Konstantin Tachkin’s
ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE (SPBT)
RETURN TO THE UK FOR THEIR 12th SUCCESSIVE SEASON
FOLLOWING TRIUMPHANT SELL-OUT
SOUTH AFRICA TOUR

“It would be difficult to go wrong with a dancer like Kolesnikova …4,500 people raised the roof.” Sunday Express

“A star she undoubtedly is.” Daily Telegraph

“Kolesnikova is a dream of an Odette. The evening was a triumph for her.” The Times

“Eat your heart out Robbie Williams – selling out is easier than you think – three shows had to be added!” The Witness, Durban, South Africa

South African ballet audiences were thrilled to have the first ever full length performances of Swan Lake performed by a Russian company during Spring 2006. St Petersburg Ballet Theatre with star prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova had to add extra shows to the sell-out tour. The press throughout the tour was unanimous but probably best summed up in this amazing line from The Pretoria News, which was published on 21 March:

“There are three excellent reasons to see the St Petersburg Ballet’s Swan Lake – Irina Kolneskova, Irina Kolneskova and Irina Kolesnikova.” The reviewer Adrienne Sichel concluded by saying “her artistry will be engraved on treasured memories”.

UK audiences have already fallen in love with the young dynamic company and in 2006/7, their 12th successive season, they will bring the Tchaikovsky trilogy of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker as well as the classic and British favourite ‘Giselle’ to venues across the UK. It is a role that ballet-goers here adore and Irina Kolesnikova, who has been described as ‘the dancing actress’ will perform the title role.

Love has been in the air both on and off the stage in recent months at the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre with principals Andrei Yakhnuk and Sabina Yapporova tying the knot two months ago. The company continues to attract new talent with 12 new dancers joining the company direct from the most famous ballet schools including Vaganova, Perm and Belarus in 2006.

This season’s tour will include performances of The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake in venues across the country from Eastbourne to Blackpool. New venues for this year are the Chichester Festival Theatre, Northampton Derngate, Belfast Grand Opera House, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Bradford Alhambra. There are also 3 dates at The Helix in Dublin.

There will be Gala performances at Eastbourne on 13 December, Crawley on 9th January and in Norwich on 22 January. This Stars of SPBT Gala programme includes in Act I Chopiniana, in Act II the Pas de deux of Diana and Acteon (music by Pugni, choreography by Vaganova), Pas de deux from Harlequinade (music by Drigo, chorography by Petipa), a selection from Raymonda (music by Glazunov, choregraphy by Petipa in the revised version by Sergeyev), The Dying Swan (music by Saint-Saens, choreography after Michel Fokine) and the Act III finale Paquita (music by Minkus with choreography by Petipa).


“The jewel in the crown of SPBT is the ravishingly beautiful Irina Kolesnikova, who rivals any star of the Bolshoi or Kirov in technique and stage artistry.”
Mike Dixon, The Stage.