Russians bring French works to Africa
South Africa will experience the beauty of Russian ballet when the internationally celebrated Crown of the Russian Ballet Company arrives in the country for a four-city tour in May. Crown of the Russian Ballet opens the SA tour in Johannesburg, where they have the distinction of being the very first production to play in the newly revamped Theatre of Marcellus at Emperors Palace, before moving to Cape Town's Baxter Theatre, Durban's Playhouse Opera Theatre and Pretoria's State Theatre thereafter.
PRACTISED ELEGANCE. The Crown of the Russian Ballet Company will visit South Africa this May. Picture: Supplied.
Crown of the Russian Ballet was founded by current artistic director and lead ballerina Anna Alexidze and chief choreographer and principal dancer Anatoly Emelianov in 1997. Driven to explore and expand their creative and professional horizons, they developed a ballet repertoire of innovative classical and contemporary works.
Seventeen years later, they enjoy the reputation of being one of the most respected touring companies in the business. Their work includes classical masterpieces as well as modern dance.
The 2014 South African touring programme is titled Masterpieces Of French Music In Ballet and opens with Bizet’s Carmen, a passionate one-act ballet. The second half includes Saint-Saëns’ emotionally charged Dying Swan. This piece will forever be associated with the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The Pas de Quatre by Pugni is a fine showcase of the Romantic age of ballet.
The company has toured extensively internationally sharing their vision of the art of ballet and being a vital part of the contemporary artistic conversation. They have played to acclaim in the US, Great Britain, Canada, and many other countries. They hope through their performances to share their culture and show the inherent love and beauty of humankind illustrating that art can be a powerful catalyst for change.
