ROYAL Moscow Ballet will be returning to South Africa in March 2017 with a programme paying tribute to great Russia composers Sergei Rachmaninov, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Aleksander Borodin, which comes to The Playhouse Opera for two shows only on Saturday, March 11 – at 2pm and 7pm.
In a country starved of professional ballet, the regular visits from dancers of the Royal Moscow Ballet are always a treat. The company arrives in the country for a six city tour in March covering Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Gaborone Botswana.
The programme celebrates the most celebrated Russian composers. Highlights include Paganini (a one act ballet) scored by Sergei Rachmaninov, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; scenes from ballets scored by Pyotr Tchaikovski: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker and Aleksander Borodin’s The Polovtsian dance from the opera The Prince Igor.
Royal Moscow Ballet has toured successfully around the globe presenting more than a thousand performances. The company, which consists of graduates of the best Russian choreography, ballet and dance schools, premiered as the Royal Moscow Ballet on the 12 August 2002. The founders are Anatoly Emelianov and Anna Aleksidze.
In 2017 the Royal Moscow Ballet will be celebrating its 15th anniversary. The company has created more than 20 modern and 15 classical ballets. The Royal Moscow Ballet has visited countries such as Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya – the first visit of a Russian ballet company to East Africa, The dancers performed on specially built stages near Victoria Falls. To the sound of classical music and the flowing Zambezi water the classic ballet Don Quixote was presented. For the first time in the history of Zambia, the company received a long-standing ovation from the audience which included the president of the country and the ambassador to Russia. After the performance dancers leapt into Victoria Falls to cool off. Booking is through Computicket.
