"Saint-Petersburg Theatre Classical Ballet of Marina Medvetskaya"

"Saint-Petersburg Theatre Classical Ballet of Marina Medvetskaya"

WELCOME

A Brief Company History

The “Saint-Petersburg Theatre Classic Ballet of Marina Medvetskaya” was formed in early 1996. Though a relatively new Company, the artists and staff are a cross-section of the best of the Russian tradition in Classical Ballet, in addition to actively seeking to inspire a new generation of Russian and International Choreographers to contribute repertoire.

The company Artistic Director, Marina Medvetskaya, is a disciple of the legendary Vakhtang Chaboukiani, and Prima Ballerina of the Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, where she danced all the leading roles in classical and contemporary works, as well as working with Alexander Plesetsky and Mikhael Lavrovsky. She brought her broad experience, vision and artistic standard to this new company, and it soon began to flourish. At a time of unsettling economic setbacks, she was able to attract a select group of some of the finest ballet artists from the mature companies of St. Petersburg, including the Kirov, The Maly and the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre of Askold Makarov (Formerly “Choreographic Miniatures). The Company’s repertoire currently consists of numerous famous Classical Compositions by choreographers such as Petipa, Ivanov, Vainonen, St. Leon, Bournonville, Gorsky, Vaganova, Yakobson, and many others, and the Company has acquired new costumes and decorations (set pieces) from the craftsmen of the legendary Maryinsky Theatre Shops. In the Summer of 2002, The Company commissioned a new classical ballet work by the American Choreographer and authority on Russian Teaching Method, Prof.
Peggy Willis-Aarnio, Beethoven: A Classical Inspiration, which will receive its North American Debut performances on their 2003 American Tour.

Almost immediately, the company began to do touring within Russia and the former states of the Soviet Union, and in 1998, they had their first Tour abroad, touring throughout Scandinavia. In 1999, the company was awarded the Gold Medal in the “Amber Necklace” International Ballet Competition in Kaliningrad. Since then, the company has split its time between touring inside the states of the former Soviet Union and Europe, and Performing during the Summer “White Nights” seasons (2000-2001) at the Theatre of Musical Comedy in St. Petersburg.

The current planned tour is the Company’s second touring activity in the United States and will include the world premiere performances of a new Classical Ballet created for the Company by Internationally known Teacher and Choreographer, Prof. Peggy Willis Aarnio, Beethoven: A Classical Inspiration.