The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre (SPBT) is a Russian classical

ballet company A ballet company is a type of dance troupe which performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round ba ...

. It was founded in 1994 by Konstantin Tachkin, who has continued to direct the company over its 25-year history. The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is housed in a complex on Liteyniy prospect, situated in the heart of

Saint-Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, which in

Imperial Russia The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...

had served as the House of Officers.

History

Although the company performs frequently in its home city and throughout Russia it also has a reputation for its international touring. The company’s sixty professional ballet artists are all either graduates of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg or from one of several other Russian ballet schools.

Irina Kolesnikova

Irina Kolesnikova is the Principal dancer of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre. Reviews include: “''..the overall pure joy of Kolesnikova’s interpretation is not only a true reflection of some of the most beautiful and evocative music Tchaikovsky ever wrote but an affirmation of the power and joy of dance''” — Jeffery Taylor, ''

The Sunday Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the Uni ...

'', UK “''Kolesnikova is a real artist whose gifts include expressive arms, a pliant torso and a meltingly slow, expansive yet detailed style that draws us right to her...Kolesnikova is a dream of an Odette.''” — Donald Hutera, ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...

'', UK “''Irina Kolesnikova looks like a princess straight out of Russian fairy tales..This is the first time that the mastery of Russian ballet is being represented not by the ballerinas of the Bolshoi or the Kirov, but by a star from an independent company''” —

Nina Alovert Nina Nikolaevna Alovert (; born 1935) is a ballet photographer and writer. She lives in the United States, following her emigration from the Soviet Union in 1977. Alovert was the photographer for the 1986 Emmy Award-winning program ''Wolf Trapp P ...

, ''

Dance Magazine ''Dance Magazine'' is an American trade publication for dance published by the Macfadden Communications Group. It was first published in June 1927 as ''The American Dancer''. ''Dance Magazine'' has multiple sister publications, including '' Point ...

'', US

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

In 2018, St Petersburg Ballet Theatre (SPBT) celebrated the 10th anniversary of Irina Kolesnikova's annual Parisian seasons. During this time, in addition to with world’s favourite Swan Lake the other masterpieces of world choreography were presented to the Parisian public, such as: * ''Don Quixote'' (2009, 2016) * ''Giselle'' (2009, 2017) * ''La Bayadère'' (2009, 2015) * ''The Nutcracker'' (2011) * ''Sleeping Beauty'' (2011) * ''St Petersburg’s Nutcracker'' (2013, 2016) * ''Romeo and Juliet'' (2014, 2015) * ''Chopiniana and Paquita'' (2018)

Performances

* ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...

'' * ''

Giselle ''Giselle'' (; ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (, ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet (" ballet-pantomime") in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon ...

'' * ''

La Bayadère ''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...

'' * ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaik ...

'' * ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...

'' * ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'' * '' The Sleeping Beauty''

References

General

Swan Lake Review by Jeffery Taylor, The Sunday Express

Swan Lake Review by Allen Robertson, The Times

Swan Lake Review by Jared Wilson, LeftLion

Swan Lake Review by Donald Hutera, The Times

The Sleeping Beauty Review by Jeffery Taylor, The Sunday Express

External links

St Petersburg Ballet Theatre website
{{Ballet companies Performing groups established in 1994 Ballet companies in Saint Petersburg