“On 16 March 2006 The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre premiered its first ever South African season at the State Theatre in Pretoria. The following day the box office was under siege. The already heavily booked season sold out within hours and the tour producers hastily arranged additional performances to satisfy demand. This pattern of sell out seasons was repeated across the nation and by the end of the tour on May a staggering 63,000 people had attended the Ballet’s performances.”

Because of this quite unprecedented success and the clear demand by ballet and theatre patrons to see first class productions of the great classics, The St Petersburg Ballet will return to South Africa in early 2007.

The ballets chosen for 2007 are Giselle – a classic production of the work which was first performed at the Paris Opera on the 28 June 1841. Giselle, often described as the world’s most romantic ballet, was first performed in St Petersburg in 1842. The second work is the timeless favorite Swan Lake.

The St Petersburg Ballet will ship its complete sets and costumes for both full length works to Pretoria immediately after the conclusion of their four month UK tour.

The touring company of 55 dancers plus support staff will be by far largest Russian company to visit South Africa for many years and certainly the only troupe that presents full length works.

The quite beautiful Adolphe Adam musical score for Giselle and Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Swan Lake will be performed by the a full Symphony Orchestra.

The 2007 season premiere of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre will open at the State Theatre, Pretoria, on Thursday 28 February.

Tickets can be purchased now at Computicket.

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