LONDON CO L ISEUM 13 – 23 August 2015 Irina Kolesnikova Paris Season Théâtre des Champs-Elysées 24 – 28 February 2016 Pyotr Tchaikovsky SWAN LAKE Ballet in 3 acts 24 – 25 February Ludwig Minkus DON QUIXOTE 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 Dimanche – Paris, France www.theatrechampselysees.fr www.irinakolesnikova.com Ladies and gentlemen, Thank you for attending performances of The Irina Kolesnikova London 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, Mariinsky Theatre 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 Bolshoi Theatre, Vadim Muntagirov, Principal dancer Swan Lake and La Bayadère at The Royal Ballet 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 Moscow. 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 “Flames of Paris”, Prince Sieg- fried in ”Swan Lake”, Nutcracker Prince in “The Nutcracker” and Jean de Bri- enne in “Raymonda”. 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 ballets in which Denis Rodkin has featured have been shown in cinemas around the world in the “Bolshoi Ballet 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 Royal Ballet School and joined the Company from English National Ballet 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 Apollo, Conrad (Le Corsaire), Albrecht (Giselle), 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 Wayne Eagling’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 American Ballet Theatre, in repertory including Solor (La Bayadère), and at National Ballet of Japan, Bavarian State Ballet, Mikhailovsky and Cape Town City Ballet. “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 Youth America Grand Prix 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 Mariinsky Ballet. 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.