Mariinsky Theater Festival, 2016

Mariinsky Theater Festival, a performing art festival jointly held by Wu Promotion and Mariinsky Theater, will be definitely a sensational cultural event in 2016, during which time the Mariinsky Opera, the Mariinsky Ballet and the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra will visit China for several performances. Though large numbers of ballet works exist in the world, the one which is recognized as the most representative for ballet art is Swan Lake. For over a century, this work – with poetic dance movements, pure fairy stories, snow-white swan skirts, contracting wonderland scenes as well as the soul-touching music – has become a classic piece transcending space and time. The Swan Lake known by the public today was premiered in Mariinsky Theater in 1895, and till now the Mariinsky version is still the most authoritative production. As 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Mariinsky Theater specially selects Romeo and Juliet  – a ballet based on Shakespeare’s most famous love tragedy – for Chinese audience. Also, year 2016 is the 80th anniversary of the ballet music composed by Prokofiev, which increases significance for the performance. The Mariinsky version of Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Lavrovaky, was firstly staged in 1940, and Ulanova, a ballerina well-known in China, has also danced in the ballet.