Moscow Ballet (United States)
Encyclopedia
The Moscow Ballet is an American owned ballet company
with dancers based in Moscow and the Ukraine that has produced ballet tours in the United States during the holiday season since 1993. Stanislav Vlasov, a former principal artist of the Bolshoi Ballet
, was the company's first artistic director in 1993. Vlasov's debut in the United States was at Carnegie Hall
in 1957.
Festival” created by Boston-born theatrical producer Akiva Talmi.
From 1994 to 1996 the Moscow Ballet engaged in a partnership with the Moscow Musical Theater for Children
, founded by Natalya Sats
. The latter theatre is renowned as the birth place of Prokofiev
's Peter and the Wolf
and for its dedication to the cultural education of children. Moscow Ballet toured with the full orchestra of the Sats Theater, conducted by Andre Yakovlev.
In 1996 a full length production of Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
was performed at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This was the culmination of Moscow Ballet's relationship with the Sats Theater and was documented by South Carolina Educational Television
. The performance was sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
.
From 1997 to the present, Anatoly Emelionov, formerly a soloist of the Sats Theater, has been one of the artistic directors of the Moscow Ballet. A graduate of Perm
State Choreographic School, Emelionov's has given the Moscow Ballet's modern staging of The Nutcracker a unique feel.
The modern set was designed by Valentin Fedorov, who studied at the Moscow Artistic Academic Theatre under the legendary Valery Leventhal of the Bolshoi Ballet. Since 1988, he has been the artistic director at the Chuvashia State Theatre of Opera and Ballet and has designed more than 40 productions for opera and ballet. In 1991, his "Blackberry Along the Fence" won the Best Performances of Russia Festival. He was given the title Honored Artist of Chuvashia.
Moscow Ballet's current staging of the Great Russian Nutcracker does not follow the libretto commonly used in America. The Moscow Ballet's story the first act maintains the classical tradition. In the second act, however, Clara and her Prince travel to the Land Of Peace and Harmony instead of visiting the Sugar Plum Fairy. This is in agreement with the company's long standing theme of international and cultural unity.
Over the years, the Moscow Ballet has had many prima ballerinas, includin Svetlana Smirnova, Predenia and Marina Alexandrova. The stars of the 2009 production are Cristina Terentieva and her husband Alexei Terentiev, as well as Akzhol Mussakhanov and Ekaterina Bortyakova (Terentieva won the Gold Medal at the Varna
International Ballet Competition in 2008.)
The company has performed across the United States in theaters including the Orpheum in Minneapolis, the Majestic
in Dallas, the Majestic in San Antonio, the Rosemont
in Chicago and the Lyric Opera House
in Baltimore.
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
with dancers based in Moscow and the Ukraine that has produced ballet tours in the United States during the holiday season since 1993. Stanislav Vlasov, a former principal artist of the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
, was the company's first artistic director in 1993. Vlasov's debut in the United States was at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in 1957.
History
The company evolved out of the 1989-92 “GlasnostGlasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
Festival” created by Boston-born theatrical producer Akiva Talmi.
From 1994 to 1996 the Moscow Ballet engaged in a partnership with the Moscow Musical Theater for Children
Natalya Sats Musical Theater
The Natalya Sats Musical Theater, formally known as the Moscow State Academic Children’s Music Theater Named After Natalya Sats. Moscow, Russia theater specializing in opera, ballet and dramatic theater productions for children...
, founded by Natalya Sats
Natalya Sats
Natalya Sats was a Russian music teacher and director of the Moscow Musical Theater for Children, now named after her...
. The latter theatre is renowned as the birth place of Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
's Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf , Op. 67, is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story , spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra....
and for its dedication to the cultural education of children. Moscow Ballet toured with the full orchestra of the Sats Theater, conducted by Andre Yakovlev.
In 1996 a full length production of Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
was performed at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This was the culmination of Moscow Ballet's relationship with the Sats Theater and was documented by South Carolina Educational Television
South Carolina Educational Television
South Carolina Educational Television is the statewide public television and public radio network in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It consists of all the Public Broadcasting Service member [television stations and National Public Radio member radio stations in the state...
. The performance was sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
National Association for the Education of Young Children
The National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest nonprofit association in the United States representing early childhood education teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, policy makers, and advocates...
.
From 1997 to the present, Anatoly Emelionov, formerly a soloist of the Sats Theater, has been one of the artistic directors of the Moscow Ballet. A graduate of Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
State Choreographic School, Emelionov's has given the Moscow Ballet's modern staging of The Nutcracker a unique feel.
The modern set was designed by Valentin Fedorov, who studied at the Moscow Artistic Academic Theatre under the legendary Valery Leventhal of the Bolshoi Ballet. Since 1988, he has been the artistic director at the Chuvashia State Theatre of Opera and Ballet and has designed more than 40 productions for opera and ballet. In 1991, his "Blackberry Along the Fence" won the Best Performances of Russia Festival. He was given the title Honored Artist of Chuvashia.
Moscow Ballet's current staging of the Great Russian Nutcracker does not follow the libretto commonly used in America. The Moscow Ballet's story the first act maintains the classical tradition. In the second act, however, Clara and her Prince travel to the Land Of Peace and Harmony instead of visiting the Sugar Plum Fairy. This is in agreement with the company's long standing theme of international and cultural unity.
"It is the annual Christmas Eve party at the Staulbaum home. The adults dance exquisitely as presents are given to the children. Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives with a magical Nutcracker for Masha. Her brother Fritz soon becomes jealous of Masha and he races raucously around her, breaking the wondrous toy.
Masha is distraught and buries her face in a pillow until she eventually falls asleep. When she finally lifts her head, all is quiet and the house is empty. Out of the silent shadows the Rat King emerges, followed by a swarm of mice that threaten Masha. Without warning, the blazing red figure of the Nutcracker strides forth to defend her. The fight is fierce and the Nutcracker is wounded! Masha throws a slipper into the fray, knocking the Rat King unconscious! The mice recede into the shadows as their leader is defeated.
Uncle Drosselmeyer appears, and with a wave of his wand the Nutcracker Doll is transformed. In its place, a dashing Prince rises. Masha and her Prince travel to the Snow Forest where they are greeted by the Snow Queen and her court. They are escorted to the realm of Peace & Harmony. Emissaries from around the world dance for the couple, honoring them. The flowers themselves seem to dance for Masha and the Prince! After the celebration, the couple perform a love duet, and the cheers rebound throughout the "Land of Peace & Harmony."
Over the years, the Moscow Ballet has had many prima ballerinas, includin Svetlana Smirnova, Predenia and Marina Alexandrova. The stars of the 2009 production are Cristina Terentieva and her husband Alexei Terentiev, as well as Akzhol Mussakhanov and Ekaterina Bortyakova (Terentieva won the Gold Medal at the Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
International Ballet Competition in 2008.)
The company has performed across the United States in theaters including the Orpheum in Minneapolis, the Majestic
Majestic Theatre (Dallas, Texas)
The Majestic Theatre is a performing arts theater in the City Center District of Downtown Dallas. It is the last remnant of Theater Row, the city's historic entertainment center on Elm Street, and is a contributing property in the Harwood Historic District...
in Dallas, the Majestic in San Antonio, the Rosemont
Rosemont Theatre
Rosemont Theatre is a concert hall in Rosemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The venue, which has seats for 4,300 people and opened in 1995, hosts many different musical artists and shows. It is located near O'Hare International Airport, Allstate Arena and Donald E...
in Chicago and the Lyric Opera House
Lyric Opera House
The Lyric Opera House is a music venue in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The building was modeled after the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, and it was inaugurated on October 31, 1894, with a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Australian opera singer Nellie Melba as the featured...
in Baltimore.