The Magic of Russian Ballet captivated audiences in Mauritius and the Seychelles. Soloists from leading Russian theaters performed in Port Louis and Victoria

From 26 to 28 July, the concert program The Magic of Russian Ballet was presented in Port Louis and Victoria, the capitals of the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles. The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

On 26 July, leading Russian ballet dancers performed at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis, Mauritius, and on 28 July, at the International Conference Centre Seychelles in Victoria.

Ekaterina Shiryaeva, Deputy General Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture ROSCONCERT, said: "Russian ballet is a national treasure of Russia. The beauty of the Russian ballet school, the brilliant technique, and the depth of the images created by talented young dancers are a sincere gift from our country to the hospitable public of Mauritius and the Seychelles. We are pleased to share our culture with the world and see how highly it is appreciated even in its most remote corners."

Residents and visitors to Mauritius and the Seychelles were introduced to the exciting history of classical Russian choreography. The concert program featured excerpts from famous ballets that brought fame to Russian and Soviet ballet schools: Pyotr Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty; Boris Asafiev's Flames of Paris; Adolphe Adam's Giselle, Ludwig Minkus's Don Quixote, and choreographic miniature The Dying Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns.

"This was truly the first time Mauritian audiences had seen ballet of such a high artistic standard. It is wonderful that evenings of classical Russian art have already become a long-standing tradition in Mauritius. Soloists from our country's leading theater companies, who perform at major Russian venues as rivals in art, were a united team this evening, demonstrating not only the highest skill and impeccable technique, but also the power of classical Russian art, which captivates the hearts of audiences worldwide," noted Irada Zeynalova, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Mauritius.

The Magic of Russian Ballet was presented to the audiences by soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre Elena Svinko and Ruslan Stenyushkin, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Yuri Kudryavtsev and Anna Kudryavtseva (Krasnoyarsk Dmitri Hvorostovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre), soloists of the Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theatre Ksenia Ryzhkova and Dmitry Sobolevsky, soloists of the Moscow Classical Ballet Theatre Alexandra Koksharova, Victoria Laskina, Ekaterina Razgovorova and Ekaterina Karpukova, and soloists of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia Ulyana Moksheva and Akib Anvar.

On 28 July, the exhibition The Bolshoi Theatre: Through Time opened at the Seyshelles National Library in Victoria. For the first time in its 250-year history, the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia will present a major project in Africa. It coincides with three anniversaries: the 250th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Seychelles, and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and the Seychelles. Costumes from The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, La Sylphide, A Life for the Tsar, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia, and other productions will form the central cluster of the exhibition. Archival photographs, lithographs, and set designs will also be on display. Visitors were able to trace the main stages of the Bolshoi Theatre's development from the mid-19th century to the present day, and get acquainted with historical productions and the works of outstanding artists—Konstantin Korovin, Ilya Glazunov, Simon Virsaladze, and other masters who shaped the artistic image of Russian musical theatre.

"We witnessed a striking historical moment – the visit of the Bolshoi Theatre's delegation to the Seychelles. This event is unique as the exhibition "Bolshoi Theatre: Through Time" was prepared exclusively for display in the Seychelles. Young dancers from four leading Russian theatres — the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres, the Krasnoyarsk and Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theatres who performed in the Republic of Seychelles for the first time were greeted with standing ovations and immersed the enthusiastic Seychellois audience in the magical world of Russian ballet. Following the event, a master class was held for Seychellois dance teachers and students at the country's premier dance school, attracting a large number of students eager to learn the fundamentals of Russian ballet school," emphasized Kirill Sokolov-Shcherbachev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Seychelles.

In addition, joint plein air painting sessions between Russian and Mauritian artists were held as part of the Russian Cultural Events in Mauritius. Students from the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design in Saint Petersburg, winners of a young artists' competition participated in the project. They were inspired by Ustad Mansur's painting Dodo. Over the course of several days, mountains and the ocean, rocky headlands, and tropical landscapes appeared on their canvases. Local artists, who will return to Saint Petersburg in August, also participated in the plein air sessions. As part of the project, the students from the Stieglitz State Academy also held a series of master classes for children, introducing the youngest participants to the basics of composition and working with various materials. Following the joint plein air sessions, an exhibition of created works was held at the Cultural Center of the Russian Embassy in Mauritius. Along with paintings by Russian and Mauritian artists, works created by the young participants in the master classes were also on display.

The cultural program concluded with a round table discussion on the theme Russian Ballet School in the System of Professional Competitions in Russia and master classes by Russian ballet teachers for teachers and gifted children of the Seychelles Ballet School.