Gala Ballet Cultural Olympiad in Sochi, Russia on February 8, 2014

Bilateral UK-Russia Year of Culture 2014 will be marked in Olympic Sochi with the performance of the principal dancers with the Royal Opera House and the English National Ballet.

On February 8, 2014, the Olympic Sochi will welcome famous guests from Great Britain: on stage of the Winter Theatre a grand Gala featuring principal dancer with the Royal Opera House (Matthew Golding) and soloists with the English National Ballet (Yonah Acosta and Zdenek Konvalina) will be held.

The project is the participant of the final part of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad. It will not only be a symbolic baton passed from Olympic London to Sochi, but also one of the first events of the bilateral UK-Russia Year of Culture program taking place in both countries in 2014.

All the events of the bilateral year program, including exhibitions, concerts, meetings are aimed to reveal rich and diverse cultural connections of the two nations. The Gala is just another obvious evidence of cultural unity of our countries based on the same understanding of the universal human values among which are respect for cultural and sports traditions, national solidarity through common creative work and sports achievements.

With no doubt all Russian participants of the Gala are stars whose names are well known overseas: Ulyana Lopatkina has been entitled by the international mass media as «divine»; Denis Matvienko is «a virtuoso with impossible dramatic charm»; Irina Perren is «personified poem of dance»; Marat Shemiunov is the «king of classical support»; Kristina Kretova has been acknowledged by European critics as «breakthrough of 2013»; Denis Medvedev is famous for his phenomenal technique; exquisite Anastasia Kolegova and artistic Igor Kolb, noble Danila Korsuntsev and manful Mikhail Lobukhin, delicate Anastasia Stashkevich and bright Anna Tikhomirova – no accidental name on the list.

The program of the Gala is diverse – it includes eternal classical pieces as well as expressive modern choreography. One could enjoy tangle of ancient plots and kaleidoscope of national dances, lyrical pieces as well as exuberance of high spirits.

The gorgeous duet of Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov (principal dancers with Mikhailovsky theater) will perform the magnetic «Spartacus» adagio. The famous scene of the slaver kneeling down before beautiful captive (pas d’esclave from the «le Corsair» ballet) will be performed by Anna Tikhomirova (Bolshoi theater) and Denis Matvienko (Mariinsky theater).

The program of the Gala also includes several national dances: «Russian dance» performed by splendid principal dancer with Mariinsky theater Ulyana Lopatkina, lively «Taras Bulba» gopak performed by the soloist of Bolshoi theater – Denis Medvedev, «Greek dance» by Zdenek Konvalina, principal dancer with English National ballet and bright «Tarantella» by Anna Tikhomirova and Denis Medvedev.

Virtuoso heroic pas de dian from «Esmeralda» ballet by international duo – Jonah Acosta, soloist with English National Ballet, and graceful soloist with Bolshoi theater Anastasia Stashkevich will charm the audience. Celebrate Odilia by Kristina Kretova (Bolshoi theater) will captivate the wonderful Prince (by Matthew Golding, the Royal Opera House). Mysterious stranger by Anastasia Kolegova enthralls Danila Korsuntsev (principal dancer with the Mariinsky ballet) in the «Ghostly Ball».

Surely the spectators will remember the bright piece from «Talisman» performed by Anastasia Stashkevich and Mikhail Lobukhin, artists of Bolshoi theater, along with the artists of famous ballet theater of L. Jacobson, laureate of many Russian and international awards.

The strong «Farewell» (Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov) and the passionate «Je suis malade» (Igor Kolb and Irina Perren) are a real gift to admirers of contemporary choreography.

We believe that the international Gala will be remembered for being diverse, emotional, representing the best artists and pieces of ballet.