Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre

Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre

6 Ostrovsky Square, St Petersburg, Russia, 191011
www.spbt.ru


Founded by Konstantin Tachkin in 1994, the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre (SPBT) is one of the leading classical ballet companies in the world. It is based right in the heart of Saint Petersburg on Liteiniy Prospect and has in its repertoire such masterpieces of world renowned choreography as Giselle by Adolphe Adam, Don Quixote, La Bayadère and Paquita by Ludwig Minkus, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The St Petersburg Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty By Peter Tchaikovsky, Les Sylphides (Chopiniana) and others.

SPBT gives on average 200-250 performances per year and is the only classical ballet company in the world that is completely independent of government financial aid or sponsor’s funding – a truly unique phenomenon in today’s world.

Since SPBT was founded, its tours have ranged over 6 continents. St Petersburg Ballet Theatre has travelled to countries such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Austria, USA (with Gala concert program), Brazil, Turkey (Istanbul), South Africa, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Macau and Taiwan.

There are sixty professional ballet artists in the company, all graduates of either the world famous Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy or other significant ballet schools. Well-known former dancers work with them as ballet masters and mistresses: People’s Artist of Russia Lyubov Kunakova, Merited Artist of Russia Yuri Gumba and Tatyana Linnik.

Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre is proud of its home grown principals, soloists and character dancers who have come to maturity within the company itself – artists such as Anna Samostrelova, Dmitry Akulinin, Dymchik Saykeev, Dmitry Shevtsov, Mikhail Tkachuk, Sergei Amanbayev, Lilia Bereznova, Olga Pavlova and others. They represent the kernel of the company’s creative potential and the warranty for its success.

The pearl in the company’s crown is Irina Kolesnikova whose name alone sells out thousand-seater theatres throughout the world with unvarying success. Devotees of the supreme art of ballet and, equally, demanding dance critics constantly marvel at her outstanding talent.

Yearly since 2009 SPBT has presented Irina Kolesnikova’s personal tour in various parts of the world giving huge amounts of people the opportunity to enjoy the flamboyant talent of this outstanding ballerina.

Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre is constantly the centre of attention for the world’s press performing as it does in such theatres as the celebrated London Coliseum and Royal Albert Hall, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, the Bunkamura Hall in Tokyo, the National Theatre in Taipee and the National Theatre in Beijing.

The company receives many excellent reviews from professional ballet critics in such respectable publications as The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent and others.

“ … Classic ballet performed the way it was intended…”; “They look young, pleasing and well trained. They are a company with style, brought up to make the most of the traditional choreography that still works so well on the Russian stage, and we are lucky to have them …. Classical ballet seems alive and well in their competent hands …”; “There is a unity of style and a refinement of execution that speaks of St . Petersburg ”. “The Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre is an outstanding successor to a great Russian tradition…“, “SPBT is a refined, first rate ensemble that cares about all aspects of the staging, which combines freshness of expression with academic strictness and respect for the repertoire...“

Without any doubt, SPBT is one of the most successful young companies in the world. Its huge potential allows it to not only to set itself the most serious goals, but also to be able to achieve those goals in very short order.