Cross Year of Culture of Great Britain and Russia in Olympic Sochi will celebrate the premieres of the Royal Covent Garden and the English National Ballet

On February 8, 2014, Olympic Sochi will receive famous guests from the UK: on the stage of the Winter Theater there will be a grand gala concert of ballet stars with the participation of Covent Garden Prime Minister Matthew Golding and soloists of the English National Ballet Yona Acosta and Zdenek Konvalina.

Kristina Kretova
Photo: Stas Levshin

The project participating in the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad finals will not only serve as a sign of the symbolic relay race hosted by Sochi at Olympic London, but will also be one of the first events of the cross Year of Russia and Great Britain, whose large-scale program will unfold in both countries in 2014.

All events of the Year - exhibitions, concerts, creative meetings - are called upon to tell as fully as possible about the rich and diverse cultural ties of the two countries. The gala concert is yet another clear evidence of the unity of our cultures, based on the same understanding of universal values, among which are respect for cultural and sports traditions, national unity through joint creativity and sports achievements.

Absolutely all Russian participants in the gala concert are stars of the first magnitude, whose names are known far beyond the borders of Russia: Ulyana Lopatkina, whom the world press refers to only as “divine”; Denis Matvienko, “a super-virtuoso endowed with incredible acting charm”; Irina Perren, “embodied poem in dance”; Marat Shemiunov, “the king of classical supports”; Kristina Kretova, called by European critics “the breakthrough of 2013”; the owner of phenomenal technology Denis Medvedev; graceful Anastasia Kolegova and artistic Igor Kolb, noble Danila Korsuntsev and courageous Mikhail Lobukhin, fragile Anastasia Stashkevich and sparkling Anna Tikhomirova - not a single name on this list is accidental.

The program of the gala concert is very diverse - it is an eternal classic and expressive modernity, a bizarre interweaving of antique plots and a kaleidoscope of national dances, piercing lyrics and unbridled fun.

The magnificent duet of the premieres of the Mikhailovsky Theater, Irina Perren and Marat Shemiunov, will be performed by a bewitching adagio from the ballet Spartak, and Anna Tavomirova (Bolshoi Theater) and Denis will dance the famous scene of the slave trader worshiping a beautiful captive (pas de cursing from the ballet Corsair) and Denis Mariinskii Opera House).

The necklace of sparkling national dances will be consonant with the multinational Olympic movement: “Russian” performed by the brilliant prima of Mariinsky Ulyana Lopatkina, brisk hopak from the ballet “Taras Bulba” of the Bolshoi ballet dancer Denis Medvedev, “Greek dance” the premiere of the English national ballet Zdenek Konvalina and colorful “Tarantella”Anna Tikhomirova and Denis Medvedev.

The international duet of the graceful Anastasia Stashkevich (Bolshoi Theater) and the stars of the English National Ballet Yona Acosta will captivate the audience with the virtuoso heroic pas de Dian from the ballet Esmeralda. The triumphant Odile Christina Kretova (Bolshoi Theater) will again conquer the beautiful Prince Matthew Golding (Royal Ballet Covent Garden), and the mysterious stranger performed by Anastasia Kolegova will captivate the Prime Minister of the Mariinsky Danila Korsuntseva at the Phantom Ball.

The audience will surely remember a vivid fragment from the ballet "Talisman" - a star pair of Anastasia Stashkevich and Mikhail Lobukhin, leading soloists of the Bolshoi Theater, will perform it together with the artists of the famous ballet of the theater named after L. Jacobson, winner of numerous Russian and foreign prizes.

The piercing “Parting” and “Je suis malade” number filled with genuine passion is a real gift for lovers of modern choreography in a brilliant performance by star ballet soloists - Irina Perren, Marat Shemiunov, as well as the premier of the Mariinsky Theater Igor Kolba.

Diverse, emotionally filled, representing the best and the best in the world of ballet - this will be remembered by this international gala concert for the participants and guests of the Sochi Olympics.