The Mariinsky Theatre will be running the III International Ballet Festival Mariinsky from 21st February to 2nd March 2003. This is currently the only classical dance festival in Russia whose participants are leading dancers from the worldīs leading ballet companies.

The Festivalīs motto is The Theatre of Open Doors. After many years of isolation, the Mariinsky Theatre is renewing the practice of inviting companies and soloists to tour.

Vladimir Malakhov, Carlos Acosta, Jose-Manuel Carreno, Ethan Stiefel (all with ABT) Nikolay Ziskaridze (Bolshoi Theatre), Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, Aurelie Dupont, Nicolas Le Riche and Manuel Legris (all with the Opera de Paris) have danced together with Mariinsky Theatre ballet soloists Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova, Irma Nioradze, Igor Zelensky, Farukh Ruzimatov, Andrian Fadeyev and Danila Korsuntsev in the Festivalīs performances and Gala Concerts. For many, this marked their debut not only at the Mariinsky Theatre but in Russia as well.

One of the Festivalīs major attractions is provided by performances of the leading European ballet companies that are invited to take part. John Neumeierīs Hamburger Ballett and the Bayerische Staatsballet have performed at the Festival. The Festival also saw the first Russian performance by Ballett Frankfurt, headed by renowned choreographerWilliam Forsythe.

This yearīs Festival will see the debuts of leading soloists from the New York City Ballet - Damian Woetzel, Wendy Whelan and Maria Kowroski will be dancing in Russia for the first time. As before, we will be joined by Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, Jean-Guillaume Bart and Manuel Legris, our friends from the Opera de Paris. We are pleased to have Alina Cojocaru, the hope and rising star of Londonīs Royal Ballet and her partner Johan Kobborg, a wonderful representative of the classical Danish school, at the Festival. (Mr Kobborg currently dances with the Royal Ballet.) Vladimir Malakhov (ABT, Staatsoper Unter den Linden) and Nikolay Ziskaridze (Bolshoi Theate) are also regular participants of the Festival.

News source: www.mariinsky.spb.ru
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