Bolshoi premiere: John Neumeier’s "Anna Karenina"

Bolshoi premiere: John Neumeier’s «Anna Karenina» featuring Svetlana Zakharova (March 23).

John Neumeier’s new ballet «Anna Karenina» will be premiered on the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre on March 23, 2018.

On this evening, the star ballerina Svetlana Zakharova is scheduled to perform the title role whose set of costumes is designed by Albert Kriemler. In addition to creating the choreography, John Neumeier is responsible for the stage design, the lighting concept as well as the costume design. The premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow is a coproduction with the Hamburg Ballet as well as the National Ballet of Canada. The world premiere of «Anna Karenina» was presented by the Hamburg Ballet on July 2, 2017, being the opening performance of the 2017 Hamburg Ballet Days.

John Neumeier has decided to allow journalists (including cameras) to attend the stage rehearsal of «Anna Karenina» on March 21 at 7.00 pm. Prior to the rehearsal (at 6.00 pm), he will hold a press conference and relate some background information about the ballet production. Further participants are Makhar Vaziev (Ballet Director, Bolshoi Theatre) as well as soloists of the opening night performance: Svetlana Zakharova (Anna Karenina), Denis Rodkin (Vronsky), Semyon Chudin (Karenin).

John Neumeier’s initial inspiration to create «Anna Karenina» occurred at the Bolshoi Theatre, while working with Svetlana Zakharova on his ballet «Lady of the Camellias».

The Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet remembers the situation: «I was extremely pleased and impressed by Svetlana’s creative approach when rehearsing and later performing the demanding title role. After the last performance at the Bolshoi, she expressed the desire to dance the role of Tatiana in my ballet of the same name. Taken by surprise, I walked to my dressing room with the press officer and said: ‘Svetlana would like to dance Tatiana. This is not her role’, – then spontaneously: ‘Maybe Anna Karenina …’.«

Bolshoi – Theatre Moscow, Historic Stage.

«Anna Karenina»
Ballet by John Neumeier, inspired by Leo Tolstoi.

A coproduction of the Hamburg Ballet with the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow and the National Ballet of Canada.