The Bolshoi Theatre, a name that conjures up visions of top ballet and opera performances, will meet the Chinese audience on March 22 at the Great Hall of the People to raise the curtain of the 2006 Russian Year.

As Moscow's world-famous hub of opera and ballet, the theatre this time gives China their complete line-up of orchestra, corps de ballet, opera and choir. About 260 top Russian artists, including Alexander Vedernikov, Leonid Zimnenko, Michail Kazakov, Andrey Bolotin, Yan Godovsky, Valdimir Neporozny, will perform ballet's Minkus' Grand Pas and De Due from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. Opera comes in the form of Don Quixote and the Glinka Epilogue from Ivan Susanin, Ariozo of Robert from the opera Yolanta and Polonaise and Gremin Aria from Evgenie Onegin.

One of the leading ballet and opera companies in the world, the theatre was founded in 1776, when the first regular troupe in Moscow was organized by Peter Urussov and his partner Mikhail Medoks. Of great significance to the history of the theatre was the opera and ballet legacy of the Russian composer Piotr Tchaikovsky, whose operas are placed on the golden record of the theatre's repertoire. Masterpieces like The Mighty Group and Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky, Sadko and The Snow-Girl by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, The Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin were also premiered on the stage of the theatre.

The orchestra of the theatre is also one of the most renowned in the world.

The theatre has visited China before in 1959, 1989 and 2001, and each time it has been warmly received by Chinese audiences.

Xiao Changyan

7:30 pm, March 22 at the Great Hall of the People, Tian'anmen Square. 6406-8888.

(China Daily 03/17/2006 page12)