Saint Petersburg - The Nutcracker & Swan Lake - Dec 2025

When December arrives, St. Petersburg transforms completely: snow drapes the city in a soft white veil, the canals shimmer under winter light, and every street seems to breathe in the rhythm of Tchaikovsky’s music. No theatre in the world embodies The Nutcracker with the same depth, affection, and tradition as the Mariinsky Theatre, where the ballet premiered on 18 December 1892. Since that historic evening, this masterpiece has become more than a holiday tradition—it is a celebration of beauty, imagination, and the purest essence of classical ballet.  This December at the Mariinsky, two distinct worlds of enchantment come to life: the timeless elegance of Vainonen’s classic choreography and the imaginative spectacle of the Chemiakin–Simonov production. Each interpretation opens the door to its own realm of wonder, inviting audiences into a different dimension of The Nutcracker’s magic. Adding to the brilliance of the season, a radiant constellation of leading artists—some of the finest dancers of our era—illuminates the stage with their exceptional artistry.

This December brings a captivating series of performances of The Nutcracker, beginning with today’s eagerly awaited première on 2 December. Maria Shirinkina, whose refined artistry and luminous presence have made her one of the finest Auroras of our time, will appear both today and again on 29 December—two beautiful opportunities to admire her delicate, effortless dance. Many will remember her unforgettable partnership with the great Vladimir Shklyarov, and now we have the joy of seeing her alongside the extraordinary Yevgeny Konovalov, born in Potsdam and a first soloist of the Mariinsky for more than thirteen years. A graduate of the famed Vaganova Academy, Konovalov brings a princely elegance and deep mastery to his roles, making this pairing an inspired choice for such a significant première.

Together, they illuminate Tchaikovsky’s beloved masterpiece, whose world premiere took place on this very stage in 1892, just a year before the composer’s death. He lived to witness the triumph of his enchanting score, matched by the exquisite choreography of Ivanov and Petipa—a legacy later enriched by Vasily Vainonen’s celebrated version. The Nutcracker remains the cherished jewel of ballet companies around the world, and nowhere does it feel more at home than at the Mariinsky, cradle of its first magical steps.

Today’s premiere marks the beginning of an extensive and dazzling series of Nutcracker performances that will light up the Mariinsky throughout December and into early January. Each date brings a different cast of exceptional quality, ensuring that no matter when one chooses to attend, the evening will be nothing short of unforgettable. Even so, the performances on 2 and 29 December will hold a special glow: Maria Shirinkina, with her ethereal grace and exquisite musicality, will offer two nights of truly unique artistry—ballet at its finest. If there is one place to be on this 2nd of December, it is surely St. Petersburg, inside this long-awaited premiere that promises a night of magic, tradition, and pure artistic brilliance.

The Nutcracker can be enjoyed on the following dates:

2 December 2025, 19:00
3 December 2025, 19:00
4 December 2025, 19:00
7 December 2025, 19:00
13 December 2025, 19:00
14 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
18 December 2025, 19:00
20 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
21 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
22 December 2025, 19:00
24 December 2025, 19:00
25 December 2025, 19:00
26 December 2025, 19:00
27 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
28 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
29 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
30 December 2025, 13:00 / 19:00
31 December 2025, 13:00 / 18:00
2 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
3 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
5 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
7 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
9 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
10 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
11 January 2026, 13:00 / 18:00
13 January 2026, 19:00

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2 December — A Brilliant Opening

The season opens with Maria Shirinkina and Yevgeny Konovalov, a pairing of extraordinary refinement. Shirinkina’s luminous delicacy and Konovalov’s noble strength promise an unforgettable start to the winter tradition.  

3 December — The Poetry of Youth

The elegance continues with May Nagahisa and Ryoma, whose freshness and expressive sensitivity breathe new life into the ballet’s beloved characters.

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The First Wave of Performances

4 December — Tradition at Its Finest

In the timeless Vainonen production at 19:00, Nadezhda Batoeva and Nikita Korneyev embody the purity and discipline of the Mariinsky school.

5 December — The Art of Perfection

The evening features the ethereal Oxana Skorik alongside Kian Mangis. Skorik’s poetic lines and crystalline technique make her an ideal heroine for this work.

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6 December — A Double, Unforgettable Day

The bold Chemiakin–Simonov staging brings two remarkable casts:

• Kristina Shapran & Alexander Sergeev open the day with elegance and dramatic depth.

• Elena Yevseyeva & Alexei Timofeyev bring intensity and grace to the night performance.

Two interpretations, two distinct artistic worlds.

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7 December — A Day of Grandeur

While Europe looks toward La Scala’s grand opening, the Mariinsky offers its own day of brilliance.

At 19:00, in Vainonen’s classic staging, Renata Shakirova and Timur Askerov ignite the stage with their energy and passion.

Parallel performances of the Chemiakin–Simonov production continue with:

• Kristina Shapran & Alexander Sergeev

• Elena Yevseyeva & Alexei Timofeyev

A feast of artistry for the devoted ballet lover.

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8 & 9 December — The Magic Continues

8 December

Maria Chernyvskaya & Yaroslav Baibordin deliver a youthful and lyrical interpretation, highlighting the vibrant upcoming generation of the Mariinsky.

9 December

Anastasia Lukina & Roman Malyshev shine with charm and spontaneity.

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11 & 12 December — Swan Lake: A Pause of Pure Splendor

Between so many Nutcracker performances comes a jewel of classical ballet:

Swan Lake, danced by Oxana Skorik & Timur Askerov.

Skorik’s ethereal fragility and Askerov’s noble presence create an Odette–Siegfried partnership that is both pure and unforgettable. 

The 12th December Friday featuring Valeria Kuznetsova, Minchul Jeon

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13 December — The Day of the Prima Ballerina Assoluta

An anticipated date for connoisseurs of ballet.

• 12:00 — The Nutcracker performed by the students of the Vaganova Academy, a glimpse of the future of Russian ballet.

• 19:00 — The evening’s crown jewel:
  Viktoria Tereshkina & Roman Belyakov.
  Tereshkina, a true phenomenon, dances with brilliance, precision, and sovereign artistry.

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14 December — A Double Delight

13:00 —

Alisa Barinova & Kian Mangis, offering youthful radiance.

19:00 —

Daria Kulikova & Yevgeny Konovalov, bringing emotional warmth and musicality.

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16 December — A Tribute to Maya Plisetskaya and Rodion Shchedrin

A day dedicated to two titans of Russian culture.

12:00 — Carmen Suite

Ekaterina Kondaurova, alongside Even Capitaine and Roman Belyakov, brings electric drama to Shchedrin’s fiery score.

19:30 — Konyok-Gorbunok (The Little Humpbacked Horse)

Featuring Alexander Sergeev & Viktoria Tereshkina, a pairing of artistic fire and maturity.

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17 & 20 December — The Month’s Final Jewels

17 December

Yekaterina Osmolkina & Pavel Mikheyev shine in the Chemiakin–Simonov staging.

20 December (13:00)

Yesenia Anushenkova & Ruslan Stenyushkin close this matinee series with grace and sincerity.

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The Eternal Nutcracker

Since its first performance at the Mariinsky in 1892, The Nutcracker has been part of the very soul of St. Petersburg. The Mariinsky Orchestra—arguably the best interpreter of Tchaikovsky’s score—elevates each note to the realm of poetry.

A famous anecdote tells that Tchaikovsky wrote the Adagio of the Grand Pas de Deux after a wager challenging him to compose using only the consecutive notes of the musical scale. At the same time, the recent death of his sister is said to have lent the melody its touching, melancholy aura.

The composer himself admitted that, despite initial reluctance, he gradually fell under the spell of the project:

“Each day I feel more in harmony with my task.”

The result: one of the most beloved ballets in history.

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Conclusion: A December to Remember

The Mariinsky offers not just a performance series, but a month-long celebration of beauty, tradition, and emotion. A galaxy of stars graces the stage—Tereshkina, Skorik, Shakirova, Shirinkina, Shapran, Yevseyeva—each adding her own light to this timeless masterpiece.

December in St. Petersburg is a poem.

And its most beautiful verse, for more than a century, has been The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky.

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🇷🇺 Русская версия

Декабрь в Мариинском: месяц блеска, традиций и высокого искусства

Когда в Санкт-Петербург приходит декабрь, город преображается: снежная тишина окутывает улицы, каналы блестят под зимним светом, а сама атмосфера будто дышит музыкой Чайковского. Нет в мире театра, который воплощал бы «Щелкунчика» с такой глубиной, теплотой и уважением к традиции, как Мариинский театр, где балет впервые прозвучал 18 декабря 1892 года.

С тех пор эта жемчужина стала не просто новогодней классикой — это праздник красоты, фантазии и высшего мастерства русского балета.

В этом году Мариинский представляет великолепную серию спектаклей — как в классической хореографии Василия Вайнонена, так и в ярком, авангардном оформлении Михаила Шемякина с хореографией Кирилла Симонова. И, как всегда, сцена сияет именами выдающихся артистов.

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2 декабря — Великолепное открытие

Сезон открывают Мария Ширинкина и Евгений Коновалов — дуэт редкой утончённости. Их пластика и артистизм обещают блистательное начало декабрьской сказки.

3 декабря — Поэзия молодости

Продолжение — Мэй Нагахиса и Рёма, исполнители, чья свежесть и трепетная выразительность дарят новым краскам известные образы.

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Первые яркие спектакли

4 декабря — Торжество традиции

В классической постановке Вайнонена на сцене Надежда Батоева и Никита Корнеев, воплощающие чистоту и блеск петербургской школы.

5 декабря — Искусство совершенства

Непревзойдённая Оксана Скорик — воздушная, поэтичная — и Киан Мантис создают вечер абсолютной гармонии.

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6 декабря — Незабываемый двойной день

В постановке Шемякина–Симонова выступают два блистательных состава:

• Кристина Шапран и Александр Сергеев — выразительные, драматичные, утончённые.

• Елена Евсеева и Алексей Тимофеев — динамичные, эмоциональные и вдохновляющие.

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7 декабря — Великий день декабря

Пока Европа отмечает открытие сезона в Ла Скала, в Петербурге — свой день торжества.

В классической версии Вайнонена в 19:00 выступают

Рената Шакирова и Тимур Аскеров — яркие, энергичные, блистательные.

Параллельно продолжаются спектакли Шемякина–Симонова с участием:

• Кристины Шапран и Александра Сергеева

• Елены Евсеевой и Алексея Тимофеева

День, насыщенный искусством во всех его проявлениях.

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8 и 9 декабря — Волшебство продолжается

8 декабря

Мария Чернивская и Ярослав Байбордин — молодость, свежесть и вдохновение.

9 декабря

Анастасия Лукина и Роман Малышев придают спектаклю особое очарование и искренность.

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11 декабря — Лебединое озеро: пауза чистого совершенства

Среди череды «Щелкунчиков» — драгоценная жемчужина:

«Лебединое озеро» в исполнении Оксаны Скорик и Тимура Аскерова.

Скорик — символ утончённости, Аскеров — благородства и силы. Их дуэт — настоящее сияние классики.

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13 декабря — День прима-балерины assoluta

Дата, которую ценители ждут с особым трепетом.

• 12:00 — «Щелкунчик» в исполнении студентов Академии Вагановой.

• 19:00 — вершина вечера:
  Виктория Терёшкина и Роман Беляков.
  Терёшкина — феноменальная артистка, чьё мастерство и сила сценического присутствия делают её выступление событием.

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14 декабря — Двойной праздник

13:00 —

Алиса Баринова и Киан Мантис — светлая и радостная интерпретация.

19:00 —

Дарья Куликова и Евгений Коновалов — музыкальность, эмоциональность и ясность стиля.

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16 декабря — Вечер памяти Майи Плисецкой и Родионa Щедрина

12:00 — «Кармен-сюита»

Екатерина Кондаурова, в дуэте с Ивеном Капитэном и Романом Беляковым, создаёт яркий, драматический образ.

19:30 — «Конёк-Горбунок»

В главных партиях — Александр Сергеев и Виктория Терёшкина. Виртуозность и зрелое мастерство.

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17 и 20 декабря — Финальные акценты

17 декабря

Екатерина Осмолкина и Павел Михеев — утончённые и благородные.

20 декабря (13:00)

Молодость и вдохновение: Есения Анушенкова и Руслан Стенюшкин.

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Вечный «Щелкунчик»

С момента своего рождения на сцене Мариинского театрa «Щелкунчик» стал частью культурной души Петербурга. Оркестр театра — один из лучших интерпретаторов музыки Чайковского — поднимает каждый такт на высоту поэзии.

Знаменитая история гласит, что Чайковский создал адажио Па-де-де по пари: используя последовательные ноты гаммы. А недавняя смерть его сестры придала мелодии проникновенную грусть.

Сам композитор писал другу:

«С каждым днём я всё больше вхожу в гармонию с этой работой».

Так родился один из самых любимых балетов мира.

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Заключение: Декабрь, который останется в памяти

Мариинский театр дарит не просто серию спектаклей — он дарит праздник красоты, эмоций и традиций.

На сцене сияет целая плеяда звёзд: Терёшкина, Скорик, Шакирова, Ширинкина, Шапран, Евсеева…

Каждая из них освещает «Щелкунчика» по-своему.

Петербургский декабрь — это поэма.

И её самый прекрасный стих уже более века — «Щелкунчик» в Мариинском театре.

Versión française

En décembre, Saint-Pétersbourg se pare une fois de plus de la magie intemporelle du Casse-Noisette, présenté sur les scènes du Théâtre Mariinsky et du Mariinsky II. Cette année, la programmation offre une constellation éblouissante d’étoiles du ballet : Maria Shirinkina, May Nagahisa, Oxana Skorik, Renata Shakirova, Viktoria Tereshkina, Kristina Shapran, Nadezhda Batoeva, Elena Yevseyeva et tant d’autres, chacune apportant sa force, sa poésie et sa virtuosité à la création immortelle de Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski.

Depuis sa première mondiale le 18 décembre 1892 dans ce même théâtre, Le Casse-Noisette n’a jamais cessé d’enchanter le public du monde entier. L’orchestre du Mariinsky demeure l’un des plus inspirés pour interpréter cette partition, et la production, somptueuse, évoque un univers féerique qui semble renaître chaque hiver.

La chorégraphie – qu’il s’agisse de la version classique de Vainonen ou de la vision singulière de Chemiakin et Simonov – offre un écrin idéal aux artistes, dont la présence scénique demeure inégalable.

Une anecdote célèbre raconte que Tchaïkovski, défié par un ami, composa pour le Grand pas de deux une mélodie fondée sur une simple gamme d’octave. Une autre version évoque l’influence de la mort récente de sa sœur, qui aurait inspiré la ligne descendante, empreinte de mélancolie, de ce même Adagio.

Toujours est-il que, malgré l’attitude parfois distante du compositeur envers cette œuvre, Le Casse-Noisette est devenu l’un des ballets les plus aimés de tous les temps.

Ce mois de décembre, grâce à l’excellence des artistes du Mariinsky, la magie retrouve toute sa splendeur. Chaque représentation promet un moment d’émerveillement, un hommage à la beauté, à l’élégance et à l’esprit même du ballet classique.

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Versione italiana

A dicembre, San Pietroburgo torna a brillare con la magia senza tempo dello Schiaccianoci, presentato sulle scene del Teatro Mariinsky e del Mariinsky II. Quest’anno la stagione offre una costellazione straordinaria di stelle del balletto: Maria Shirinkina, May Nagahisa, Oxana Skorik, Renata Shakirova, Viktoria Tereshkina, Kristina Shapran, Nadezhda Batoeva, Elena Yevseyeva e molte altre. Ognuna porta la propria forza, poesia e virtuosità al capolavoro immortale di Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij.

Dalla sua prima assoluta il 18 dicembre 1892 proprio in questo teatro, Lo Schiaccianoci non ha mai smesso di incantare il pubblico di tutto il mondo. L’orchestra del Mariinsky rimane una delle più ispirate nell’interpretare questa partitura, e la produzione – splendida e fiabesca – sembra rinascere ogni inverno come un sogno.

La coreografia, sia nella versione classica di Vainonen sia nell’interpretazione originale di Chemiakin e Simonov, offre un palcoscenico perfetto per artisti la cui presenza scenica è davvero incomparabile.

Una celebre aneddoto racconta che Čajkovskij, sfidato da un amico, compose per il Grand pas de deux una melodia basata su una semplice scala. Un’altra versione attribuisce l’Adagio alla malinconia per la recente morte della sorella.

Qualunque sia la verità, Lo Schiaccianoci, nonostante le riserve iniziali del compositore, è diventato uno dei balletti più amati della storia.

Questo dicembre, grazie all’eccellenza degli artisti del Mariinsky, la magia ritorna in tutta la sua intensità. Ogni spettacolo promette un momento di pura meraviglia: un inno alla bellezza, all’eleganza e allo spirito più autentico del balletto classico.

Versión en español

En diciembre, San Petersburgo vuelve a vestirse con la magia eterna de El cascanueces, presentado en el Teatro Mariinsky y el Mariinsky II. Este año, la temporada reúne a una auténtica constelación de estrellas: Maria Shirinkina, May Nagahisa, Oxana Skorik, Renata Shakirova, Viktoria Tereshkina, Kristina Shapran, Nadezhda Batoeva, Elena Yevseyeva y muchas más, cada una aportando su elegancia, técnica y sensibilidad al ballet inmortal de Tchaikovsky.

Desde su estreno mundial el 18 de diciembre de 1892 en este mismo escenario, El cascanueces no ha dejado de fascinar al público de todo el mundo. La orquesta del Mariinsky, quizá la más idónea para interpretar esta música, revela cada matiz de la partitura, y la producción, bellísima, revive cada invierno como un cuento luminoso.

Tanto la coreografía clásica de Vainonen como la versión imaginativa de Chemiakin y Simonov ofrecen un marco perfecto para artistas cuya presencia escénica es simplemente insuperable.

Cuenta una famosa anécdota que Tchaikovsky compuso la melodía del Grand pas de deux basándose en una simple escala, fruto de una apuesta con un amigo. Otra versión afirma que la reciente muerte de su hermana inspiró la línea descendente y melancólica de ese mismo Adagio.

Sea como fuere, y pese a la relación compleja del compositor con la obra, El cascanueces se ha convertido en uno de los ballets más amados de la historia.

Este diciembre, gracias al talento excepcional del Mariinsky, la magia recobra todo su esplendor. Cada función promete un instante de maravilla: un tributo a la belleza, la elegancia y la esencia misma del ballet clásico.

Saint Petersburg - Anna Karenina - Maya Plisetskaya 15/20 Nov 2025

 

Maya Plisetskaya

There are names in ballet that are admired, and then there are names that alter the very course of the art.

Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya, born on 20 November 1925, belongs irrevocably to the latter. A legend not only of Russian ballet but of world culture, she was a phenomenon whose artistry transcended national borders, political boundaries, and stylistic categories. To speak of Plisetskaya is to speak of an era—one marked by courage, defiance, musicality beyond measure, and a dramatic intelligence that reshaped the language of classical dance.

In November, as the world approaches what would be her 100th birthday, St. Petersburg prepares to honor her with a week of performances that promise to turn the Mariinsky Theatre into the epicenter of global dance. These days are not merely performances; they are acts of remembrance, celebrations of an artist who changed ballet forever, and tributes to a woman whose shadow still falls beautifully across the stage.

The Unrepeatable Maya Plisetskaya

Plisetskaya possessed the rare gift of making roles entirely her own. Her Kitri in Don Quixote was not simply virtuosic—it was definitive, fiery, and irresistible. Her Odette-Odile blended immaculate technique with psychological nuance. Her Carmen Suite, created for her by Rodion Shchedrin, was a revolutionary reimagining of a classic femme fatale, sculpted with sharp angles, feline tension, and an authority that no dancer before or since has matched.

And her Dying Swan—those few minutes of shimmering fragility—became an icon of expressive minimalism.

For decades she was a beloved friend of the Mariinsky Theatre, an honored guest at premieres and festivals, and an artistic voice whose insight shaped the theatre’s repertoire. Many of Shchedrin’s works, born from their artistic partnership, hold a distinguished place in the Mariinsky to this day. It is therefore fitting that the theatre now pays tribute not only to her memory but also to the enduring power of the ballets she inspired.

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A Week of Anna Karenina: Four Women, Four Universes

Rodion Shchedrin’s Anna Karenina—a ballet of sweeping emotion, intricate musical architecture, and devastating human drama—returns to the Mariinsky stage in a series of performances dedicated to both Plisetskaya and Shchedrin. Few ballets are so intimately tied to the soul of the artist who inspired them; few roles offer a dancer such psychological richness.

This week brings four Annas, each shaped by a different temperament, dramatic instinct, and musical sensibility.

November 15 – 14:00

Featuring: Olesya Novikova, Islom Baimuradov, Alexander Sergeev

The luminous Olesya Novikova opens this series. A dancer of crystalline technique and refined musicality, Novikova embodies Anna with a classical purity and emotional delicacy that promise a reading of the role rich in introspection. Her lines, always exquisite, seem to breathe with Tchaikovskian melancholy. Paired with Islom Baimuradov and Alexander Sergeev—artists of exceptional dramatic intelligence—this performance will undoubtedly bring forth the ballet’s quiet, aching poetry.

November 15 – 19:00

Featuring: Viktoria Tereshkina, Yevgeny Deryabin, Roman Belyakov

The evening performance brings my personal favourite: Viktoria Tereshkina, one of the greatest ballerinas of our time. Tereshkina’s dancing possesses a rare combination of power, majesty, and sculptural clarity. Her Anna is not fragile; she is formidable, proud, and tragically human. Few dancers can command the stage with such authority, and the drama of Shchedrin’s score seems to radiate through her entire presence. With Deryabin and Belyakov as her partners, this will surely be a performance of thrilling intensity.

November 17 – 19:00

Featuring: Ekaterina Kondaurova, Yevgeny Deryabin, Konstantin Zverev

Ekaterina Kondaurova—intellectual, magnetic, sculptural—approaches Anna with a psychological depth that transforms every gesture into narrative. She is a dancer who thinks in chiaroscuro, in contrasts of light and shade, making her interpretation uniquely compelling. The partnership with Deryabin and Zverev enhances the dramatic tension that lies at the heart of the ballet.

November 19 – 19:00

Featuring: Renata Shakirova, Islom Baimuradov, Alexander Sergeev

Renata Shakirova brings a different energy: youthful, vibrant, impulsive. Her attack, speed, and fearless theatricality make her Anna a portrait of emotional turbulence. This performance, with Baimuradov and Sergeev, will surely highlight the ballet’s more visceral dimensions.

Four interpretations. Four visions of womanhood, passion, vulnerability, and fate. Each cast illuminates a different facet of Shchedrin’s masterpiece. And together they create a living tribute to Plisetskaya, who shaped this ballet with her spirit long before it reached the stage.

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20 November — “Maya Plisetskaya: A Portrait of an Era”

Mariinsky II, 19:00

Dedicated to the 100th birthday of Maya Plisetskaya

The week culminates in a grand gala—a celebration not only of a ballerina, but of a century she helped define.

The cast reads like a gathering of stars:

Viktoria Tereshkina

Renata Shakirova

Nadezhda Batoeva

Oxana Skorik

Ekaterina Kondaurova

Maria Iliushkina

Yana Peneva

Elena Yevseyeva

Daria Kulikova

Valeria Kuznetsova

Anastasia Yaromenko

…and many of the company’s leading men, joined by the Mariinsky Orchestra under Arseny Shuplyakov.

The program of the first part has not yet been revealed, but one jewel has already been announced: Carmen Suite, the masterpiece created expressly for Plisetskaya.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of this ballet. It is not simply a role she danced—it is a role she created, shaped, and infused with her own rebellious artistic DNA. Its return to the stage on the evening of her centenary is profoundly symbolic.

This gala is not an ordinary celebration. It is a portrait not only of Plisetskaya’s artistry but of the artistic lineage she helped forge—a lineage now embodied by the brilliant dancers who will pay tribute to her.

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A City Transformed: St. Petersburg at the Center of the Dance World

For these days, St. Petersburg becomes a sanctuary of memory and movement, a place where the past and present converse through choreography. Maya Plisetskaya’s legacy is not a museum artifact; it lives in the bodies and minds of the dancers who take the stage today.

To witness Tereshkina, Novikova, and Shakirova—three of my most beloved ballerinas—perform during this commemorative week is a privilege. They represent the continuation of a tradition shaped by the audacity and brilliance of Plisetskaya herself. Their artistry, each distinct, forms a constellation that honors the legacy of the ballerina who made the impossible seem not only possible, but inevitable.

These performances are not merely evenings at the theatre—they are chapters of ballet history, unfolding in real time.

As we enter this week of remembrance and celebration, one thing becomes clear:

Maya Plisetskaya did not simply dance ballet; she expanded its universe.

And in St. Petersburg, that universe shines brighter than ever.