Behind-the-Scene Artists Create Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, Swan Lake

Moscow Ballet's 2010 North American tour of the Great Russian Nutcracker and Swan Lake is an artistic accomplishment behind-the-scene as well as on stage. Not only are the 80 Russian trained dancers selected individually for their talent and expertise, but so are the behind-the-scene artists. Award-winning set designer and puppet-maker Valentin Federov creates stunning backdrops with three dimensional details that are exclusive to the Great Russian Nutcracker and virtually unheard of in touring productions. Costumer Olga Dumova is an award-winning and world renowned costumer who successfully combines her deep love and knowledge of Russian dress with theatrical design and contemporary haute couture. The artistic vision, attention to the smallest detail and technical skill of Federov and Dumova make performances of the Great Russian Nutcracker and Swan Lake a joy to behold. With no detail left undone, the audience enjoys every opening of the curtain, every swish of a party dress and each trip through magical far-away lands to the fullest.

Exclusive to Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker is fairy tale character Father Christmas (Ded Moroz), a Russian version of Santa Claus, and his daughter the Snow Maiden, whose costumes were created by Olga Dumova. These highly ornamental costumes display classic Russian opulence and grandeur, a costuming tradition of detailing that is rarely seen elsewhere and dates back hundreds of years in Russian theatrical history. New this season are Act II's Festival costumes created with an ethnic Russian look that compliments Father Christmas and the Snow Maiden. The life-size Kissy Doll, brought to the Christmas party by Drosselmeyer in Act I, wears a hand-sewn "ribbon candy" costume using yards and yards of satin ribbon. The party costumes, ethnic outfits and even dancer's tutus are of the highest quality in costuming anywhere and include hand-sewn beading, sparkling palettes and intricate trimming. (Click to see detailed costume images)
Olga Dumova costumes for the finest theatrical groups in the world including Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, the Strasburg Theatre in France and the Hermitage Youth Center in St Petersburg, Russia, to name a few. Prestigious awards and recognition include First Place at "Eve's Rib" International Exhibition, Moscow, Russia; an award at the "Doll exhibition", Moscow, Russia and being ranked among the top in her class at St. Petersburg Theatre Academy, Russia. She received a BA in Art History and Archaeology from Haifa University, Israel and a BA and MA in Theatre Design from the St. Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy, Russia. When asked about the most important lesson learned in her career, Dumova remarks, "It is very important that you not only know how to draw the costume, but that you are also thinking about how you make it. Everything can be on paper, but not everything can come to life. It is very important to imagine how it will be... which fabrics, which decorations."

Exclusive to Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker are Federov's backdrops and puppets increasing the usual Nutcracker backdrops by more than five; (1) the opening scene, performed to Tchaikovsky's overture, displays the famous onion-domed skyline of Moscow placing the audience squarely in Russia; (2) Masha/Clara's bedroom becomes the setting for the battle of the Mouse King and the Nutcracker featuring toys as well as historic Russian art on the wall; (3) in the opening of Act II, angels and doves transport Masha to a faraway land with hand-painted butterflies and three dimensional clouds in the background; (4) safely arriving in The Land of Peace and Harmony, one sees the backdrop that is an homage to Fauves artist Henri Rousseau with a jungle scene of wild-but-friendly beasts, this is the setting for the variation dances; and (5) the final Waltz Festival backdrop displays abundant garlands of roses with three dimensional details in Federov's charming gazebo. Also exclusive to the Great Russian Nutcracker, Federov created Drosselmeyer's puppet show, in Act I, and the uniquely Russian, 6 foot tall "walking" puppets that accompany the variation dancers, in Act II. The artistry and creativity of all of Federov's creations allows audiences to fully enjoy the dream world of Masha/Clara's imagination. 

Scenic Designer and Puppet Maker Valentin Fedorov creates the imaginative sets and puppetry of Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker and (based in Chuvash, central Russia) received the title "Honored Artist of Chuvashia." In 1991, his "Blackberry along the Fence" won at the Best Performances of Russia Festival. At Moscow Artistic Academic Theatre, Fedorov studied under legendary designer Valery Leventhal, of the Bolshoi Theatre. Federov has been art director at the Chuvashia State Theatre of Opera and Ballet since 1988 where he designed more than 40 productions for opera and ballet to critical acclaim. Chuvash, a mostly rural province in the middle of the country has a centuries-old history of puppetry. Federov's fanciful sets and unique 6 foot tall "stick" puppets add to the whimsical and imaginative storytelling that sets this Nutcracker apart from others. Producer Akiva Talmi says, "Valentin brings his love of life into his puppets and even into his backdrops by adding treats for the eye such as angels with three dimensional trumpets and paying homage to great Russian artists in the interior backdrop with the "painting" ofthe Russian Troika, the famous sleigh pulled by three horses abreast which is practically a symbol of Russia."

The Moscow Ballet 2010 Tour travels to 70 cities in North America and Canada with two simultaneously performing troupes of 40 professional dancers each. Nearly 6000 local dance students are selected to join the cast and over two hundred fifty thousand patrons attend performances annually. The 2010 premiere performances are in West Point, N.Y. on November 13th and in Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada November 6th. See complete tour schedule below. For tickets and more go to www.nutcracker.com.

Tickets are on sale for Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker and start at $27.50. Buy online at www.nutcracker.com or call Ticketmaster 800.745.3000 and ask for a performance near you. For a truly special holiday experience Moscow Ballet introduces its Platinum Seating and Gift promotion. Platinum ticket buyers receive a limited-edition, giclee print created by contemporary Russian artists from the St. Petersburg Academy of Art (Repin). Platinum Seating includes the best seats, Meet and Greet with a Moscow Ballet soloist, preferred parking and a Platinum Member's Benefit Card for purchases at www.nutcracker.com. Only seven pairs of platinum tickets per performance are available.

East Tour - Great Russian Nutcracker
West Point NY 11/13
Wilkes Barre PA 11/14
Paducah KY 11/16
Birmingham AL 11/17
*Meridian MS 11/18
Dallas TX 11/19-21
*Stephenville TX 11/22
*Alma AR 11/23
Little Rock AR 11/24
Muskegon MI 11/26
Indianapolis IN 11/27
Knoxville TN 11/28
Memphis TN 11/29
*Blacksburg VA 12/1
Charleston WV 12/2
Youngstown OH 12/3
*Easton PA 12/4
*Verona NY 12/5
Rochester NY 12/7
Bethesda MD 12/8-9
*Somerville NJ 12/10
Baltimore MD 12/11-12
Charlottesville VA 12/13-14
Virginia Beach VA 12/15-16
Cleveland OH 12/17
Rosemont IL 12/18
Detroit MI 12/19
*Ashland KY 12/20
Asheville NC 12/21
Durham NC 12/22
N Charleston SC 12/23
Sarasota FL 12/26
Lakeland FL 12/27
St Petersburg FL 12/28-29
*denotes produced by Moscow Ballet, not presented by MB

West Tour - Swan Lake and Great Russian Nutcracker
Lethbridge CAN 11/5
^Medicine Hat CAN 11/6
^*Saskatoon CAN 11/9-10
^*Regina CAN 11/11-12
^*Edmonton CAN 11/15-16
Surrey, BC CAN 11/19
Yakima WA 11/20
^Missoula MT 11/21
^*Calgary CAN 11/22-23
*Lake of Torches WI 11/26-27
Fargo ND 11/28
^*Winnipeg CAN 11/29
^Thunder Bay CAN 11/30
Grand Forks ND 12/1
Rochester MN 12/2
Minneapolis MN 12/3-4
Cedar Rapids IA 12/5
Sioux City IA 12/7
Cheyenne WY 12/8
Casper WY 12/9
Denver CO 12/10-11
Grand Junction CO 12/12
Farmington NM 12/13-14
*Albuquerque NM 12/15
Bakersfield CA CA 12/16
Cupertino CA 12/17
Santa Rosa CA 12/18
*La Mirada CA 12/19
San Diego CA 12/20
Tucson AZ 12/21
*Phoenix AR 12/22
El Paso TX 12/23
San Antonio TX 12/26
Lake Charles LA 12/27
New Orleans LA 12/28
Panama City FL 12/29
*denotes produced by Moscow Ballet, not presented by MB
^denotes Swan Lake performance

Moscow Ballet - History
Moscow Ballet is known for its annual, touring Great Russian Nutcracker and full-length productions of the classic story-ballets; Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and others. Created by award-winning Juilliard alumnus, composer/conductor and theatrical producer, Akiva Talmi, the organization evolved out of Talmi's all-star Russian "Glasnost Festival Tour" (1986-92). Moscow Ballet made its debut in 1993 with the Great Russian Nutcracker which was directed and choreographed by soloist Stanislav Vlasov of the famous Russian Bolshoi Theatre. In 1994, Moscow Ballet invited the Moscow State Theatre of Natalia Sats, and the theatre's full orchestra, to expand the company to an 88-artist tour which was billed as the "19th Century Classical Nutcracker." In 2003, Vladimir Troshchenko, director of Odessa State Ballet and a pivotal figure in the ballet world, was named artistic director and in 2010 Andrei Litvinov will be the co-artistic director. Moscow Ballet continues to feature top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools in its productions.

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