Svetlana Zakharova to Bring AMORE Triple Bill to London Coliseum

The internationally acclaimed prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Principal of the Bolshoi Theatre and étoile at La Scala Theatre Ballet brings her outstanding triple bill AMORE to the London Coliseum in November for four performances only (November 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th at 7.30pm).

Svetlana will be joined by some of the Bolshoi Theatre's most exciting and popular stars including Mikhail Lobukhin, Denis Rodkin and Denis Savin as well as choreographer/dancer Patrick de Bana. Music will be performed by the ENO Orchestra conducted by the esteemed Russian conductor, Pavel Sorokin.

A towering figure in 21st century ballet, Svetlana Zakharova is as famous for her sublime interpretation of the great classical roles as for her embracement of contemporary choreography. AMORE is the first programme Svetlana has commissioned allowing her to experiment with classical and contemporary genres in her search for new ways of artistic expression. AMORE will present three brand new works by choreographers Yuri Possokhov (San Francisco Ballet), Patrick de Bana (Vienna State Ballet) and Marguerite Donlon (National Board of German Ballet and Dance Theatre Directors). The three different works give Svetlana the opportunity of dancing three very different roles and will undoubtedly thrill audiences at the Coliseum.

Her exquisite, elegant style is perfect for the title role in Possokhov's 'Francesca da Rimini', a tragic, 13th century love story whose central character was portrayed in the works of Dante. The work is set to Tchaikovsky's symphonic poem.

Dressed in shimmery purple Svetlana is partnered by the elegant Patrick de Bana (left) in his own work, 'Rain Before It Falls' to an eclectic score featuring music by Bach, the 19th century Italian violinist/composer Ottorino Respighi and the contemporary Venezuelan composer Carlos Quintana-Pina. The dancers are joined by a third member of the cast, Denis Savin.

And Donlon's delightful 'Strokes Through The Tail' is performed by Svetlana and five male soloists (above left) variously costumed in tails, and grass skirts to Mozart's 40th Symphony.

"I am excited about experiments," says Svetlana. "I love the challenge of creating something different, unpredictable. That's why I came up with the idea of making not just one new number, but a big project where I could perform different types of choreography in three distinct ballets. I've called the programme Amore because all three ballets are about aspects of love and love is present in all of the performances and as an international project the word 'amore' really needs no translation."

'AMORE' at the Coliseum - programme:

FRANCESCA DA RIMINI / Running Time: 30 minutes
Music by PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY
Choreographed by YURI POSSOKHOV
Set designer MARIA TREGUBOVA
Video designer YURY YARUSHNIKOV
Costume designer IGOR CHAPURIN
Lighting designer ANDREY ABRAMOV

Francesca - Svetlana Zakharova
Paolo - Denis Rodkin
Giovanni - Mikhail Lobukhin
Guardians of the Inferno -Karim Abdullin, Alexei Gainutdinov, Anton Gainutdinov
Court Ladies - Ana Turazashvili, Ekaterina Besedina, OlgaBarichka,
Ekaterina Smurova, Angelina Carpova

RAIN BEFORE IT FALLS / Running Time: 25 minutes
Music by JOHANN Sebastian Bach, Ottorino Respighi, CARLOS QUINTANA-PINA
Choreographed by PATRICK DE BANA
Costume designer STEPHANIE BAEUERLE
Lighting designer JAMES ENGOT

Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Savin, Patrick De Bana

STROKES THROUGH THE TAIL / Running Time: 30 minutes
Music by WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Choreographed by MARGUERITE DONLON
Costume designer IGOR CHAPURIN
Light designer ANDREY ABRAMOV

Svetlana Zakharova, Mikhail Lobukhin, Denis Savin, Karim Abdullin, Alex Gainutdinov, Anton Gainutdinov

Produced by MuzArts Moscow Production: Producer - Yuri Baranov
Executive Producer - Ekaterina Matlashenko
Presented in association with Ivan Putrov Productions

World Premiere: May 12, 2016 - Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti; Modena, Italy
The Russian Premiere: May 24, 2016 - The Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, Historical stage; Moscow, Russia
UK Premiere: November 20th - Coliseum, London

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Svetlana Zakharova: Born in Lutsk in the Ukraine in 1979, Svetlana Zakharova trained for six years at the Kiev Choreographic School. After obtaining second prize at the 1995 International young dancers' competition in St. Petersburg ('Vaganova Prix') she was immediately admitted to the third course at the Vaganova Ballet Academy (a unique case in the school's history) and graduated into the Kirov in the summer of 1996, just 17. The next year she was promoted to principal dancer - she bypassed the corps de ballet altogether. In 1999 Zakharova's career rose to new heights after she was spotted by Mikhail Baryshnikov during rehearsals for the Kirov gala in Versailles. Soon she accepted the invitation to become a guest star of Paris Grand Opera.

Since 2001 she has frequently appeared as principal guest artist with various companies in the world (Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Milan, Munich, Vienna, New York, Rio). Zakharova was four times invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet before she finally moved from the Mariinsky to the Bolshoi Ballet in 2003. In 2008 she became the first Russian Etoile at Teatro alla Scala. Svetlana Zakharova took part in the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Her "Natasha Rostova's first ball" won the hearts of millions.

Her awards include:

1998 - The title of Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation
- 1st prize, USA International Ballet Competition, Jackson, Mississippi

1999 - Soul of the Dance, prize of Ballet magazine (Rising Star nomination)
- Golden Mask, national theatre award (for main part in Serenade)

2000 - Golden Mask, national theatre award (for main part in The Sleeping Beauty)

2002 - The title of Étoile, Danza & Danza magazine, Italy

2005 - Benois de la Danse, prize of International Dance Association (for the part of Hippolyta/Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream)

2007 - Soul of the Dance, prize of Ballet magazine (Queen of Dance nomination)
- The State Prize of the Russian Federation

2008 - The title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation
- The title of Étoile at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy

2010 - Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, France.

2015 - Benois de la Danse, prize of International Dance Association (for the parts of Marguerite inThe Lady of the Camellias and Mekhmene Banu in A Legend of Love)

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