The 2021 – 2022 tour celebrates two decades since the first Russian State Ballet of Siberia UK tour in 2002.
This season marks the twentieth anniversary of the company’s first season in the UK, as it returns to St David’s Hall Cardiff, accompanied by the Russian State Ballet Orchestra. Raymond Gubbay Limited is pleased to announce the full programme which includes an iconic and classical repertoire of THE NUTCRACKER, SWAN LAKE, SNOW MAIDEN, CINDERELLA and ROMEO AND JULIET, brought to life with magical special effects and of course with top Russian dancers.
The UK season launches with performances from 18 December 2021, and will tour throughout the UK from January to March, with venue dates in Basingstoke, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Buxton, Darlington, Edinburgh, High Wycombe, Hull, Ipswich, Leicester, Liverpool, Northampton, Nottingham, Manchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Reading, Sheffield, Southend, Wimbledon and Wolverhampton. See the full schedule below.
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia – led by Artistic Director Sergei Bobrov, and Music Director Anatoly Tchepurnoi – has established itself as one of Russia’s leading ballet companies and has built an international reputation for delivering performances of outstanding quality and depth. Since their first Christmas season at St David’s Hall in Cardiff in 2002, the Company has completed 18 UK ballet tours and has had success in Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Japan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
Sergei Bobrov said ahead of the Russian ballet UK tour, “I am delighted to return to the UK this year. The response of audiences wherever the company performs is overwhelming. We can’t wait to be back on stage in front of UK audiences once again.”
The ballets to be performed this season are:
Swan Lake
The greatest romantic ballet of all time is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. From the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moon-lit lake where swans glide in perfect formation, this compelling tale of tragic romance has it all. From Odile, the temptress in black tutu as she seduces the Prince by spinning with captivating precision to the spellbound purity of the swan queen, Odette, as she flutters with emotional intensity, the dual role of Odette/Odile is one of ballet’s most unmissable technical challenges.
The Nutcracker
This most famous of fantasy ballets for all the family begins as night falls on Christmas Eve. As snowflakes fall outside, the warm glow of the open fire sends flickering shadows across the boughs of the Christmas tree and all the presents beneath. When midnight strikes we are swept away to a fairytale world where nothing is quite as it seems, toy dolls spring to life, the Mouse King and his mouse army battle with the Nutcracker Prince and we travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins…
Snow Maiden
Protected from the outside world by Father Frost, the exquisite Snow Maiden plays innocently amongst the dancing snowflakes in the enchanted Land of Frost. Based on a traditional folk-tale, set in the snow covered landscape of rural Russia, this seasonal sparkler follows the Snow Maiden as she dances into the human world. Captivated by the colourful village and the people who live there, she ventures too far and is swept up by feelings of love, temptation and betrayal. When finally she surrenders herself completely and warms to love, her heart melts in a tragic embrace.
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s tale of primal passion and timeless tragedy is brought to life by Prokofiev’s soaring score, set in bustling Renaissance Verona and with an emotionally charged choreography that befits the world’s greatest love story. From the grandeur of the masked ball to the intimacy of the lovers’ balcony, this star-crossed story of duels, bitter family feuds and love that cannot be, is unmissable.
Cinderella
The world’s favourite rags to riches fairy-tale where dreams can come true is a magical mix of Prokofiev’s energetic score, lively choreography and colourful costumes. Whilst her mad/bad stepmother and her ill-mannered daughters prepare for the Royal Ball, graceful Cinderella can only dream of dancing with the dashing Prince. Later that evening, her rags become a glittering gown and she is swept magically to the Ball. From that very moment the Prince is smitten, midnight strikes and one lost crystal slipper later, he must now embark on a journey to find his lost love….
The Russian Ballet of SIberia UK 2021/22 full tour schedule:
CARDIFF St David’s Hall – 18 Dec Cinderella 2pm & 5:30pm / 19 Dec Cinderella 2pm & 5:30pm / 20th to 24th Dec Nutcracker / 27th to 30th Dec Swan Lake / 31 Dec 2pm & 2 Jan Romeo & Juliet, 2 Jan 5:30pm Romeo & Juliet
MANCHESTER The Bridgewater Hall – 3 Jan Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm / 4 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm
BUXTON Opera House 5 Jan Swan Lake 2pm & 7pm / 6 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 7pm
BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre 7 Jan Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 8 Jan Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm / 9 Jan Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm
SHEFFIELD Lyceum Theatre 10 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm / 11 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm/ 12 Jan Swan Lake 2pm & 7.30pm/ 13 Jan Nutcracker 7.30pm/ 14 Jan Nutcracker 7.30pm /15 Jan Nutcracker 3pm & 7.30pm
HULL New Theatre 17 Jan Snow Maiden 7.30pm/ 18 Jan Cinderella 7.30pm / 19 Jan Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm/ 20 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm/ 21 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm/ 22 Jan Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm
NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall 24 Jan Cinderella 7.30pm/ 25 Jan Swan Lake 7.30pm/ 26 Jan Nutcracker 2pm & 7.30pm
DARLINGTON Hippodrome 27 Jan Snow Maiden 7.30pm/ 28 Jan Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm/ 29 Jan Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm/ 30 Jan Swan Lake 2.30pm
READING The Hexagon 31 Jan Cinderella 7.30pm/ 1 Feb Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm/ 2 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm
IPSWICH Regent Theatre
SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 6 Feb Nutcracker 2pm & 5.30pm
BRIGHTON Theatre Royal 7 Feb Romeo & Juliet 7.45pm / 8 Feb Nutcracker 7.45pm / 9 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.45pm
OXFORD New Theatre 10 Feb Snow Maiden 7.30pm / 11 Feb Rom7o & Juliet 7.30pm / 12 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
LIVERPOOL Empire Theatre 14 Feb Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 15 Feb Snow Maiden 7.30pm / 16 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
WIMBLEDON New Theatre 21 Feb Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 22 Feb Nutcracker 7.30pm / 23 Feb Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate 24 Feb Cinderella 7.30pm / 25 Feb Snow Maiden 7.30pm / 26 Feb Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm
WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre 28 Feb Swan Lake 7.30pm / 1 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 2 Mar Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm
EDINBURGH Playhouse 3 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 4 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm / 5 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
BOURNEMOUTH Pavilion Theatre 7 Mar Nutcracker 7.30pm / 8 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 9 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
HIGH WYCOMBE Swan Theatre 10 Mar Cinderella 7.30pm / 11 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 12 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 13 Mar Swan Lake 2pm & 5.30pm
BASINGSTOKE The Anvil 14 Mar Cinderella 7.30pm / 15 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 16 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm
LEICESTER De Montfort Hall 17 Mar Romeo & Juliet 7.30pm / 18 Mar Swan Lake 7.30pm / 19 Mar Nutcracker 2.30pm & 7.30pm
PETERBOROUGH New Theatre 22 Mar Cinderella 7.30pm / 23 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
BRISTOL Hippodrome 25 Mar Romeo & Juliet 2.30pm & 7.30pm / 26 Mar Swan Lake 2.30pm & 7.30pm
About The Russian State Ballet of Siberia
The company was formed in 1978 by talented graduates from choreographic schools in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kiev, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. Many have gone on to become award winning artists and made prominent appearances at international ballet competitions and festivals. The company is proud of include many top Russian dancers, who are highly acclaimed worldwide for their unique interpretation of both dramatic and comic roles, delivering performances of sincere emotional and dramatic integrity. Over 100 opera and ballet productions have been created for the Theatre over the past 40 years with many receiving high critical and public acclaim. Since 2002, Sergei Bobrov has been Artistic Director of the Krasnoyarsk State Ballet (Russian State Ballet of Siberia). Leading dancers from across Russia have forged their skills and artistry under his direction in new productions of timeless classics such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia and La Fille mal gardée. Under the direction of Sergei Bobrov, the Russian State Ballet of Siberia continues to expand its repertoire. In addition to commissioning new works from within Russia and abroad, the company specializes in 20th-Century full-length ballets such as Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Spartacus, The Golden Age, Mozart & Salieri, Electra and Antigone.
