Moscow Ballet La Classique will tour New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria from April to June, taking in Melbourne and Sydney as well has a host of regional towns. The Russian company brings a classic from it's homeland - Petipa's Nutcracker.
Moscow Ballet La Classique is led by Elik Melikov, who founded the company in 1990. Melikov's early career was shaped by the political rumblings of the 1980s as the USSR began to dissolve. During the mid-1980s, president Mikhail Gorbachev introduced policies which restructured the Soviet economy so that private enterprises could be established. A young graduate of the Moscow Art University, Melikov seized this opportunity to set up his own business. "The 'doors' to a business has been opened," he recalls. "Everybody was eager to establish some enterprise. I had many proposals to open a small restaurant or to buy a gas-station etc. But I did not see myself beyond a theatre. I founded the work-shops to produce theatre cloths, stage decorations, costumes and shoes." The workshop had many illustrious clients, including the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow, Moscow City Ballet, the Danish Royal Ballet and Boston Ballet Theatre. From here, Melikov went on to establish Moscow Ballet La Classique.
Under Melikov, Moscow Ballet La Classique has toured the UK, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Egypt, Norway, Taiwan, China, France, Australia and New Zealand. The upcoming tour will take in:
Devonport Entertainment & Convention Centre - Saturday April 20
Princess Theatre, Launceston - Sunday April 21
Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat - Tuesday April 23
Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne - Friday April 26 and Saturday April 27
Frankston Arts Centre - Sunday April 28
Albury Entertainment Centre - Tuesday April 30
State Theatre, Sydney - Friday May 31 and Sunday June 2
Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong - Monday June 3 and Tuesday June 4
Civic Theatre, Newcastle - Wednesday June 5
Glasshouse, Port Macquarie - Thursday June 6
Bookings/more info: www.grand-concerts.com
Dancers of the Moscow Ballet La Classique. Photos: Nadya Pyastolova.