Men’s debuts in The Legend of Love

The performance will celebrate the eightieth birthday of Alla Osipenko, People’s Artist of the USSR – prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, extravagant and aristocratic and one of Vaganova’s last pupils who danced in the premiere of The Legend of Love at the Kirov (Mariinsky) Theatre in 1961. The brilliance and sheer scale of this choreographic masterpiece are reflected in the ballet’s fifty-year-long stage life. Melikov’s distinctive music and Simon Virsaladze’s sets and costumes convey the romantic oriental flavour of the ancient legend in an unusually subtle manner, while Grigorovich’s vivid expressive techniques and bold and innovative decisions have proved a trial for several generations of dancers.

The lead male role in the ballet – that of Ferkhad the artist – will be performed by Vladimir Shklyarov for the first time in his career, Maria Shirinkina will be dancing as his beloved Princess Shyrin and the role of Queen Mekhmeneh-Bahnu will be performed by Viktoria Tereshkina. Konstantin Zverev, whose repertoire recently expanded to include the lead role in The Nutcracker and the role of José in Carmen-Suite, is continuing his debut season with the role of the Vizier.