Lo n d o n Co l i s e u m 13 – 23 August 2015 Season

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées 24 – 28 February 2016

Pyotr Tchaikovsky in 3 acts 24 – 25 February

Ludwig Minkus Ballet in 3 acts 26 February

Pyotr Tchaikovsky THE ST PETERSBURG NUTCRACKER Ballet in 3 acts 27 – 28 February Irina Kolesnikova Soloists, corps de ballet and orchestra of Irina Kolesnikova is diva of dance with ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE whom few stars can compare.

Journal du – Paris, France www.theatrechampselysees.fr www.irinakolesnikova.com Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for attending performances of The Irina Kolesnikova Season.

I have been waiting a very long six years for this return to the with capital of Great Britain and for me it’s very difficult to express Denis Rodkin, Bolshoy Ballet the excitement that I feel. Vadim Muntagirov, Royal Ballet and The project Irina Kolesnikova Season involves some of the Natalia Matsak, Ukranian National Opera brightest stars in todays ballet Kimin Kim, world. I would like to thank Natalia Matsak, Prima ballerina of the Ukraine National Opera, LONDON COLISEUM Denis Rodkin, Premier of 13 – 23 August 2015 the , Vadim Muntagirov, Principal dancer Swan Lake and La Bayadère at and Kimin Kim, Premier of the Mariinsky Theatre, all of who kindly agreed to take part in my first London season.

A world-class triumph… Irina Kolesnikova’s reputation was built in the United Kingdome, we watched in wonder as this colossal talent blossomed year after year. Moreover, I would like to express heartfelt thanks to the artists, soloists and Hurry back to us, Kolesnikova, we deserve you. management of the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre for their continued long-term support. This Theatre believed in me, accepted me into the company at a time The Sunday Express when I needed to make important career decisions and then created all the conditions for me to succeed as a ballerina.

I hope that the celebration of classical ballet on the stage of the legendary London Coliseum will give you many wonderful moments and will let you escape from everyday worries for just a little while!

I wish you a pleasant evening!

Sincerely yours,

Irina Kolesnikova as Odette. Photo Nina Alovert Irina Kolesnikova ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE 3 Named artists are subject to change. The management reserves the right to substitute any artist, even at short notice should the need arise DenisNatalia Rodkin MATSAK

Denis Rodkin

Denis was born in .

He graduated from the Moscow Acad- emy of Choreography as part of the “Gzhel’” Theatre, and went on become a member of the Bolshoi Theatre where he attracted the attention of Nikolai Tsiskaridze, the Bolshoi Theatre’s pre- mier ballet master.

Under his guidance, Denis learned the roles of Blue Bird in “Sleeping Beauty”, Taor in “The Pharaoh’s daughter”, An- toine in “”, Prince Sieg- fried in ”Swan Lake”, Nutcracker Prince in “” and Jean de Bri- enne in “”.

In 2012 he danced the role of Kurbsky in “Ivan the Terrible” which attracted the attention of Yuriy Grigorovich. As a re- sult he went on to dance Grigorovich’s Spartacus in the ballet of the same name and Ferkhad in a Legend of Love.

The in which Denis Rodkin has featured have been shown in cinemas around the world in the “ on Film” proj- ect. He has also successfully performed in John Kranko’s Onegin, a classic of international dance, where he produced a very exact portrayal of Onegin’s contradictory character.

Russian press

The premiere performance of the ballet “John the Great” by Yuri Grigorovich was staged at Bolshoi Theater. Denis Rodkin, who danced the role of Prince Andrey Kiurbsky , leaves little doubt that he is a great find for this new staging of the ballet . Rodkin charmed the audience with his very special interpretation .His individuality and expression created real drama and he demonstrated the breathtaking power of his dancing.

Denis Rodkin debuted with the role of Ferhad in the ballet of “Legend of Love”. His softness of line and extremely high jumps helped to reveal the dramatic pattern of his interpretation of the role. Denis Rodkin as Spartacus 4 5 Vadim Muntagirov

Vadim Muntagirov

Russian dancer Vadim Muntagirov is a Principal of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The and joined the Company from as a Principal in 2014. His roles with the Company include Basilio (Don Quixote), Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty), Colas (La Fille mal gardée), Lensky (Onegin), Des Grieux (Manon), Jack/The Knave of Hearts (Alice’s Adventures in Wonder- land), Florizel (The Winter’s Tale) and in Symphonic Variations, The Four Tem- peraments and Afternoon of a Faun.

Muntagirov was born in Chelyabinsk, the son of two dancers. He trained at Perm Ballet School before moving to The Roy- al Ballet Upper School. He graduated into English National Ballet in 2009, pro- moted to first soloist in 2010, principal in 2011 and lead principal in 2012. His roles with ENB included , Conrad (), Albrecht (), Prince (Cinderella), Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall), Prince Désiré (The Sleeping Beauty) and roles in Song of a Wayfarer. He created the role of Prince in ’s The Nutcracker.

Muntagirov’s awards include the 2011 Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Male Perfor- mance (Classical) and the 2013 Benois de la danse. As a guest artist he has danced with such companies as the Mariinsky and , in repertory including Solor (La Bayadère), and at National Ballet of Japan, Bavarian State Ballet, Mikhailovsky and .

“Dancing Siegfried in Swan Lake, Muntagirov shows how magnificently he’s grown into his talent.

We can take for granted, now, his floating line, his tightly finished jumps and his elegantly finessed partnering. What’s new – and mesmerising – is the range of his musicality and acting. Muntagirov doesn’t just show us a callow Prince yearning for romance: his entire body seems possessed by the seductive, intoxicating melancholy of Tchaikovsky’s score. When he finds his ideal love in Daria Klimentová’s Odette, he adds a sweetly touching register of protectiveness – awed by Odette’s fragility, he wants to protect as much as possess her.”

Judith Mackrell, The Guardian Vadim Muntagirov as Prince Siegfried. Photo D. Klimentova

6 7 Vadim Muntagirov

Vadim Muntagirov. Photo Amber Hunt Vadim Muntagirov. Photo D. Klimentova

8 9 Natalia Matsak

Natalia Matsak

Honored Artist of Ukraine, the lead dancer of the National Academic Opera and Bal- let Theatre of Ukraine named after. TG Shevchenko. In her repertoire - a gentle and insidious Odette Odile in the bal- let “Swan Lake”, a young and ambitious Masha in “Nutcracker”, a cheerful and playful Kitri in “Don Quixote.” She danced magnificently beautiful slave Medora in “Le Corsaire”, wonderfully expressed all the emotions and feelings of Carmen in “Car- men Suite”. Her party in the ballet Ray- monda won the audience. Zobeide images in “Scheherazade”, Nikiya and Gamzatti in “La Bayadere” Natalie managed to convey very colorful in their own way.

If we talk about the early career ballerina Natalia Matsak dancing started to 4 years. From 1992 to 2000 she studied at the Kiev State Choreographic School. Natalia skill honed choreographer and teacher-tutor wonderful People’s Artist of USSR Ludmila Smorgacheva.

Ukrainian ballet star is winner of international ballet competitions. Her list of awards winning appear at the International Competition Serge Lifar in Kiev (silver medal in 2004), the Inter- national Ballet Competition in Moscow and choreographers in 2005 (bronze medal). At the VI International Competition Serge Lifar in April 2006 Natalia Matsak won the gold medal.

Constantly takes part in the gala concert “Stars of World Ballet” with the best actors around the world. Rostral is constantly on tour, Natalie applauded in Japan, Korea, Canada, Portu- gal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Mexico and other countries.

“The distribution goes beyond all expectations. Indeed, the title character, Nikiya was wonderfully performed by Natalia Matsak, who is “Etoile” at the Ukrainian Ballet. Natalia Matsak has a very charming sensitivity and a perfect technique. Her partner was the famous and brilliant Vadim Muntagirov, Soloist of the Royal Ballet in London, who performed a majestic Solor. His technique, very fluent and natural, gives him a typical aerial style.” Christophe de Jouvancourt – Kuturkompasset, Paris

Natalya Matsak as Odette

10 11 Natalia Matsak

Natalya Matsak as Odile - Natalya Matsak as Odette

12 13 Kimin Kim

Kimin Kim

A student of the renowned Leningrad-St Peters- burg dancers Vladimir Kim and Margarita Kulik, Kim Kimin is well trained and has a fine technique, light leaps and, it would appear, just as easy a na- ture which allows him to grasp everything in mid- flight: with each and every new performance the dancer improves in terms of both technique and artistry.

PRO Dance • Prize-winner at international ballet competi- tions in Rome (1st prize, 2008), Moscow (2nd prize, 2009), Seoul (1st prize, 2009), Jackson (2nd prize, 2010) and Varna (1st prize, 2010) • Grand Prix at the Arabesque international ballet competition (Perm, 2012) • Grand Prix at the in- ternational competition (New York, 2012) Born in Seoul.

Graduated from the Korea National University of Arts (class of Vladimir Kim and Margarita Kulik). For half a year he was a trainee with the . At the Mariinsky Theatre he made his debut as Ali in the ballet Le Corsaire (coached by Viktor Baranov). Since July 2012 he has been a First Soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet.

Repertoire includes: Giselle (Count Albrecht, Classical Duet); choreography by Jean Coralli, and Mar- ius Petipa, La Bayadère (Solor, Golden Idol); choreography by , revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev and (Dance of the Golden Idol choreographed by Nikolai Zubkovsky), Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried, the Prince’s Friends); choreography by Marius Petipa and , revised version by , Don Quixote (Basilio); choreography by Alexander Gorsky, the Diane and Actéon from the ballet La Es- meralda (Actéon); choreography by , (Mercutio); cho- reography by , ’s ballets (Rubies), (III. Allegro vivace), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pas de deux from Act II) and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, The Nutcracker (Nutcracker Prince); choreography by Vasily Vainonen, Le Cor- saire (Ali); production by Pyotr Gusev after the composition and choreography of Marius Petipa, Schéhérazade (the Slave); choreography by Michel Fokine, Études; choreography by Harald Lander, (Aminta); choreography by , The Legend of Love (Ferkhad); choreography by Yuri Grigorovich, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude; choreog- raphy by William Forsythe, Concerto DSCH; choreography by and Infra; choreography by Wayne McGregor.

“Kimin Kim made one sensation after another as the hero, Solor. This tall young Korean dancer is a new star with the Mariinsky Ballet; he jumps astoundingly, turns with prowess and carries himself with nobility.” Al a s t a i r Ma c a u l a y , New York Times Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

14 15 Kimin Kim

Kimin Kim with Kimin Kim with Anastasia Matvienko. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

16 17 P. I. Tchaikovsky

“…the overall pure joy of Kolesnikova’s interpretation is not only a LONDON COLISEUM true reflection of some of the most beautiful and evocative music Tchaikovsky ever wrote but an affirmation of the power and joy 13 – 21 August 2015 of dance” Jeffery Taylor, The Sunday Express (UK) SwanLake “Kolesnikova is a real artist whose gifts include CAST expressive arms, a pliant torso and a meltingly slow, expansive yet detailed style that draws us right to her…..Kolesnikova is a dream of an Odette.” Odette/Odile Donald Hutera, The Times (UK)

“Irina Kolesnikova looks like a princess Irina Kolesnikova straight out of Russian fairy tales….This is the first time that the mastery of 13 ,14, 15, 17, 18, 20 & 21 August is being represented not by the ballerinas of the Bolshoi or the Kirov, but by a star from an independent company”

Natalya Matsak Nina Alovert, Dance Magazine (USA) 15m**, 16, 20m, 22m August

Prince Siegfried Denis Rodkin 13, 14, 15, 17 & 18 August Vadim Muntagirov 20 & 21 August Kimin Kim 15m**, 16, 20m, 22m August

The management reserves the right to substitute any scheduled artist for any reason whatsoever even at short notice should the need arise.

**m denotes matinee performance Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Photo Irina Kolesnikova as Odile 18 19 SWAN LAKE

Music: Libretto: Vladimir Begichev, Vasily Geltser Choreography: Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa Staging (1996): Yuri Gumba Costumes: Galina Solovieva Scenery: Semyen Pastukh

ACT I Scene one The terrace of castle is filled with joy and merriment - Prince Siegfried is celebrating his coming of age, his courtiers congratulate him while his mischievous jester entertains the assembled guests. The servants announce the arrival of his mother the queen, she presents her son with a crossbow for the hunt. The queen reminds her son that at tomorrow coming of age ball he will have to choose a bride. Night is fast approaching and the guests take leave, Siegfried is finally alone with his thoughts and premonitions of what the future may bring. In the twilight a flock of swans pass over and he rushes to the lake. Scene two At the lake in the heart of the forest, the swans having stepped ashore turn into beautiful young girls Siegfried about to draw his crossbow stops fascinated by their beauty. Odette the swan princess is startled by Siegfrieds presence, he assures her no harm will come to her. Odette tells him of her terrible plight. Tells him of her high birth and how she has fallen under the spell of be a swan and only in the hours of darkness to assume her human form. She tells him she is bound for eternity by the spell unless an unblemished youth swears eternal fidelity and marries her. Siegfried realizes his destiny has changed. Day is breaking, the swans are again swimming on the lake, Odette bids a sad farewell, Siegfried is left desolate. ACT II Scene Three The coming of age ball commences at the castle. The young noblewomen whom the Queen has chosen as prospective brides are presented to Prince Siegfried, he shows no interest thinking only of Odette. The entertainment and merrymaking continue until a fanfare announces the arrival of more guests. Rothbart disguised as a knight sweeps in with his daughter Odille, Siegfried is dazzled by her beauty and her resemblance to Odette, swears his love and fidelity..... Rothbart the sorcerer triumphs in his deception. Siegfried horrified at what he has done rushes from the ball and into the night. ACT III Scene four At the lakeside Odette tells her fellow swans of Rothbarts devilish trickery. Siegfried fleeing from the ball arrives at the shore begging Odette’s forgiveness and telling of his undying love for her. Rothbart appears and he and his black swans battle with Siegfried and the forces of good until the light of the dawn breaks and the forces of evil are vanquished. The rising sun gives birth to new life, happiness and love. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

20 21 Tchaikovsky met Antonia, proposed to her and they were married – hastily - Pyotr Tchaikovsky in July. It was a catastrophe from the start; and Tchaikovsky is understood to have attempted suicide, later that year. Although he had ceased to live with and the Music of Swan Lake Antonia by September, they remained married for the rest of his life.

1877 was also the year that Tchaikovsky composed Swan Lake, which premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 4th March. It was hardly an overnight success and would probably have gone the way of the majority of new ballets from the period – that is, into oblivion – had it not been for Pyotr Tchaikovsky the music. Tchaikovsky’s lack of confidence in his own ability to craft a Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) composed just three ballet scores but each has assumed a legendary status. His ballet score took a knock when he witnessed a performance of Sylvia by Léo enduring achievement is to have established the indelible trademark for ballet: the universal and timeless image Delibes (1836 –1891), which had premiered in Paris, on 14th June 1876, after of the ballerina in a swan costume, dancing to his music. which he declared that his developing score for Swan Lake was “…poor stuff in comparison”. Two more unsuccessful attempts were made to revive the Born in 1840, Pyotr spent his first eight years in the town of Votkinsk in the Vyatka province (in what is now the ballet in Moscow – in 1880 and 1882 – with different choreography. Udmurt Republic). His father, Ilya, was an engineer and civil servant who had become manager of the local ironworks; and his mother, Alexandra, was of aristocratic French descent. Both parents were accomplished It was a combination of The Sleeping Beauty and an eternal sleep that served to eventually awaken this slumbering amateur musicians and Tchaikovsky began piano lessons, aged 5, although his early musical studies were not swan. The perceptive director of the Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, having cleared the way for engaging especially distinguished. He appears to have quickly assimilated an ability to understand musical theory and Tchaikovsky by abolishing the role of in-house ballet composer (previously occupied by ), invited structure, but these gifts were not remarkable enough to deter his father from sending ten year-old Pyotr to him to work with Marius Petipa in creating The Sleeping Beauty, which premiered on 15th January 1890, again to board at the School of Jurisprudence, 1,300 km away in St Petersburg; a deliberate strategy as a precursor for an initial coolness from the critics, but trumped by an enthusiastic reaction from the public, eager to enter this a career in the civil service. fantasy world. Tchaikovsky’s next ballet, The Nutcracker, which opened on 18th December 1892, also received a mixed reception. Alexandra succumbed to cholera, when Pyotr was just 14 and away at school. The pain of parting from his mother and her subsequent death remained indelibly marked on the composer’s emotional personality for the rest of his By this time, Tchaikovsky had international fame both as a composer and a conductor but this global success life. His father also contracted cholera but recovered and married again (for the third time). Tchaikovsky was the provided no escape from his own private misery. The breakdown of his epistolary (though, remarkably intimate) second of five sons and he had a sister (also, Alexandra) and a half-sister from his father’s first marriage. friendship with Mme von Meck was a major emotional blow to both of them, each blaming the other for ending It seems that it was a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni that convinced 12 year-old Tchaikovsky to devote his the relationship. His sexuality was always a cause of anxiety, linked to fears that he might be “outed” as a life to music. The loss of his mother, two years later, led to his first serious attempt at composition, writing a waltz homosexual at any time, and unhappiness at having to hide his true feelings in a very public life that he had come in her memory on a grief-stricken family holiday by the Gulf of Finland. Music remained an important backdrop to view with disdain. to Tchaikovsky’s studies in St Petersburg and subsequently during his three-year career with the Ministry of Justice. He took private lessons in music theory and composition, organised by the Russian Musical Society, the There is no doubting that Tchaikovsky was a man of immense emotional sensitivity, not least because his forerunner to the St Petersburg Conservatoire, which opened its doors, in 1862, with Tchaikovsky (now, 22) as sentimentality was so often the inspiration for his greatest melodies. All told, the combination of all these one of its founder students. He kept his options open for a year by hanging on to his job at the Ministry. characteristics – and a feeling of “loss” that epitomised the composer’s life since the death of his mother – led His progress was rapid and after three years study, Tchaikovsky graduated with such distinction that the to deep bouts of depression, that became more frequent in the last years of his life. Conservatoire’s director, Anton Rubinstein, recommended him as professor of composition at the newly constituted Moscow Conservatoire. This opened in 1866 with Rubinstein’s brother, Nikolai, as its founding In St Petersburg, on 28th October 1893, Tchaikovsky conducted the premiere of his Sixth Symphony (known as director and Tchaikovsky as one of its first cohort of professors. Two years later, Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony Pathétique). Nine days’ later, he was dead at the age of 53. His sudden demise was initially attributed to the (Winter Daydreams) was completed (although it caused a rift with Anton Rubinstein who, continuing to treat same disease that had taken his mother 40 years previously, as he was believed to have contracted cholera by Tchaikovsky as a student, sought many changes that the composer eventually refused to countenance). drinking infected water from a local stream. It is now more popularly believed that the composer succeeded where he had failed before; and that his death was from arsenic poisoning, most likely self-inflicted. For more than a decade, until 1878, Tchaikovsky combined his professorial duties with a globetrotting job as music critic, as well as developing his burgeoning career as a composer. While his First Symphony had received Swan Lake was now also destined to snatch success from a past history of failure. A year after Tchaikovsky’s a mixed reception, his next major work, a fantasy-overture on the theme of Romeo and Juliet was wholeheartedly death, a special concert was held at the Mariinsky Theatre, in his memory. It included the second (lakeside) recognised as a masterpiece across the fragmented politics of Russian music: welcomed by both the conservative act of Swan Lake (with new choreography by Lev Ivanov). Inspired by its success and determined to honour wing (including the Rubinsteins) who took their influences from the west and the fast-emerging Nationalist school, the memory of the great composer, the Mariinsky authorities decided to restage the full ballet. The music led by the “mighty handful” of Russian composers (Balakirev, Borodin, Cui, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov). director, Riccardo Drigo, was asked to restore the score, which he did, adding a couple of variations from other Tchaikovsky swayed a little nearer to “the five” with his Second Symphony, which is dominated by the traditions Tchaikovsky pieces. In this refreshed format, a resuscitated Swan Lake opened at the Mariinsky Theatre on 15th of Russian folk song but he generally steered an independent course somewhere between the vitriolic extremes January 1895, nearly 20 years after it had been composed, and over a year past Tchaikovsky’s death. The rest of these two factions. is history; and the history of Swan Lake is that of the most popular ballet the world has ever known.

1877 was more than just another year in Tchaikovsky’s life. It was the year in which Nadezhda von Meck – a Tchaikovsky elevated ballet music onto a higher plane of seriousness. Before his work, composing for the ballet wealthy benefactress of the arts - offered him the safety net of an annual allowance (which grew over time to 6,000 was considered to be an inferior branch of musical composition. Tchaikovsky would probably, himself, have roubles) so that he could devote himself entirely to composition. Her only condition was that they should never credited Delibes for this breakthrough. But, Tchaikovsky’s prodigious gift for melody and intuitive understanding meet and her grant continued until their relationship (conducted through more than 1,000 letters) broke down, of how to build emotion through music that cries out to be danced, has meant that he continues to make his in 1890. In April, Tchaikovsky received a series of passionate letters from a former student, Antonia Milyukova, music dance from beyond the grave. He may only have composed three scores for ballet but his music has been declaring undying love. It was also the year in which Tchaikovsky was composing the opera, Eugene Onegin used to make many more enduring works, such as George Balanchine’s (1934), John Cranko’s Onegin and he became obsessed with the fate of its heroine, Tatiana. Determined not to treat Antonia as heartlessly (1965) and Kenneth MacMillan’s Anastasia (1971); and there can be no doubt that Tchaikovsky will continue to as Onegin had treated Tatiana, and needing a respectable façade behind which to hide his homosexuality, inspire choreographers to make movement for many more years. © Graham Watts 22 23 SWAN LAKE 24 greatest the of achievements inballethistory. one certainly is legacy His today. world the over all audiences to ofballet appeal to continue compositions his of best the and development technically, and choreographically the influenced compositions his and ballet in work Petipa’s including ballets Swan Lake,Nutcracker andSleepingBeauty. 46 over created he career, his alt atr n St Petersburg. During in master ballet 1862, he was appointed In choreography great Petipa of secrets the of many learnt assistant, Perrot’s act. As second the in work own his of some adding instructions, Perrot’s St in Jules accordancewith in produced Giselle 1847 Petipa in Grisi, Carlotta for Paquita1850 In Petersburg. in was debut His Russian years. thirty-five about for Ballet Imperial Tsar’s the of monarch the was and dancer a as career substantial a had he Marseilles, in Born Marius Petipa (1818–1910) h Rsin acr ble mse and Petipa’s father, Jean. master ballet Petersburg, where one of his teachers was Marius St and Moscow dancer, both in studied choreographer, Russian The Lev Ivanov He joined the corps de ballet of the Maryinsky Maryinsky the of ballet de corps the joined He (later Kirov) Theatre in 1850 and did not retire from1893until dancing character(latterly at) H ws pone rgser – régisseur appointed was He parts). eera mngr i 18 and 1882 in – manager rehearsal second balletmasterin1885. His first choreography in choreography1885 in first His was a new version of La Fille La of version new a was Mal Gardée. In 1892, he choreographed the first production of Marius Petipa’sNutcracker,Marius The of ill. taken Petipa having lyricism of the snowflake scene is usually attributed to attributed is usually scene snowflake the of lyricism i. e hrorpe pr o a 85 eie Swan revived 1895 a of part choreographed He him. Lake, giving a soft quality to the lakeside scenes two two scenes lakeside the to quality soft a giving Lake, and four. He was a man of much sensitivity and musicality and musicality and sensitivity much of man a was He s eadd oa a te ine o te symphonic the of pioneer the as today regarded is ballets that emerged in the beginning of the twentieth century. 25

Photo Vladimir Zenzinov SWAN LAKE

Irina Kolesnikova as Odile. Dmitry Akulinin – Prince Siegfried. Photo KT Irina Kolesnikova as Odette. Denis Rodkin - Prince Siegfried. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

26 27 SWAN LAKE

Irina Kolesnikova as Odile. Denis Rodkin - Prince Siegfried. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Denis Rodkin as Prince Siegfried. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

28 29 SWAN LAKE

For anyone who had never seen a white swan, this vision of Irina Kolesnikova emerging as Odette, the Swan Queen, would remain imprinted forever.

Her every movement, from the languid entwining of her long, slender arms and expressive hands to the tremulous shaking in her legs, as she portrays her fear of the stranger and gradually transforms from swan to exquisitely beautiful woman, is hypnotic poetry in motion.

It is that talent for interpretation that made famous and it makes your heart leap to see it happen again, in spades, so many years later.

Barbara Booth – ArtsHub – Melbourne, Australia

Irina Kolesnikova as Odette. Dmitry Akulinin – Prince Siegfried. Photos Sergei Konstantinov

30 31 THE HISTORY OF SWAN LAKE

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is a moral that could have Both Karpakova and Reisinger had otherwise undistinguished careers and but for their shared been written to describe the early history of Swan Lake. involvement in the premiere of the world’s most famous ballet, it is likely that their names would have A man called Vladimir Begichev deserves credit for the world’s most both been consigned to the merest of footnotes in ballet history. famous ballet. Begichev, the director of the Imperial Theatres of Moscow, was determined to secure a ballet score by Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky’s score came in for less opprobrium but was considered, by some, to be heavy and and it is generally believed that he wrote the libretto for Swan Lake by oppressive, even described as “Wagnerian” by one critic (an ironic allusion, since Tchaikovsky, himself adapting folk legends and fairy tales from across Russia and Central a music critic, had declared that he was “bored” by the premiere of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the first Europe. Tchaikovsky was easily persuaded and threw himself into the Bayreuth Festival, just seven months’ previously). project, beginning to compose the ballet in 1875. The ballet didn’t disappear from Moscow. Sobeshchanskaya lobbied to get her role back and she An alternative version of these events is that Begichev courted got her wish, a few weeks’ later, on 26th April 1877. But, she also struggled with the choreography Tchaikovsky with the idea of making a ballet score and invited the and disliked the music. She felt so strongly about it that Sobeshchanskaya travelled to St. Petersburg composer to set the theme. A nephew and niece of Tchaikovsky wrote to meet the Imperial Theatre’s principal ballet master, Marius Petipa, asking him to choreograph a that their uncle had made a small ballet for their enjoyment at home, whole new pas de deux to replace Reisinger’s pas de six in what has become the third act. Petipa entitled The Lake of the Swans, in 1871. In which case, it seems too much complied with her request, commissioning music from the in-house ballet composer, Ludwig Minkus. of a coincidence not to acknowledge that the composer must have had However, Tchaikovsky got wind of this proposed change and refused to allow another composer’s a major stake in choosing the subject for the Bolshoi’s ballet; although it remains likely that Begichev music into his score. Instead he offered to choreograph a new pas de deux, using Minkus’ music as a wrote the full libretto. Incidentally, he was probably helped in some respect by a Bolshoi danseur, guide (since he was unable to see Petipa’s choreography, which had already been created in another Vasily Geltser (since his name appears on original manuscripts). This has a neat synergy with the fact city). Incidentally, this extra pas de deux was soon dropped and it lay, unnoticed in the archives, until that Geltser’s daughter, Ekaterina, who was just 3 months’ old at the time of the premiere, became being discovered in 1953. It is this music that George Balanchine used to great effect in creating his the first ballerina to dance the complete dual role of Odette/Odile in the USA. much-loved Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux (1960).

Having signed up the composer, Begichev then approached the Czech choreographer and ballet As Tchaikovsky’s reputation began to soar, notably after the success of his opera, Eugene Onegin (in master, Julius Reisinger, to create the ballet. Reisinger had been born in , in 1828. His first 1879), the Bolshoi authorities determined that they should once again attempt to revive Swan Lake major ballet engagement was as ballet master in Leipzig, coming to Moscow in 1871 as a guest in the hope of making it a success, second time around. Reisinger had left the Bolshoi and he was choreographer to make Cinderella. He became ballet master at the Bolshoi in 1873, remaining in post succeeded as ballet master by Joseph Hansen, who choreographed a revised version of the ballet until 1878. for his own benefit performance, on 13th January 1880. The dual role of Odette/Odile was danced by a student of the Moscow Imperial Ballet School, Evdokia Kalmykova, with Alfred Bekefi as Siegfried. Tchaikovsky and Reisinger worked largely in mutual isolation during the creative process and this The occasion was convivial although the ballet was by no means a great success. inevitably led to tension, requiring several rewrites of the score before it was in a fit state to perform. They had scant regard for one another. It is understood that Reisinger even tried to substitute some of Hansen made further revisions – including a new set of dances for what is now the third act – for a Tchaikovsky’s score with the work of others but Tchaikovsky insisted that his work be reinstated. further version, which premiered on 28th October 1882, again with Kalmykova as Odette/Odile. But, it remained unsuccessful, receiving only four performances before being dropped from the repertory The first performance of Swan Lake was a testimonial performance held at the Bolshoi Theatre in after its final outing on 2nd January 1883. Moscow on 4th March 1877. The ballerina being honoured by the proceeds of the show was Pelagia (sometimes also known as Polina) Karpakova, who was therefore the first woman to portray Odette, All-in-all, over its seven-year stint in Moscow, these three versions of Swan Lake, totalled 33 the swan queen. It is likely – but not known for certain – that Karpakova also portrayed the role of performances. It is likely that the major reason for its demise may have been practical. A friend of Odile (the black swan). The first Prince Siegfried was the Bolshoi’s premier danseur, Victor Gillert, Tchaikovsky (N. Kashkin) wrote at the time: “Swan Lake remained in the repertoire until the scenery and the inaugural Rothbart was Sergey Sokolov. was worn to shreds”. Incidentally, in that same account, Kashkin alleged that - by the time of the final performance in 1883 - only two-thirds of the music in Swan Lake remained as originally written by Karpakova’s performance evidently left the audience unmoved, perhaps because she was not the Tchaikovsky. ballerina on whom the role of Odette was intended; and perhaps because – as a ballerina well past her prime – she insisted on interpolating safe choreography from other ballets in her repertoire to Another short-lived production followed later in 1883, in Prague (just 8 performances), with replace the new work she was supposed to perform. The dancer originally scheduled for the premiere choreography by August Berger. And, that really should have been that. The Russian and French was the Bolshoi’s leading ballerina of the time, Anna Sobeshchanskaya. But, she was pulled from the companies of the 19th Century were full of ballets that were premiered, had a brief run of performances, role when a leading civil servant complained that Sobeshchanskaya had accepted expensive items of and were then consigned to oblivion. But none of these had a score by Tchaikovsky. jewellery from him, only to marry another dancer and sell his gifts for cash! Having invited Tchaikovsky to make The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker in St Petersburg That first performance was beset with problems. Tchaikovsky’s score was regarded as being too (respectively in 1890 and 1892), both Petipa and the director of the Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, difficult and several alterations were made – by both ballerina and conductor – in the days and hours were set on reviving Swan Lake at the Mariinsky Theatre. Tchaikovsky died before this plan could be leading to the premiere. Unsurprisingly, the performance was not well received. Audiences were put into action and so the in-house music director, Riccardo Drigo, was forced to revise Tchaikovsky’s unimpressed by the choreography and the set design. Herman Laroche – a well-known critic and score to suit new choreography by Petipa and his assistant, Lev Ivanov. It is this reworked Tchaikovsky composer – wrote: “…I had never seen a poorer presentation on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. The score by Drigo that most versions of Swan Lake have used ever since. costumes and décor did not hide in the least the emptiness of the dances”.

32 33 THE HISTORY OF SWAN LAKE

The first of two memorial concerts for Tchaikovsky – in February 1884 – showcased Ivanov’s Geltser as Odette/Odile. However, it wasn’t until 1940 that San Francisco Ballet became the first choreography for a new second act (although, at this time, it was described as the second scene of indigenous US company to stage a full-length Swan Lake, with William Christensen’s choreography the first act): the lakeside setting which brings Odette and Siegfried together for the first time. The based on the Petipa-Ivanov production. role of Odette was danced by the Italian prima ballerina, Pierina Legnani, who had taken St Petersburg by storm the year previously when making her debut at the Mariinsky in Cinderella, by performing her A number of popular interpretations of Swan Lake have crossed boundaries in dance. Some have famous 32 fouettés; the first time this feat had been seen in Russia. come from far left field, the most successful stayers being Matthew Bourne’s pop-art interpretation with its flock of male swans, regularly performed around the world since 1995, and Mats Ek’s bald- Both her performance and Ivanov’s choreography was received with great acclaim and, just to be headed, barefooted, androgynous swans in his interpretation for Sweden’s Cullberg Ballet, dating sure, Petipa arranged the whole performance to be repeated at a gala evening and placed his own back to 1987. Another Swedish innovation was Fredrik Rydman’s reworking of the legend as a mix of name ahead of Ivanov’s as choreographer. Legnani’s own benefit season was in 1894/5 and so it was contemporary street dance styles; and then more recently, there is the superb modern interpretation an easy next step to action Petipa’s plans and create a new full-length Swan Lake for her to dance. An by rising South African choreographer, Masilo, who deconstructs the legend of Swan Lake as unexpected luxury of having time to develop the new ballet came with the death of Tsar Alexander III - comprehensively as she might expertly fillet a fish. on 1st November 1894 - which closed all ballet performances during the lengthy period of mourning and enabled Petipa and Ivanov to devote more attention to their new production. They shared the It is impossible to divorce the concept of Swan Lake, or Tchaikovsky’s music, from the image of the honours with Ivanov retaining his second act (from the memorial concert) and adding the fourth, ballerina, as first the white swan (Odette) and then her black swan imposter (Odile). It remains the while Petipa took responsibility for Acts 1 and 3. epitome of the ballerina’s art and is the most sought-after casting in the repertoire. Every great ballerina has conquered the challenge of the dual role in their own way, from Legnani and Kschessinskaya, The new Swan Lake received its premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre on 27th January 1895 with Legnani through Anna Pavlova, , , Margot Fonteyn, , and in the dual ballerina role and Pavel Gerdt as Siegfried. Legnani couldn’t resist throwing in her 32 Sylvie Guillem to the great ballerinas of today, such as Irina Kolesnikova, Ulyana Lopatkina, Veronika whipped spins, adding them to the coda of the “black swan” (3rd act) pas de deux, where the 32 Part and . fouettés have remained ever since. The performance was a great success (although still not matching the immense popularity of The Sleeping Beauty). A further 15 performances followed in the 1895/96 Perhaps the best known woman dancing as a swan in recent years is not a ballerina at all, but an season, although there were none in the following year, and only 4 more in 1898/99. No-one but actress. Natalie Portman won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of fictional Legnani portrayed Odette/Odile until the ballerina returned to Italy, in 1901. The dual role was then ballerina, Nina Sayers, in Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film, Black Swan, a psychological thriller that taken over by the Mariinsky’s prima ballerina assoluta, Mathilde Kschessinskaya who also danced takes place in the context of a new production of Swan Lake by a ballet company based in New York. Swan Lake to great acclaim. Portman’s character is overwhelmed by the pressure of competing for – and then preparing for – her role as Odette/Odile, primarily because she does not have the dark and sensual qualities required Since 1895, the reputation and affection for the ballet has continued to grow, bringing it into the as the black swan. She progressively loses her tenuous grip on reality and descends into a deluded repertory of every classical ballet company in the world. This inevitably means that there have been state that coincides with the ballet’s premiere. many attempts to restage – and even re-choreograph – the ballet. Mostly, changes are made around retaining the key iconic elements created by Petipa and Ivanov (the white and black swan pas de On 17th January 2013, Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet was severely injured when deux, the cygnets’ pas de quatre and so on) but, often, the recasting has been wholesale. an assailant, Yuri Zarutsky, threw acid into his face, outside his home. As the subsequent trial unravelled, the anger of a Bolshoi dancer, Pavel Dmitrichenko, regarding Filin’s refusal to cast his then girlfriend, In Russia, the most notable stagings were by Alexander Gorsky. He made no less than five attempts Angelina Vorontsova, as Odette/Odile was cited as a motivation for Dmitrichenko ordering an attack to change the ballet but it is his 1901 version for the Bolshoi – the first Moscow revival since 1883 - that on the Bolshoi’s director. Filin has endured over 20 operations to restore his eyesight. He remains in provides the basis for the majority of later productions. Agrippina Vaganova (the great pedagogue his post at the Bolshoi despite the huge damage to his eyes and restriction in his sight; Dmitrichenko and founder of the Soviet ballet school) produced a long-lasting version in 1935; and a significant and is currently serving a six-year sentence in a maximum security prison. Zarutsky received ten years. influential staging was made for Moscow’s Stanislavsky Ballet by Vladimir Bourmeister, in which he Vorontsova, meanwhile, has left the Bolshoi to become a principal dancer at the Mikhailovsky Ballet sought to return to the ballet with the music in its original order, as conceived by Tchaikovsky in 1875/6. in St Petersburg where she has made her long-awaited debut as Odette/Odile. Here is perhaps a case This version was taken into the repertory at the Paris Opéra Ballet and the London Festival Ballet. One of fact becoming as strange – and as horrible – as fiction. innovation of the Bourmeister choreography was to introduce a prologue showing Odette’s abduction Recently, within a matter of days, both The Royal Ballet and by the sorcerer, Rothbart; a device which still appears in Kevin McKenzie’s production for American Scottish Ballet announced new productions of Swan Lake for Ballet Theatre. next season. There will be others. No other ballet is seen so much and no other ballet represents the art form in the public The complete ballet was not seen in the West until a version based on notations smuggled out of consciousness to anything like the same degree. Writing on Russia – after the Bolshevik Revolution – by the ballet master, Nikolai Sergeyev, was staged by the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the very first the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (the forerunner to The Royal Ballet) on 29th November 1934. Since this performance, on 4th March 1952, the US writer, Anatole staging by Sergeyev himself was based faithfully on his own notes, it was rightly seen as an authentic Chujoy, summarised the ballet’s significance as being “… interpretation of the ballet as it was in Imperial Russia before the revolution, which set it apart from the the greatest romantic-classic ballet of all times. Swan Lake many changes that had been made to Swan Lake within the . stands at the highest point of the curve which represents the history of the source of all ballet as we know it today”. As the The first performance of the complete ballet outside Europe took place at the Metropolitan Opera ballet closes in on its 140th anniversary, these words remain House in New York, in 1911, given by Mikhail Mordkin’s All-Star Imperial Russian Ballet with Ekaterina entirely appropriate. © Graham Watts Irina Kolesnikova

34 35 THE HISTORY OF THE ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE

The Ballet Theatre (SPBT) has quickly established itself as one of Russia’s leading Founding Director of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre classical ballet companies. It was founded in 1994 by Konstantin Tachkin who has continued to direct the company over its 21-year history. SPBT is housed in a magnificent studio complex on Liteiniy Konstantin Tachkin was born on 9th May 1967 in Prospekt, situated in the heart of St Petersburg, which in Imperial Russia had served as the House of Kropotkin, a town in the Krasnodar Krai region on the Officers. right bank of the Kuban River, which sits at the foot of the rich Stavropol plateau at the southern tip of Russia. The This ensemble of sixty dancers is the only major classical ballet company in the world that exists and town – originally Romanovsky Khutor - was renamed to thrives without reliance on state subsidy or private sponsorship. To be independent of government commemorate the death of Peter Kropotkin (a prominent funding or any major sponsor is a remarkable and unique achievement in the modern age. economist and anarchist), in 1921.

Although the company performs frequently in its home city and throughout Russia it also has an Konstantin was educated in St. Petersburg, a city enviable reputation for its international touring, giving up to 250 performances each and every year. that touches every resident and visitor with it’s rich SPBT tours have ranged over six continents, travelling to Spain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, sense of culture, beauty and art. After military service, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Austria, Finland, the USA, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, South Konstantin’s first employment was within the tourist Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Macau and Taiwan. industry which allowed him to gain an intimate knowledge and a great attachment to his The Company has a repertoire that includes all the masterpieces of classical ballet: adopted home city. Giselle, Don Quixote, La Bayadère, Les Sylphides, ; and, of course, the Tchaikovsky classics from St Petersburg - Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and The During his army career, Konstantin Sleeping Beauty. was a member of Russia’s elite Special Forces and he trained The company’s sixty professional ballet artists are all either graduates of as a specialist parachutist. the world famous Vaganova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg or from one After completing his military service, in the early 1990s, Konstantin of several other significant Russian ballet schools. Famous dancers of returned to St. Petersburg exactly as the city was rediscovering it’s past the past now work as ballet masters and mistresses, coaching the and intent on reclaiming the status as a major global cultural centre company’s principals, soloists and corps de ballet: People’s Artist across all the arts. of Russia, Lyubov Kunakova; Merited Artist of Russia, Yuri Gumba; and Tatiana Linnik are just three of these renowned former star Rekindling his love for culture and aware of a booming interest in dancers now passing on their knowledge and expertise to today’s performance art, Konstantin determined to become an impresario performers. and to take his city`s culture to the world. So it was that, on 10th November 1994, he brought into being the St. Petersburg Ballet SPBT is proud to have created many home-grown stars of its Theatre. Seven weeks later - on New Year’s Eve 1994 - this nascent own over the past two decades. Among the principals, soloists Company of youthful and talented graduates from the Vaganova and character dancers who have come to maturity within Academy of Russian Ballet, referred to during Soviet times as the the company are artists such as Anna Samostrelova, Dmitriy Kirov Ballet School, gave its world premiere performance. Akulinin, Mykhailo Tkachuk, Dymchik Saikeev, Maria Velikaya, Miho Naotsuka and Valeria Andropova. They represent the kernel That opening production was Giselle and, since that night, the St of the company’s creative achievement as well as the continuing Petersburg Ballet Theatre has progressively built an impressive guarantee of its ongoing success. repertoire of full-length classics. Konstantin’s intuitive recognition of popular public demand has taken his company on a remarkably The sparkling jewel in the company’s crown is Irina Kolesnikova successful journey over the last 21 years. These travels have taken whose name alone sells out theatres throughout the world with the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre to six continents and many countries unvarying regularity. Devotees of ballet, not to mention demanding that have seen the St Petersburg dancers visit multiple times. In dance critics, continue to marvel at her outstanding talent. all of these places St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre has been received Kolesnikova is flambouyant. She is delicate. She is a true Prima enthusiastically by audiences and press alike. Ballerina Assoluta, the very pinnacle of balletic artistry. His achievements with the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre led Konstantin to SPBT remains the centre of attention for the world’s press, performing be appointed as a Counselor to the St. Petersburg Department of Culture as it does in such celebrated theatres as the London Coliseum, the Royal between 2008 and 2011. Albert Hall, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, the Bunkamura Hall in Tokyo, the National Theatre of Taipei and the National Theatre in Beijing. Konstantin is married and has two sons and two daughters.

36 37 SOLOISTS SOLOISTS

Liudmila Mizinova Anna Samostrelova

Born in Saratov in 1987, Ludmila graduated from Anna was born in 1986 in Vsevologsk. In 2003, she the Saratov Region Institute of Arts. From 2005 to graduated from the School of Classical Dance in 2014 she worked at the Ballet Moscow. From 2003 to 2007, she was with the St Company where she became a soloist in 2009. Petersburg State Conservatory Ballet. From 2007 to 2008 she worked with the Leonid Yacobson She danced the lead roles in Nutcracker (Clara) Ballet Company. and Giselle (Giselle). She also danced roles from the Yakobson repertoire including Paolo and Since October 2009, she has been a member Francesca from the Rodin cycle, Sextet and The of the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre. “I love to Marriage Cortège. She has taken part in many spend my spare time with my relatives and close contemporary productions created by Russian friends. I listen to different types of music, have and overseas choreographers. an interest in interior design and I try to read as much as possible; my favourite Since 2014 she has worked with the Saint books are A Hundred Years of Solitude Petersburg Ballet Theatre. by Gabriel Marquez and Vanity Fair by Willliam Thackery. Her repertoire includes Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle and The I find it interesting to meet Sleeping Beauty. people not involved with ballet as it helps self development. Ludmila is a many sided I like watching sports individual. She is a professional both summer and winter, diver and rope jumper. She especially figure skating, studies history and the theory artistic gymnastics and of painting, reads literary and biathlon! I always try and scientific works and loves put myself in a positive to travel. Her penchant for frame of mind and tell classical music blossomed myself everything will after meeting a young work out. This is a very person who is a violinist by helpful approach in our profession. In her spare time complex profession. You she has appeared in student should always believe in documentary films. She loves the better!” traditional cuisine but can’t cook. She can’t live without contact with her friends even if they live in different countries.

Anna Samostrelova was absolutely beautiful in the title role of Giselle. Her performance was a major highlight of the production.

Dancetrain Magazine, Perth Ludmila Mizinova as Fairy Brilliant. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Anna Samostrelova as Princess Aurora. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

38 39 SOLOISTS SOLOISTS

Mykhailo Tkachuk Dmitri Akoulinin

Mikhail was born in Donetsk (Ukraine) in 1990. Dimitriy was born in the town of Sterlitomak, In 2008, he graduated from the Kiev State Bashkortostan in 1983. From 1986 to 2001, he Choreographic School (class Lakhtionov S.V). studied at the Rudolph Nureyev Choreographic From 2008 to 2011 he was working with the School of Bashkir. Leonid Yacobson Ballet Company. From 2011 to 2012 he was working in the Boris Eifman Ballet of Upon graduation, he joined the Konstantin St Petersburg. Tachkin’s Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre. In 2004, he was promoted to soloist and, in 2005, to Since 2012 he has been a first soloist principal dancer. He has toured extensively with the Saint Petersburg Ballet and has achieved great critical success Theatre. Repertoire: Swan in the UK, Australia, Taiwan, South Lake – Prince Siegfried, Pas Africa and France. de Trois, The Nutcracker – Prince Zephir Repertoire: Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, Sleeping Beauty and The St Petersburg’s Nutcracker.

Dmitri is interested in computers and cars. He likes to relax in an active way: skiing in winter, swimming, fishing and football in summer and says he only feels completely at home when he is in the company of his close friends.

Dimitri Akulinin, as Count Albrecht, is as regal and majestic as any patrician can be. He portrays the character with a compassionate sensitivity that perfectly heightens the tragedy of Kolesnikova’s demise.

The Star, Johannesburg South Africa Pinto Ferreira Photo Sergei Konstantinov Dmitry Akulinin as Prince Siegfried. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

40 41 SOLOISTS SOLOISTS

Мiho Naotsuka Sergueï FEDORKOV

Мiho Naotsuka 9 August 1995 in Nagoya, Japan Born December 1989 in the city of Saratov, Sergei studied at the Saratov Regional College From 2004 to 2011 was studying in Theatre the of Arts, graduating in 2008, he is Laureate of the Ballet Academy in Japan. Adashevsky regional competition 2003 and Winner of the Saint Petersburg “Alternative” completion From 2012 to 2013 was studying in Vaganova 2011. He served in the Russian Armed Forces Song Russian Ballet Academy. and Dance Ensemble.

Class of professor Ludmila Kovaleva. Sergei’s Repertoire includes: Mercutio and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, the Peasant pas de In 2014 joined the St. Petersburg Ballet deux in Giselle, Pas de trois in Swan Lake and Theatre. the Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty.

Awards In his free time likes cooking and learning how to prepare new Bronze medal – dishes. Favourite cuisine Italian. Youth America Grand Prix. Sergei loves travelling the world. 2009 Some of his favourite countries are Spain where his favourite Repertoire city is Barcelona, Italy (Sicily), Thailand and of course his own Swan Lake - country where he considers Pas de trios the most beautiful city to Don Quixote – be Saint Petersburg. In his Street dancers, own profession he dreams Qupide, of dancing all the leading La Bayadere – roles. He spends a lot of Trio of Shades time on physical preparation Giselle – and perfecting his physical Pas de deux. and acting technique since he considers himself to be first and foremost an actor/ artist and only after that a dancer. He has appeared as an extra in several Lenfilm Studio productions. Sergei loves his cat called Sid.

Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Sergei Fedorkov as a Jester. Photo Sergei Konstantinov

42 43 SOLOISTS SOLOISTS

Andrei Fedorkov Mariia Velikaia

Born June 1994 in the city of Saratov, Andrei enrolled Mariia Velikaya was born in 1987 in the town of at the Saratov Regional Choreographic Institute Vologda and graduated from the Saint Petersburg of Arts in 2004. While studying, he appeared in State University of Culture and Art. She has worked many school concerts and performances. After as a dancer in the Milita Song Acadamie Ensemble graduating in 2012, he served in the Russian armed and the Leonid Yakobson Ballet Company, joining forces. In 2013 he joined the Leonid Yakobson Ballet the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre in 2014. Company which has generally a contemporary repertoire. Mariya is married and has a 5 year old son. Her hobby is needlework which she finds calming Since 2014 he has been dancing with the Saint after a hectic day of rehearsal and Petersburg Ballet Theatre as a soloist. He performance Her repertoire includes dances the Jester in Swan Lake on this Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, 2015 tour and also appears in Giselle La Bayadère. and Don Quixote.

Repertoire: Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Spartacus. Andrei is a Laureate of the Adashevsky Inter-regional dance competition.

Andrei Fedorkov as a Jester. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

44 45 CHARACTER SOLOISTS CHARACTER SOLOISTS

Natalia Smirnova Dymtchik Saïkeev

Born in Brest, Natalia graduated from the Dymchik was born in 1969 in the town of Ulan- Novosibirsk State Choreographic Institute in 1996. Ude. In 1990 he graduated from the Vaganova From 1996 – 2013, she worked at the Boris Eifman Choreographic School of Leningrad in the class Ballet of St Petersburg. Since 2013, Natalya has of People’s Artist of Russia, Laureate of the State been working with Konstantin Tachkin’s Saint Prize of the USSR, Professor Boris Bregvadze. Petersburg Ballet Theatre. Upon graduation he joined the Odessa State Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Repertoire: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet. In 2007 Natalya In 1998 he joined Konstantin Tachkin`s graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian St.Petersburg Ballet Theatre. Dymchik possesses Ballet. She has participated in the filming of Red a striking individuality. The characters he creates Giselle, Anna Karenina, Onegin and Rodin. remain long in the memories of both audiences and exacting reviewers; whether the character Her wide range of hobbies include be Hans the Woodman from Giselle, or the photography, yoga, single combat, evil magician Rothbart from Swan Lake. cinema, dogs, travel, interior design, culture and oriental history. Her However, even small, episodic roles favourite music include , such as the huntsman from Sleeping classical Louis Armstrong, Edith Beauty take on substance and Piaf, Vladimir Vysotsky, Zaz, become interesting, bright Mozart and Astor Piatzzolla. personalities in the hands of Her favourite books are Dymchik Saykeev. He is a Three comrades; A time to fine character dancer and his Live and a Time to Die by repertoire includes the Spanish Erich Maria Remarque! and Hungarian dances from And her favourite foods are Swan Lake, and the Spanish Georgian, Mediterranean, Dance from The Nutcracker. Odessan, with her favourite His Espada, Fandango and dish being Kharcho soup. Gipsy from Don Quixote are equally as fine as his main roles mentioned above.

Natalya Smirnova as Lady Capulet. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Dimchik Saykeev as Lorenzo. Photo KT

46 47 BALLET COACHES AUTUMN 2015 AT ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA

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Tatiana Linnik Yuri Gumba

Tatiana Linnik in 1986 has entered the Ballet master Yuri Gumba was born in 1952. Academy of Russian Ballet of A.Y. Vaganova He studied ballet at the Spendiarova Theatre in class of E.V. Kokorina. of Ballet in Armenia. After graduation in 1972 he worked at the Moscow Classical Upon leaving she was accepted by Ballet Ensemble before joining the Kirov (former Musorgsky (now Mariinsky) Ballet Company where he Theatre) where she has executed a number danced until 1990 . of solo parts in Swan lake, Harlequinade, Antony and Cleopatra, Giselle. Yuri first joined the St Petersburg Ballet theatre in 1996, shortly after it was formed, She was the invited ballerina in Vilnius Opera filling the vital role of teacher and coach. and Ballet Theatre (Lithuania) Between 2007 and 2013 he worked as a From 1988 to 2009 Tatiana worked in teacher with the Mikhailovsky Theatre in Mariinsky Theatre. She danced a numbers St Petersburg before returning to SPBT in of solos in ballets Bakhchsarai fontaine, 2013 where is experience and knowledge of Paquita, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The the classical repertoire is greatly valued.. Sleeping Beauty, etc… As a dancer Yuri Gumba’s on stage In 2009 she was a teacher at the Vaganova repertoire included soloist and character Academy. roles in Don Quixote, Swan lake, Le Corsaire, La Bayadère and in many legendary ballets In 2010 – Tatiana became a coach with St of the Soviet era such as The Fountains of Petersburg Ballet Theatre. Bakshisherai, the Little Humpbacked Horse and Walpurgis Night.

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Lubov Kunakova A ballerina’s success is in many ways dependent upon the level of talent of her Ballet Mistress teachers. I have been fortunate to work with true masters.

Lubov Kunakova, an honored artist of Thank you! Thanks to everyone at the Vaganova School who helped me take Russian Federation, People’s artist of my “first steps”, to those who have participated in my becoming a professional Russian Federation (1983) was born on dancer and to those who today generously continue to give me the benefit of the 8th of August 1951. their experiences and priceless knowledge. She graduated from Perm College of Choreography in 1970 (class of G. Irina Kolesnikova Kuznetsova).

During 1970-1974 in Perm Theatre she performed parts of Milady and Queen (Three Musketeers), Swanilda, Odette- Odile (Swan Lake), Kitri (Don Quixote), Fairy of Lilac and Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty) etc.

In 1974 she entered the Mariinsky theatre, where worked until 1992.

Her repertoire was diverse and voluminous. She tried herself in such diametrically - opposed parts such as Giselle and Mirtha, Gamzatti and Nikia. In these With Margarita Kullik parts she demonstrated her own style, perfecting her individuality. Kunakova had a joyful talent, and that made all her parts lyric, romantic and genuine. Her own personality, her open nature and shining smile helped her in creating images of Aurora, Fairy of Lilac, Raymonda, Diana, etc. Her heroines danced with dignity, brilliance and refinement.

During 1997-2002 Kunakova worked as a classic ballet tutor in the Russian Ballet Academy named after A.Vaganova. She has staged a several ballets (Mariinsky Theatre`s version): in Minsk («Don Quixote, Shopiniana), Athens, (Don Quixote, The With Svetlana Efremova Sleeping Beauty), Brazil (Giselle).

In 1997 she began working as a coach at State Academic Mariinsky theatre and since 2001 at St Petersburg Ballet Theatre.

With Lobov Kunakova Photo Vladimir Zenzinov With Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

50 51 BALLET COACHES

Margarita Kullik. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov Irina Kolesnikova and Dmitry Akulinin. Rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

52 53 Ludwig Minkus

LONDON COLISEUM 22&23 AugustLa 2015 Baydère CAST Nikiya Irina Kolesnikova Solor Denis Rodkin Princess Gamzatti Natalia Matsak

“…. The SPBT possesses a star ballerina in Irina Kolesnikova. She is, without doubt, the complete article: exquisite port de bras, great feet and efficient footwork, an elastic back, long, elegant neck and above all a radiant stage presence which shone even when seen from the far side of the cavernous Albert Hall”

Graham Watts, London Dance (UK)

*The management reserves the right to substitute any scheduled artist for any reason whatsoever even at short notice should the need arise. Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Photo KT. Photo Andrei Klemeshev

54 55 LA BAYADÈRE

Music: Ludwig Minkus ACT II Great celebrations for Gamzatti and Solor’s impending wedding take place in the Palace grounds, As a Libretto: Marius Petipa, Sergei Khudekov temple Bayadere, a grief stricken Nikiya must dance in celebration of Solor and Gamzetti’s union. She is given a basket of flowers to dance with and she happily assumes they are from Solor. In fact they are Choreography: Marius Petipa from the Rajah and Gamzatti and conceal a poisonous snake which fatally bites the Bayadere. As she Staging (2004): Elena Vorontsova, Albert Mirzoyan lies dying and betrayed, the High Brahmin offers her an antidote to the poison in return for her love. Costumes: Galina Solovieva She refuses and dies in agony. Scenery: Semieon Pastukh ACT III Scene one In his private rooms, Solor is inconsolable, tortured with remorse at his This is a cautionary tale of the frailty and tragedy of the human condition betrayal of his love, Nikiya . His servant, Magdaveya persuades him in the manner of other great ballet classics like Swan Lake and Giselle. to smoke and enjoy the sanke charmer’s pipe music. Solor dozes It is a moral finger wagging so beloved of the turn of the century on his divan. In his dreams he sees a long ghostly line of young Victorian era, but the dance making genius of Marius Petipa and women wronged in love weave down the mountain side, Nikiya the glorious range of Ludwig Minkus’s music is pure magic and at the rear. The young lovers dance together celebrating their timeless. lost love. As Nikiya fades back into the Kingdom of the Shades, she calls to him, reminding him of his vows. THE STORY ACT I Scene One ACT III Scene Two The curtain rises on a clearing in a sacred forest on the Solor wakes still haunted by visions of Nikiya and their foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Trees shelter lost love. His pain is unbearable and he carelessly the Holy Temple. A group of young warriors, led by opens the snake charmer’s bag. The snake lunges the noble Solor, returns from the hunt and he leaves and fatally sinks its venom into Solor’s arm. a message for his love, the temple dancer, or La Bayadere, Nikiya, that he will return at dusk. The HISTORY Temple doors are thrown open for the great Fire La Bayadere was first performed on 4 February, Festival. Grand processions by the Priests, homage 1877, at the Imperial Bolshoi Kimenny Theatre by the temple dancers and the prayers of the High in St Petersburg. The work was created by the Brahmin worship the flames. But the High Brahmin international ballet master, Marius Petipa as is consumed with lust for the beautiful Nikiya and as a benefit performance for ballerina Ekaterina she dances he promises to cast aside his Holy Vows Vazem, to a commissioned score by Ludwig for her. Disgusted , Nikiya rejects him. Later that night, Minkus. Both choreographer and composer were the lovers Solor and Nikiya express their deep passion in the employ of the Imperial Theatres. for each other as they dance together and Solar swears Petipa was, and still is, considered the man who his eternal love over the sacred flames. Unknown to the defined the style and technique known today as happy lovers the High Brahmin, consumed with jealousy classical ballet. Indeed the choreography of the Act and hatred, watches their every move and swears to III Kingdom of Shades which you will see tonight, is destroy the blissful young couple. still considered to be a mile stone in the development of the art form. Even today the severe simplicity of the steps ACT I Scene Two expressing heart breaking human emotions is a challenge for We see Solor’s life size portrait in a Palace apartment as the Rajah the world’s greatest ballerinas. tells his daughter Gamzatti she will marry the young warrior. Gamzatti is There have been many alterations and improvements to the ballet thrilled but Solor is in despair. He has sworn his love for Nikiya but cannot since its creation. After the Russian Revolution, the complicated refuse such an honour from his leader. Hoping to drive Nikiya into his own stage mechanics of the last act earthquake annihilating the entire cast arms the High Brahmin seeks an audience with he Rajah and tells him of Solor were dropped, not only for economic reasons, but the chaotic finale included and the Bayadere’s love. The furious Rajah swears Nikiya’s death reducing the the hero’s death, not an acceptable Soviet outcome. In 1941 the famous ballerina High Brahmin to despair. Gamzatti hears everything and and summons Nikiya to and her partner Vakhtang Chabukiani, both virtuoso dancers, starred beg her to give up Solor. Nikiya is enraged at Gamzatti’s request and attacks in a complete overhaul of La Bayadere by the Maryinski Ballet, introducing steps for the two lead Gamzatti with a knife. Gamzatti’s servant, Aya, overpowers her and in return roles that were more challenging than those originally invented by Petipa. © Jeffery Taylor Gamzatti vows Nikiya will die.

56 Photo Andrei Klemeshev 57 LA BAYADÈRE

Ludwig Minkus 1826- 1917 Ludwig Minkus was born in Vienna and first came to prominence as a child prodigy violinist. After a successful career as soloist and conductor in his home country, he emigrated to Russia in 1853 and married Maria Antoinette Schwarz in St Petersburg. His love of dance led to a close collaboration with Ballet Master, Marius Petipa and his appointment as the official Composer of Ballet Music to the St Petersburg Imperial Theatres in 1869. The first ballet resulting from this partnership was Don Quixote premiered the same year followed by, among others, La Camargo (1872), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1876) and a year later La Bayadere. Minkus and his wife left Russia in 1891 and settled in their home town of Vienna. His wife died in 1895 and Minkus died alone after contracting pneumonia in the 1917 savagely bitter winter. © Jeffery Taylor

58 59 Photo Andrei Klemeshev LA BAYADÈRE

Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Photo KT Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Solor – Dmitry Akulinin. Photo KT

60 61 LA BAYADÈRE

Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Solor – Dmitry Akulinin. Photo KT Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Photo Vladimir Zenzinov

62 63 Irina Kolesnikova

the USA, Brazil, Turkey, South Irina Kolesnikova Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Prima Ballerina of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre China, Macau and Taiwan.

Irina Kolesnikova was born in St Petersburg - regarded by many as the most beautiful city in Europe Irina is the recipient of numerous - in 1980. Her first dream was to be a doctor. Her father, a lawyer, and mother, who taught ata Russian and International dance St Petersburg kindergarten, encouraged Irina to pursue many sporting goals. First, she excelled at prizes: swimming, followed by ice skating and gymnastics. It was her prodigious talents in these two artistic • Natalia Makarova Prize and the sports that led young Irina, aged 9, on her journey towards ballet stardom, which began through Silver Medal at Arabesque 2002 in the doors of St Petersburg’s famous Vaganova Ballet Academy, the inspirational cradle of Russian Russia ballet. Irina studied at the Academy under Elvira Kokorina and, following nine years of hard work, she • Silver Medal at the world- graduated in the summer of 1998, her 18th year. renowned International Ballet Competition in Varna Later that same year - in December - Irina was accepted into Konstantin Tachkin’s St Petersburg • Gold Medal at the International Ballet Theatre as a soloist where her first teacher was former Kirov Ballet star and Honoured Artist Ballet Competition in Prague of the USSR, Svetlana Efremova. Within two years, Irina’s extraordinary dancing talent and acting • Nomination for the international abilities were recognized by her promotion to principal. By 2001, Irina Kolesnikova had become the prize at Benois de la Danse company’s Prima Ballerina, aged just 21. • Silver Medal at the 5th Japan International Ballet and Modern Her many great roles cover a wide repertoire of classical and romantic ballet include Clara in Nutcracker, Dance Competition Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Kitri in Don Quixote, Nikiya in La Bayadère, the title role of • Nomination by the Critics’ Circle Paquita and, of course, any ballerina’s most coveted roles – in the title role of Giselle and as Odette/ of the UK as a finalist for Best Odile in Swan Lake. Today, Irina Kolesnikova works under the tutelage of Lyubov Kunakova, herself Female Dancer in the National honoured as a People’s Artist of Russia, who coaches Irina for all her major roles and oversees her Dance Awards strict training regime. A photographic album of her career, It is in the definitive role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake that Irina has made her most impressive mark, entitled simply Irina Kolesnikova both in Russia and abroad. Her portrayal of the Swan Queen has become an indelible personal has been published, featuring trademark. more than one hundred superb photographs of the ballerina on and The Parisian Journal, Danse Magazine, aptly summarised the many rave reviews that Irina has received off stage. The introduction to the for her interpretation of the white and black swan, when respected dance journalist, Margarita Medina, album is written by the legendary wrote: Russian-American ballet critic and photographer, Nina Alovert. Irina “Thanks to this amazingly supple dancer, an artist from head to toe, we got to see the truly ideal Swan. also stars in three DVDs - filmed Her tenderness and timidity were very touching. around the world –performing the leading roles in Swan Lake, Giselle and The Nutcracker. …Irina united drama with virtuosity in her marvellous illustration of the double-sided nature of this role. Her Black Swan was imposing and self-assured. Her perfect pirouettes and double and triple Back in St Petersburg, Irina’s parents and her banker brother Ruslan eagerly follow her travels around fouettés electrified the audience of the Théatre des Champs Elysees. the world and her astounding triumphs.

Her lack of any internal tension, freedom of movement and her expressiveness, all combine to allow “The hardest part of a ballerina’s life is missing a home life” says Irina. “Oh, and the constant pain us to place this Saint Petersburg star, pleasant behind the scenes and brilliant on stage, at the summit and the need to stay 100% fit, 100% of the time,” she adds: “I’m lucky of course, as I love to perform, of a choreographic Olympia alongside the other outstanding talents of her generation. love to see new countries and meet new and different cultures. Everything I see, everyone I meet contributes to my emotional palette.” In 2008, Irina enriched her repertoire by venturing into the sphere of contemporary dance for a season at the Apollo Theatre in London’s West End, where she danced the role of Hollywood legend Judy In her rare, quiet moments, Irina likes to develop her embroidery skills. Garland, in Peter Schaufuss’s hugely successful dance spectacular, Divas. Irina is married and recently returned to the stage after giving birth to her first child, a daughter, in 2014. As a member of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre, Irina has toured extensively across six continents Edited by Graham Watts to Spain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Austria, Finland,

64 65 IRINA KOLESNIKOVA’S PARIS TRIUMPH

On 6th February 2012 at the Russian Federation Ambassador’s residence in Paris a dinner was given in honour of the Prima Ballerina, Irina Kolesnikova.

The previous evening saw the conclusion to the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s Paris tour where, in to­tal, 15 sell out performances were played to

48 thousand people. Alexander Orlov, Irina Kolesnikova Upon welcoming Irina Kolesnikova, Aleksandr Orlov, the Russian Federation’s ambassador to France commented:

“We applauded so hard that our hands nearly fell off. What a superb Swan Lake! Your performance of Odette/Odile has become, by common consent, an absolute revelation to the French people. Your performance was fervently received by the audience. I would like to congratulate you on this. This is after all a continuation of a tradition began a century ago by when stars like Tamara Karsavina and Anna Pavlova shone brightly. Then along came Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya. Today it is Irina Kolesnikova, Alexander Orlov, Irina Kolesnikova’s turn to carry the banner. Your name can stand Konstantin Tachkin alongside those of the great ballerinas who set Russian ballet on the road to glory. I wish you every success! I am sure you are still at the beginning of a booming career!”

The reception in the Russian Federation Ambassador’s residence Victor Ignatov, was filmed by State Russian Television. News report broadcasted Nicole Duault, on Monday 13th Feb 2012. Ludmila Loginova Photo Nina AlovertPhoto

66 67 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week concludes with Paris Haute Couture week a show in honour of a ballerina from Saint Petersburg enriched by fashion show in honour of Irina Kolesnikova – in spite of the ballerina’s absence.

Jean Doucet, Irina Kolesnikova

Irina Kolesnikova Stella Kalinina, Jean Doucet, Jacques Doucet Mile Tchao Mile Tchao Jean Doucet

On 23rd January 2014 a fashion show dedicated This time the designer created several dresses Paris Fashion week was brought to a fitting role which inspired the designer to create a to the Russian ballerina Irina Kolesnikova took among which is one unique wedding dress conclusion with the showing of Jean Doucet’s story about fashion, sensuality and fluidity. place at the celebrated Opéra Garnier. inlaid with pearls, worthy of a museum setting collection which he dedicated to his new The choice of location for the fashion show was As part of Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week, and which was protected by four security muse, the Saint Petersburg ballerina IRINA no coincidence either: the famous Diaghliev the French designer Jean Doucet presented guards for the duration of the event. Although KOLESNIKOVA. season took place a century ago in the Théâtre his new collection dedicated to the Saint due to matters out of her control Irina could not The French designer’s collection was shown on du Châtelet. Petersburg ballerina and to the glory of Russian personally take part in the fashion show, the 24th January 2013 in the Théâtre du Châtelet Representatives from the world of culture and ballet in toto. The collection is thus entitled event in her name made great waves among and is a declaration of love for classical ballet the fashion industry congregated to see the “IRINA KOLESNIKOVA AND THE RUSSIAN the representatives of the Parisian fashion and which has had its supreme and most spiritual collection entitled “Irina Kolesnikova and the BALLETS”. cultural world. evolution in Russia as nowhere else. ”. Among the guests were the As a graduate of the Vaganova Academy and President of the “Miss France” beauty contest This is the continuation of a project which had Irina’s place at the end of the show was taken by worthy bearer of the Russian ballet tradition, and the Russian ambassador to UNESCO. very auspicious beginnings in January 2013. It the Japanese model Mile Tchao who wore the IRINA KOLESNIKOVA was the central figure of For the full story see Zinaida Kurbatova’s was Irina’s fluidity and sensitivity in her portrayal same unique wedding dress which, according the fashion show. The ballerina first appeared television report on chanel“Rossiya 24”: http:// of Odette/Odile in the ballet “Swan Lake” which to the designer’s concept, Irina would have on the runway in the guise of the black swan, www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=481391. inspired the French fashion designer to create worn on the runway. then in a golden hued evening dress, and finally this image for her. in a white lace outfit. It was the Odette – Odile

68 69 I was keen to know why Irina had not gone into one of the Irina Kolesnikova in Paris venerable, established Russian Ballet companies – such as the Mariinsky in St Petersburg or the Bolshoi in Moscow – when she graduated as a top student from the class of Elvira Kokorina at the famous Vaganova Academy, in 1998; choosing instead to It was a beautiful spring afternoon when I made my way to the famous Théâtre des Champs-Elysées to meet enter a much smaller and relatively new company. Was this a the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s prima ballerina, Irina Kolesnikova. This celebrated Parisian theatre on the deliberate strategy, I asked? Avenue Montaigne was assured a place in cultural history within seven weeks of opening, when it staged the “Not at first”, she replies, “in fact it was simple. The Mariinsky infamous production of The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du printemps) by Les Ballets Russes, on 29th May 1913. took only a couple of dancers from my graduation year. So, I went to the Jacobson Ballet Company (named after Leonid The premiere notoriously caused a riot from competing sections of a Parisian audience that either loved or Jacobson a famous avant-garde choreographer in the USSR, hated the unique churning rhythms and visceral orchestration in Igor Stravinsky’s ground-breaking music who had died in 1975) straight after graduation. However, I only (which legend has it, no-one could hear due to the noisy protests) and Vaslav Nijinsky’s complex, innovative spent six months there because I didn’t feel that the company choreography. In addition to The Rite of Spring the theatre also hosted the world premiere - a fortnight earlier was offering me what I needed; and so I immediately looked for - of Claude Debussy’s Jeux, with choreography by Nijinsky and designs by Léon Bakst. something else”.

But, the very first ballet to play at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, on the night following its official opening in April Even though it was only five years-old, St Petersburg Ballet 1913, was a dance spectacular curated by the great ballerina, Anna Pavlova. On the afternoon of my visit, there Theatre provided the right opportunity for Irina. “I like working seemed a magical synergy over the theatre’s long life, with an exceptional ballerina from St Petersburg being and when I came to this company, I sensed immediately that here the first to dance on that stage; whilst the latest to do so – almost exactly 102 years’ on – was to be another was a place that I was going to be able to get lots of performances sublime ballerina from the same Russian city. in major roles, so I had no hesitation in joining”. She joined as a soloist and within two years, Irina was promoted to principal; by Since that season, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has hosted many more premieres and most of the world’s 2001, Irina was the company’s prima ballerina, aged just 21. Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya. Photo KT greatest dancers have performed on its stage over the past century. Walking through the maze of back stage corridors was a challenge, not due to the vagaries of orientation, but simply because the wall spaces are so Next we move on to the thorny issue of aesthetics and suitability for roles, which has been a big debate in full of theatrical and dance memorabilia, that it was like walking through a fascinating museum exhibition, in a Russia recently. I ask Irina about her feelings on the importance of aesthetics, in terms of the physical qualities hurry! required to dance roles such as Nikiya and Odette, especially since she matches the right image for both roles. How does she feel about the changing perceptions in terms of widening the horizons of what is deemed to be The reason for haste was that the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s prima ballerina was taking a few minutes’ rest, right for these roles? having performed Swan Lake (with The Royal Ballet’s principal dancer, Vadim Muntagirov) on the previous two evenings, she had just finished a full main-stage rehearsal as the tragic heroine of La Bayadère; Nikiya (the “It’s a difficult and complicated question”, she replies, adding: “I agree with you. They’re my roles. What Temple Dancer of the title). And, in little over two hours’ time, Irina was about to dance the whole thing again, happens at the moment is that every ballerina wants to tick these boxes. They all want these roles on their CV”. in front of a capacity audience (with the Bolshoi Ballet’s Denis Rodkin as her partner). This schedule would be Her view is refreshingly liberal: “Even though some ballerinas may not suit a traditional understanding of what tough enough for anyone but add into the mix that Irina Kolesnikova is mother to a baby daughter, Vasilina, not each role should be, every ballerina brings something to their interpretation of these roles and so, in my view, if yet nine months’ old at the time of our interview and one must instinctively marvel at her undoubted strength they are good enough to perform such challenging choreography, then they should be given the chance to do and stamina, both mental and physical. so, irrespective of whether they suit a traditional view about the physical attributes for the role. It’s a legitimate argument about whether you like it or not, but the audiences will ultimately decide”. I find Irina in her dressing room, still dressed in rehearsal clothes, feet raised high onto her dressing table for some relief; the table strewn with the detritus of a ballerina’s life: make-up, ribbons, sewing kit, pointe shoes…. Although Irina is known for her interpretation of these classic roles, she also danced in Peter Schaufuss’s Also in the room were the company’s founder and director, Konstantin Tachkin, and the CEO of Theatre Tours, Divas, performing as Judy Garland, at the Apollo Theatre in London’s West End. I asked her if she enjoyed this Andrew Guild, who was kind enough to use his Russian to help interpret our conversation. experience of performing something new and contemporary and whether she now sees herself doing more modern work. “I enjoyed it very much”, she says immediately (even before Andrew has finished translating I started by asking Irina what it was like to dance now, as a mother? Had it changed the way that she approached my question), “and I would love for that kind of role to happen again”. But, she adds: “I could have put all my roles, especially those that require great expressiveness and emotional qualities, such as Nikiya, Odette and strength into chasing other roles but I put my concentration on something else recently and I became a mother! Giselle? “I have heard many stories that after giving birth to a child, things are often different for a ballerina”, Now that I have accomplished that goal I can now start looking at the next direction for my career”. she replies. “Perhaps they are mentally or emotionally different; or maybe a dancer gains something in terms of her expressiveness”, she adds. “I think that many ballerinas shoot a lot higher but I’ve also heard many stories Before leaving, I ask Irina if she enjoys touring and her response brings us full circle to the missionary zeal of about dancers performing a lot worse after becoming mothers”. Anna Pavlova, that first ballerina to perform at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, on the night after its opening, in 1913. This latest prima ballerina to grace the same stage with her pointe shoes also strives to take ballet to It begs the question about how Irina feels about herself, nine months’ into her special dual role. She laughs: the people. “ I love to travel and to take our ballet to different places and different audiences. I hope that we “Well, I haven’t yet given a lot of performances since becoming a mum and I’m hoping, of course, that I go can persuade people who have perhaps never seen a ballet to come again; and to love it”. We could be rolling upwards”, adding, for reassurance: “…and I am starting to feel that this is happening. I hope that I will be one back the years and listening to Pavlova’s mission. But, there must be a relaxing side to it? “Yes, I really love just of those ballerinas that get even better because of motherhood”. Having watched her devastatingly anguished walking in the streets, getting the feel of every city and, of course, I love to shop”. and technically perfect performance as Nikiya, later that evening, I can confirm that this certainly appears to be the case! With that, I took my leave and – stopping to take in several original Ballets Russes posters on the way out – I headed off into the sunny streets of Paris, leaving this exquisite ballerina preparing for her imminent task of What about the pressures of being a mother? “Well, they are a challenge”, she says, “but I knew that they would transporting a capacity French audience back through the centuries to the foothills of the Himalayas as La be and I have help. Getting up early in the morning after a late night performance is difficult but I have to be Bayadère. And, of course, she did it splendidly. there for her and I wanted this, so I can’t complain”. © Graham Watts

70 71 72 applause… special aura; she of demonstratesspins and turns her and mastery the rapid tempo of her grands fouetés was met with thunderous a with queen captivating a is she Odile, of character the In created. be can persona thrilling and original an such how striking is It the of interpretation simple relatively a offer who White Swancharacter, Kolesnikova’sballerinas isemotionalandrepletewithfeminineattractiveness. Odette Russian young contemporary many to opposed as that, from Apart reached suchalevelastotaketheaudience’sbreathaway…” “Irina Kolesnikova conquered the audience with her lovely renditions of the black of and her white dancing swans….the hasbeauty sadnessandOdile’sdemoniccharacter.with justafewgesturesandfacialexpressionsisabletoconveyOdette’s in May, she danced the lead role in Lake” “Swan where she resembled a big flower. Kolesnikova possesses a technique perfect and This brilliant ballerina is distinguished by her emotional and beauty physical expressiveness. extraordinary Quite recently in Japan, her withopenarms…. Irina Kolesnikova is exquisite... She is a dancer of magnetic power - so much so that any ballet company in the world would welcome Whileshehandlestherole’srigoroustechnicalitiesadmirably.cunning coquettishness. and attack unseen previously a with Odile portraying act, third ballet’s the in transformation remarkable a Kolesnikovaundergoes fill inevenwiththepassionsheimbues. to story back much too is there dancing, by replaced sequences mime crucial with but boldness, athletic an swan white her lends Shetechnique. classical secure and back expressive an tradition,with Russian the in schooled dancer regal a Kolesnikovais Irina Irina Kolesnikova Asiapress: In May 2015 Irina Kolesnikova made her debutinSingapore. tional Theatre inTaipei. TheNa and Korea South in House Opera Daegu Centre, Cultural Macao , Shanghai TheatreGrandin Beijing, in NCPA of House Tokyo,Opera in Hall Orchard Bunkamura and Kaikan TokyoBunka a such PetersburgSt 2004 Since BalletTheatre presents Irinaregion, Asian Kolesnikovaof stages thebest on Irina Kolesnikova inAsia

Khi DingKhau –UnitedDailyNewsTaipei, Taiwan Germaine Cheng –The Straits Times, Singapore Shinshokan DanceMagazine–Tokyo, Japan The Journal–Tokyo, Arts performing Japan - Spectators - Immediately after performance -TheSpectators performance -Immediatelyafter National Theatre -Taipei, April 2011 Autographs -TheBunkamura Hall-Tokyo, 2011 Press conference -Shanghai, 2009 Press conference -NationalTheatre -Taipei, 2011 Press conference -NationalTheatre -Taipei, 2011 Autographs -The NationalTheatre -Taipei, 2011 Press conference -Taipei, 2011 73

Photo KT English National Opera St Petersburg Ballet Theatre Company: AUTUMN 2015 London Coliseum Dmitriy Akulinin Ludmila Mizinova Valeriya Andropova Miho Naotsuka Interim Chief Executive AT ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA Cressida Pollock Aleksandra Arkhangelskaia Adelia Nazyrova Iurii Baryshnikov Anastasiia Pavlova Technical Resources Manager Dewi Evans Stanislav Burov Vsevolod Pokrovskii Mikhail Degtyarev Dmitrii Rudachenko Director of Theatre Management Lynne Adam Diana Ermolaeva Dymchik Saikeev Larisa Fabrichnova Anna Samostrelova Theatre Management Coordinator Helen Beardsley Andrei Fedorkov Ielyzaveta Savina Sergei Fedorkov Marianna Sergeeva Acting House Manager Daniel McHale Veronika Ignateva Natalia Smirnova Vladislav Ilivanov Gherman Snaider House Management Viv Wells, Keith Parker, Alicja O’Brien Grigory Ivanov Kseniia Spiridonova Tatiana Kabatskova Viktoriia Stavtseva Box Office James, Paul Hackney Mikhail Khokhlov Inna Svechnikova Richard Wiedemann Darina Kochan Tatiana Tiliguzova Iuliia Kochemasova Konstantin Tkachuk Catering Rupert Walsh, Annalisa Ferrarotto Anastasiia Kuzmina Mykhailo Tkachuk Benjamin Krol, Robert Eyles Nadezda Lashko Tetiana Toporkova Artem Markov Mariia Velikaia Security Mick Madden Ilia Mironov Iryna Zhalovska

The public may leave at the end of the performance COMPANY DIRECTOR by the exit doors and such doors must at all Elena Beliaeva times be open. All gangways, passages and staircases must be entirely free from chairs or any BALLET STAFF other obstruction. Persons shall not under any Yuri Gumba , Tatiana Linnik circumstances be permitted to stand or sit in any TECHNICAL DIRECTOR of the gangways. If standing be permitted, in the Sergei Ilivanov gangways at the side and rear of the seating, it LIGHTING DESIGNER shall be strictly limited to the number indicated in Nikolai Shlein the notice exhibited in those positions. The safety curtain must be lowered and raised in the presence HEAD OF WARDROBE of each audience. Smoking is not permitted Irina Karelskaia anywhere in the London Coliseum. The use of MUSIC DIRECTOR & CHIEF CONDUCTOR video cameras, or sound recording equipment, is Timur Gorkovenko forbidden during any performance.

THE ST PETERSBURG BALLET ORCHESTRA

Named artists are subject to change. The management Tamara Elias, Alisa Ermakova, Dewi Garmon Jones, ,Helena Gourd, Chloe Gilbert & Sullivan’s reserves the right to substitute any artist, even at short Greenwood, Gundy Jonasdottir, Sion Jones, Yuri Kalnits, Matthew Kettle, notice should the need arise. Sam Kinrade, Fred Lange Hewlett, James Larter, Juliet Lee, Georgina Leo, Vicky Lester, Yuka Matsumoto, Simon Minshall, Julia Morneweg, Tam Mott, Brendan Musk, Tatiana Naletckaia, Vladimir Naumov, Michael THE MIKADO Pearce, Barnaby Philpott, Hannah Rankin, Murray Richmond, Victoria 21 Nov – 6 Feb Rule, Peter Ryan, Nikolai Ryzhov, Rhodri Taylor, Mardyah Tucker, Tatiana Tutynina & Martin Wray Live in cinemas 3 Dec Find out more at eno.org/enoscreen

St Petersburg Ballet Theatre would like to thank Andrew Guild, Simon Bryce, Lizzie Coles, Emma Powell, Ai Gul Gaisina, Michaela Watson, Guy Chapman, Stephen Davies, Clemmie Hill, Andrew Greer, Mark Goucher, Giles Rowland, Michael James-Cox, Mishi London Coliseum Bekesi and Yuri Kalnits. Tickets from only £12* ENGLISH Photo by Sarah Lee NATIONAL Book now 020 7845 9300 | eno.org www.st-petersburg-ballet.com OPERA Find us on The Mikado. *Booking fees apply Facebook: #stpetersburgballet Returning in 2016 Ludwig Minkus DON QUIXOTE Ballet in 3 acts

Dmitry Shostakovich CARMEN PREMIERE! GALA Irina Kolesnikova Invites

Irina Kolesnikova International guest stars Soloists, corps de ballet and orchestra of ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE

Facebook: Irina-Kolesnikova/1 Irina Kolesnikova as Kitri. Basilio – Yuri Kovalev. Photo KT ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE

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