Events

Classical Ballet of Saint Petersburg

Ballet in 4 Acts

Music by Piotr I. Tchaïkovski

Libretto: Vladimir Berghicev and Vasilie Gheltzer

Choreography: Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov

Scenography: Evghenii Gurenco

Costume Painter: Vera Poliudova

Cast: Maria Poliudova (Odette / Odile) and Vladimir Statnii (Siegfried)

World Premiere: 20 February1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow.

The "St. Petersburg Classical Ballet of Andrei Batalov’’ Company is created by Andrei Batalov – first soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Graduate of the Vaganova Ballet Academy of Russia, Andrei Batalov has been on stage for over 20 years. In 1992, he became a soloist of the State Academic Theatre “Mussorgsky” of Saint Petersburg, and two years later, he became first soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre.

He belongs to a rare race of virtuoso dancers with an extraordinary technique, allowing him to be aligned with ballet legends of the past and present, such as Vestris and Nijinsky, Baryshnikov and Julio Bocca. He owns a unique collection of prizes from various international ballet competitions. He won the gold medal at the International Ballet Contest of Nagoya (Japan, 1996) and in Paris (1997). He won the second prize at The Rudolf Nureyev International Contest in Budapest (1996), first prize and Mikhail Baryshnikov prize at Arabesque-96, The Ballet Contest of Perm (1996) and the Grand Prize of the International Ballet Contest from Moscow (1997).

In the repertoires from the Mikhailovsky (1992-1994) and Mariinsky Theatre (din 1994), Batalov was performing lead roles in the following ballets: Cavalry Halt, La Sylphide, Le Corsaire, Don Quijote, La Bayadere, Manon, Scheherazade, Romeo and Juliet, etc.

At the Danish Royal Ballet (2000-2002), his repertoire included classical lead roles, such as: Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Albert (Giselle) and contemporary ballets by Peter Martins and Kevin O 'Dale.

Batalov collaborates with the best dancers of the Mariinsky Theatre - Altynay Asylmuratova, Diana Vishneva, Ulyana Lopatkina, Elvira Tarasova, as well as the legend of the decade 1960-1970 - Nadejda Pavlova (Bolshoi Theatre). As an artistic director of the company, Andrei Batalov intends to pursue traditions of Russian ballet, inherited from great masters of the past - Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Alexander Gorsky, Mihail Fokin.

Nowadays, Batalov not only dances himself, but he also teaches others - since 2010, he has been a choreographer of the Mikhailovsky Theatre. Among his students, for instance, the renowned Leonid Sarafanov. And in 2014, he opened in Saint Petersburg the Classical Ballet Theatre, where he became an artistic director.

The Classical Ballet Andrei Batalov of Saint Petersburg is a young and dynamic company, clearly educated in the spirit of the best Russian tradition.

Stars like Andrey Batalov, Yevgeny Ivanchenko- Mariinsky Ballet, Leonid Sarafanov, Oksana Bondareva - Mikhailovsky Ballet, Alexandra Timofeeva, Evgheni Ivanchenko - Kremlin Ballet, Maria Poliudova, Vladimir Statnii - Ukraine are the main soloists of the company, and the corps de ballet is high-class.

The ballet company reunites 50 professional artists, graduates of the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy and of the greatest dance schools from Russia and Ukraine, led by great ballet masters, former distinguished dancers.

The repertoire of the “St. Petersburg Classical Ballet” Company combines masterpieces of classical ballet, such as: Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty by Piotr Tchaikovsky, Chopiniane and Giselle by A. Adam, Les Sylphides by Michel Fokine , Don Quijote and Paquita by L. Minkus and contemporary choreography - Alexei Miroshnichenko, Emil Faski and others.

“St. Petersburg Classical Ballet of Andrei Batalov” is proud of its artists, who, through their prowess and creativity, guarantee the success of the company, the artists attaining a high artistic level.

The scenery and costumes are designed by masters of dramatic arts and are magnificent.

The classical ballet of Saint Petersburg Andrei Batalov has toured in Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and Czech Republic and this fall, they are invited to tour in the USA.

“The language of art is universal and eternal. It is a language that does not require translation, spreading harmony and creativity everywhere”. Andrei Batalov, artistic director

12 December 2016, 7.00 p.m., Grand Hall of the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest

Translated by Simona Nichiteanu