A debut cast for Anna Karenina

In Alexei Ratmansky’s choreographic text, which follows Leo Tolstoy’s plotline precisely, the principal dramatic load is carried on the shoulders of the character of Anna. Performing this role is not just another debut for Olesya Novikova; it is also a completely new image for her at the Mariinsky Theatre. Critics have spoken of Novikova’s brilliant dance eloquence and responsiveness in terms of acting. Nezavisimaya Gazeta found a “phenomenal degree of technical and emotional consistency” in her duets and stated that “she can tackle practically everything in the theatre’s repertoire.”

Two male dancers will also be performing the lead men’s roles on 30 June for the first time. Alexander Sergeyev, whose career has to a large extent been defined by contemporary choreography, will be making his debut as Vronsky. In Ratmansky’s ballets, the dancer has already dazzled in the roles of Ivan the Fool in The Little Humpbacked Horse and the Prince in Cinderella, in which he will be appearing in August and September this year at the Edinburgh Festival. The role of Karenin will be performed by Dmitry Pykhachov, who is also familiar with Ratmansky’s choreographic style from the ballet Cinderella.