The programme that reveals the history of Russia and the life of its peoples where the infinite of time and horizons broaden the boundless means of the art of dance! Vital historical milestones, traditions and customs of the multinational Russia expose originality of the hundreds of cultures of the united people of Russia plunging the audience in the times of christening of Rus, tsar’s Russia and USSR, revealing the life of the people living in the Far North, in the southern steppes, in the mountains of the Caucasus and in the Central Russia. “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” cleverly and with great prowess unites lyrical sketches with elements of folklore and ancient Russian epic. It uncovers the Russian culture through the nature of its people, social status and national colouring. You can witness the temporal, urban, village, military culture of Russia. The accurately created images of mother, wife, daughter, son, husband and warrior reflect the heritage of the many generations and the unique spirit of the Russian nation. 50 dancers on stage, masterly technique, outstanding acting, 15 reincarnations, 10 tons of freight, 600 unique costumes, 300 items of props, 8 sets changes – this is the fabulous reality of “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” that captivates the audience of all ages and nationalities. Today the image of the “girl in silver” – the famous ballet’s brand symbolizing the delicate image of Kostroma filigree art, invites the Muscovites and Moscow guests to take a journey to the depths of Russian culture with its fairy tales, legends and soviet motives! Full info

The programme that reveals the history of Russia and the life of its peoples where the infinite of time and horizons broaden the boundless means of the art of dance! Vital historical milestones, traditions and customs of the multinational Russia expose originality of the hundreds of cultures of the united people of Russia plunging the audience in the times of christening of Rus, tsar’s Russia and USSR, revealing the life of the people living in the Far North, in the southern steppes, in the mountains of the Caucasus and in the Central Russia. “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” cleverly and with great prowess unites lyrical sketches with elements of folklore and ancient Russian epic. It uncovers the Russian culture through the nature of its people, social status and national colouring. You can witness the temporal, urban, village, military culture of Russia. The accurately created images of mother, wife, daughter, son, husband and warrior reflect the heritage of the many generations and the unique spirit of the Russian nation. 50 dancers on stage, masterly technique, outstanding acting, 15 reincarnations, 10 tons of freight, 600 unique costumes, 300 items of props, 8 sets changes – this is the fabulous reality of “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” that captivates the audience of all ages and nationalities. Today the image of the “girl in silver” – the famous ballet’s brand symbolizing the delicate image of Kostroma filigree art, invites the Muscovites and Moscow guests to take a journey to the depths of Russian culture with its fairy tales, legends and soviet motives! Full info

Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov is Russia’s national epic: a tale of splendour, suffering, and the all-too human price of power. It’s one of the supreme achievements in Russian opera. If the Mariinsky is Russia’s national opera company, Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov – premiered at the Mariinsky in 1874 - is surely Russia’s national opera. Certainly, few operas look more penetratingly at the soul of a nation: scenes of pageantry are undercut by private soul-searching and state-sanctioned murder. The opera paints Russia’s artistic self-image. Full info

The programme that reveals the history of Russia and the life of its peoples where the infinite of time and horizons broaden the boundless means of the art of dance! Vital historical milestones, traditions and customs of the multinational Russia expose originality of the hundreds of cultures of the united people of Russia plunging the audience in the times of christening of Rus, tsar’s Russia and USSR, revealing the life of the people living in the Far North, in the southern steppes, in the mountains of the Caucasus and in the Central Russia. “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” cleverly and with great prowess unites lyrical sketches with elements of folklore and ancient Russian epic. It uncovers the Russian culture through the nature of its people, social status and national colouring. You can witness the temporal, urban, village, military culture of Russia. The accurately created images of mother, wife, daughter, son, husband and warrior reflect the heritage of the many generations and the unique spirit of the Russian nation. 50 dancers on stage, masterly technique, outstanding acting, 15 reincarnations, 10 tons of freight, 600 unique costumes, 300 items of props, 8 sets changes – this is the fabulous reality of “The Russian National Dance Show “Kostroma” that captivates the audience of all ages and nationalities. Today the image of the “girl in silver” – the famous ballet’s brand symbolizing the delicate image of Kostroma filigree art, invites the Muscovites and Moscow guests to take a journey to the depths of Russian culture with its fairy tales, legends and soviet motives! Full info

There’s a good reason why Swan Lake is so often called the ‘ballet of all ballets’. The combination of pure romanticism, the story about love and deception and Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet music all continue to reach new generations of audiences. Swan Lake was Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky's first score for ballet. Its 1877 premiere was poorly received, but it has since become one of the most loved of all ballets. The twinned role of the radiant White Swan and the scheming, duplicitous Black Swan tests the full range of a ballerina's powers, particularly in the two great pas de deux of Acts II and III. Other highlights include the charming Dance of the Little Swans performed by a moonlit lake and sweeping ballroom waltzes in the splendour of the royal palace. Full info

The Stone Guest is an opera in three acts by Alexander Dargomyzhsky from a libretto taken almost verbatim from Alexander Pushkin's play of the same name which had been written in blank verse and which forms part of his collection Little Tragedies.It was first performed at the Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, 16 February 1872.According to the composer's wishes, the last few lines of tableau 1 were composed by Cesar Cui, and the whole was orchestrated by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Many years later, Rimsky-Korsakov revised his own orchestration of the opera, rewrote a few of Dargomyzhsky's own original passages, and added an orchestral prelude. This version, completed in 1903 and first performed in 1907 at the Bolshoi Theatre, is now considered the standard version. Full info

There’s a good reason why Swan Lake is so often called the ‘ballet of all ballets’. The combination of pure romanticism, the story about love and deception and Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet music all continue to reach new generations of audiences. Swan Lake was Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky's first score for ballet. Its 1877 premiere was poorly received, but it has since become one of the most loved of all ballets. The twinned role of the radiant White Swan and the scheming, duplicitous Black Swan tests the full range of a ballerina's powers, particularly in the two great pas de deux of Acts II and III. Other highlights include the charming Dance of the Little Swans performed by a moonlit lake and sweeping ballroom waltzes in the splendour of the royal palace. Full info

The epitome of Romantic ballet, Giselle is a poignant tale of unrequited love, remorse, and forgiveness. The role of Giselle, often described as the Hamlet of the ballet world, requires an exquisite stylist with daring dramatic and technical skills. Giselle (by Marius Petipa) is one of the world's favorite romantic ballets, and tells the story of a beautiful village girl who falls in love with a powerful Count, who is disguises himself as a fellow villager. When Giselle learns of his deception and that their love will never be, her world falls apart and she descends into madness. Full info

Le nozze di Figaro had its premiere in 1786 at the Burgtheater in Vienna. Lorenzo da Ponte – with whom Mozart later collaborated on Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte – created the libretto. It was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ controversial play Le Mariage de Figaro, which was banned in Vienna due to its seditious content. David McVicar’s acclaimed production sets the action in a French chateau in 1830 on the eve of revolution, amplifying the opera’s undercurrents of class tension. The entire household is drawn into the notoriously complex plot, which covers all shades of human emotion: spirited playfulness, such as when Figaro sends Cherubino off to war in ‘Non più andrai’, is combined with heartfelt despair, such as the Countess’s grief at her husband’s infidelity in 'Dove sono i bei momenti'. But affection and fidelity prevail in this most warm-hearted of operas: the Count’s plea for forgiveness in the final act, ‘Contessa, perdono’, is one of the most moving moments in opera. Full info

The libretto of the opera is based on the jewel of ancient Russian literature - The Tale of Igor's Campaign. Text and music were being written for 18 years but were finished by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov after the composer’s death. The opera also includes famous The Polovetsian Dances – a bright vocal-choreographic scene that has become a legend. For the 1890 premiere of Prince Igor the spirit of the wild dances was conveyed by choreographer Leo Ivanov, a co-author of the famous ballet Swan Lake. Full info

Le nozze di Figaro had its premiere in 1786 at the Burgtheater in Vienna. Lorenzo da Ponte – with whom Mozart later collaborated on Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte – created the libretto. It was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ controversial play Le Mariage de Figaro, which was banned in Vienna due to its seditious content. David McVicar’s acclaimed production sets the action in a French chateau in 1830 on the eve of revolution, amplifying the opera’s undercurrents of class tension. The entire household is drawn into the notoriously complex plot, which covers all shades of human emotion: spirited playfulness, such as when Figaro sends Cherubino off to war in ‘Non più andrai’, is combined with heartfelt despair, such as the Countess’s grief at her husband’s infidelity in 'Dove sono i bei momenti'. But affection and fidelity prevail in this most warm-hearted of operas: the Count’s plea for forgiveness in the final act, ‘Contessa, perdono’, is one of the most moving moments in opera. Full info

Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin is a radiant example of Russian Lyric Opera. A deeply moving tale packed with big tunes, dances and a heart-stopping duel. As with his ballets, Tchaikovsky brings many symphonic elements to the music, plush orchestrations and highly melodic arias. Onegin is a uniquely Russian opera with a universality that has made it globally popular. None of the characters are easy to associate with and yet the events and their actions ring horribly true. Full info

There’s a good reason why Swan Lake is so often called the ‘ballet of all ballets’. The combination of pure romanticism, the story about love and deception and Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet music all continue to reach new generations of audiences. Swan Lake was Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky's first score for ballet. Its 1877 premiere was poorly received, but it has since become one of the most loved of all ballets. The twinned role of the radiant White Swan and the scheming, duplicitous Black Swan tests the full range of a ballerina's powers, particularly in the two great pas de deux of Acts II and III. Other highlights include the charming Dance of the Little Swans performed by a moonlit lake and sweeping ballroom waltzes in the splendour of the royal palace. Full info