas and ballets by Soviet composers. A great contribution to the development of musical and theatrical art was made by singers I.V. Ershov, S.I. Migai, S.P. Preobrazhenskaya, N.K. Pechkovsky, ballet dancers T.M. Vecheslova, N.M. Dudinskaya, A. V. Lopukhov, K. M. Sergeev, G. S. Ulanova, V. M. Chabukiani, A. Ya. Shelest, conductors V. A. Dranishnikov, A. M. Pazovsky, B. E. Khaikin, directors V. A. Lossky, S. E. Radlov, N. V. Smolich, I. Yu. Shlepyanov, choreographers A. Ya. Vaganova, L. M. Lavrovsky, F. V. Lopukhov. During the Great Patriotic War, the theater was located in Perm, continuing to work actively (several premieres took place, including the opera “Emelyan Pugachev” by M.V. Koval, 1942). Some theater artists who remained in besieged Leningrad, including Preobrazhenskaya, P.Z. Andreev, performed in concerts, on the radio, and participated in opera performances. In the post-war years, the theater paid great attention to Soviet music. The artistic achievements of the theater are associated with the activities of the main conductors S.V. Yeltsin, E.P.Grikurov, A.I.Klimov, K.A.Simeonov, Yu.X.Temirkanov, directors E.N.Sokovnin, R.I.Tikhomirov , choreographers I.A. Belsky, K.M. Sergeev, B.A. Fenster, L.V. Yakobson, artists V.V. Dmitriev, I.V. Sevastyanov, S.B. Virsaladze and others. In the troupe ( 1990): chief conductor V.A. Gergiev, chief choreographer O.I. Vinogradov, singers I.P. Bogacheva, E.E. Gorokhovskaya, G.A. Kovaleva, S.P. Leiferkus, Yu.M. Marusin, V.M. Morozov, N.P. Okhotnikov, K.I. Pluzhnikov, L.P. Filatova, B.G. Shtokolov, ballet dancers S.V. Vikulov, V.N. Gulyaev, I.A. Kolpakova, G.T. Komleva, N.A. Kurgapkina, A.I. Sizova and others. Awarded the Order of Lenin (1939), the Order of the October Revolution (1983). Large-circulation newspaper “For Soviet Art” (since 1933).

When planning material about ballerinas for the May holidays, we did not know that such sad news would come from Germany... Today, when the whole world mourns the legend of Russian ballet Maya Plisetskaya, we honor her memory and remember modern soloists who will never replace the prima of the Bolshoi Theater, but they will worthily continue the history of Russian ballet.

The Bolshoi Theater showered ballerina Maria Alexandrova with attention from the first meeting. The first prize won in 1997 at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow became a ticket for the then student of the Moscow State Academy of Arts to the main troupe of the country. In the very first season of work at the Bolshoi, without long languor, the ballerina, still with the rank of corps de ballet dancer, received her first solo role. And the repertoire grew and expanded. Interesting fact: in 2010, the ballerina became the first woman in the history of ballet to perform the title role in Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Today Maria Alexandrova is a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi.

The turning point in the fate of the aspiring ballerina Svetlana Zakharova was the receipt of second prize in the Vaganova-Prix competition for young dancers and the subsequent offer to become a graduate student at the Academy of Russian Ballet. Vaganova. And the Mariinsky Theater became a reality in the ballerina’s life. After graduating from the academy, the ballerina joined the Mariinsky Theater troupe, after working for a season, she received an offer to become a soloist. The history of Zakharova’s relationship with the Bolshoi began in 2003 with the solo part in “Giselle” (edited by V. Vasiliev). In 2009, Zakharova surprised the audience with the premiere of E. Palmieri’s unusual ballet “Zakharova. Super game". The Bolshoi did not plan it, but Zakharova organized it, and the theater supported the experiment. By the way, there has already been a similar experience of staging a ballet at the Bolshoi for a single ballerina, but only once: in 1967, Maya Plisetskaya shone in Carmen Suite.

What can I say, those who are taking their first steps in ballet from Zakharova’s repertoire are dizzy and envy appears. To date, her track record includes all solo parts of the main ballets - “Giselle”, “Swan Lake”, “La Bayadère”, “Carmen Suite”, “Diamonds”...

The beginning of Ulyana Lopatkina's ballet career was the role of Odette in Swan Lake, of course, at the Mariinsky Theater. The performance was so skillful that the ballerina soon received the Golden Sofit award for the best debut on the St. Petersburg stage. Since 1995, Lopatkina has been a prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater. The repertoire again includes familiar titles - “Giselle”, “Corsair”, “La Bayadère”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Raymonda”, “Diamonds”, etc. But geography is not limited to work on one stage. Lopatkina conquered the main stages of the world: from the Bolshoi Theater to NHK in Tokyo. At the end of May on the stage of the Musical Theater. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Lopatkina will perform in collaboration with “Stars of Russian Ballet” in honor of Tchaikovsky’s anniversary.

At the end of March, the name of Diana Vishneva, prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater since 1996, was on everyone’s lips. The Bolshoi hosted the premiere of the play “Grani,” nominated for the Golden Mask award. The event is vibrant and discussed. The ballerina gave interviews, joked in response to questions about her close acquaintance with Abramovich and pointed to her husband accompanying her everywhere. But the performance ended, and a course was set for London, where on April 10, Vishneva and Vodianova held a charity evening for the Naked Heart Foundation. Vishneva actively performs on the best stages of Europe and does not refuse experimental, unexpected offers.

Balanchine’s “Diamonds” was mentioned above. Ekaterina Shipulina, a graduate of the Moscow State Academy of Arts, shines in “Emeralds” and “Rubies.” And not only, of course. The ballerina's repertoire includes leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake, Notre Dame de Paris, Lost Illusions, Cinderella, Giselle, and collaborations with the best choreographers - Grigorovich, Eifman, Ratmansky, Neumeier, Roland Petit ...

Evgenia Obraztsova, graduate of the Academy of Russian Ballet named after. Vaganova, first became a prima ballerina at the Mariinsky Theater, where she performed La Sylphide, Giselle, La Bayadère, Princess Aurora, Flora, Cinderella, Ondine... In 2005, the ballerina gained cinematic experience by playing in Cedric Klapisch’s film “Beauties”. In 2012, she joined the Bolshoi troupe, where, as a prima ballerina, she performed solo roles in the productions “Don Quixote,” “The Sleeping Beauty,” “La Sylphide,” “Giselle,” “Eugene Onegin,” and “Emeralds.”