A debut by Ulyana Lopatkina

Alexei Ratmansky’s production of The Little Humpbacked Horse is one of few ballets in the Mariinsky Theatre’s contemporary repertoire that combine lyricism with humour and fairytale jocosity with refined dance. It makes audiences laugh and the dancers, embracing the nature of the performing skills involved, discover new facets to their talents. An acclaimed genius in dramatic and lyrical roles, Ulyana Lopatkina will be performing a comedy role in this production, which offers opportunities for improvisation. Lopatkina has already proved herself in the comedy genre, performing Christian Spuck’s Grand Pas de Deux parody. Now she will be filling an entire ballet by Alexei Ratmansky with humoristic shades; the ballerina is already familiar with the choreographer’s style, having previously worked with him on the core images in the ballets Anna Karenina and Le Baiser de la fée.

The same evening will see a debut by Sofia Gumerova. She will be performing the roles of the Young Mare and the Sea Mare for the first time.