PHOTO GALLERIES

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN LONDON 2010 Following its highly acclaimed 2006 and 2007 seasons the Bolshoi Ballet returned to London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 19 July - 8 August 2010, bringing 6 different programmes or 9 ballets. By the hazards of casting the bulk of this London season was largely carried by young stars Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, who moreover performed in all photoshoots. Their prominence in this selection is therefore purely coincidental. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S PETRUSHKA Libretto by Igor Stravinsky and Alexandre Benois. Choreography by Mikhail Fokin (1911). Sets and Costumes by Alexandre Benois (for the production at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1921). Staging and new choreographic version: Sergei Vikharev. Sets reproduction by Boris Kaminsky, costumes reproduction by Yelena Zaitseva. Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov. Premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre on July 2, 2010. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

LES SAISONS RUSSES DU XXIe SIECLE Homage to the Ballets Russes at the Theâtre des Champs-Elyées in Paris (March 4-7, 2010) with revivals of Mikhail Fokine's Le Pavillon d'Armide and The Firebird, and Vaslav Nijinsky's Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune. Performed by the Kremlin Ballet Theatre company, with guest performances by Maria Alexandrova, Mikhail Lobukhin, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Artem Yachmennikov (Bolshoi Ballet) and Irma Nioradze (Mariinsky Ballet). With kind permission of the artistic staff and the press department of the Dutch National Ballet.

THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET IN DON QUIXOTE Selections from Dutch National Ballet's Don Quixote in the new staging by Alexei Ratmansky, premiered at the Muziektheater in Amsterdam on February 13, 2010. Opening night's cast featured Anna Tsygankova as Kitri, Matthew Golding as Basilio, Peter de Jong as Don Quixote, Karel de Rooy as Sancho, Maia Makhateli as Cupid, Anu Viheriäranta as Queen of the Dryads. With kind permission of the artistic staff and the press department of the Dutch National Ballet.

GISELLE IN ROME Selections from Giselle in the production of the Teatro dell' Opera in Rome (February 23 and 25, 2010). Leading roles were danced by guest stars Evgenia Obraztsova (Mariinsky Ballet) and David Makhateli (Royal Ballet), Ashley Bouder (New York City Ballet) and Robert Tewsley. With special thanks to Beppe Menegatti, Carla Fracci and the staff of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S LA ESMERALDA A new staging and choreographic version by Yuri Burlaka and Vasily Medvedev of Jules Perrot's romantic ballet La Esmeralda (1844), revised by Marius Petipa, was premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre on 25 December 2009. A selection of the three premiere casts headed by Maria Alexandrova, Natalia Osipova and Nina Kaptsova. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY Selections from two galas: Etoiles de Ballet2000 in Cannes (29 november 2008) and Etoiles du XXIe Siècle in Theatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris (20 September 2009) With kind permission of Richard Stéphant / Sherwood Productions.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S SPARTACUS (2) Several new artists have been reviving the leading roles in the Bolshoi's Ballet's Spartacus. The following selection, shot September 5-10, 2009 covers three casts: Ivan Vasiliev (Spartacus), Nina Kaptsova (Phrygia), Alexander Volchkov (Crassus), Ekaterina Shipulina (Aegina); Pavel Dmitrichenko, Anna Nikulina, Yuri Baranov, Maria Alexandrova; Egor Khromushin, Anna Antonicheva, Andrei Merkuriev, Ekaterina Krysanova. With special thanks to the Bolshoi Theatre and the Teatro Real in Madrid.

LES SAISONS RUSSES A celebration of the centenary of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (1909-2009) by the Kremlin Ballet from Moscow at the Thйвtre des Champs-Elysйes in Paris. Featuring principals and soloists from Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatre. With kind permission of Richard Stéphant / Sherwood Productions.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S SPARTACUS Photos of one of the Bolshoi Ballet's most famous productions, Yuri Grigorovich's Spartacus. Premiered in 1968 with music by Aram Khachaturian and designs by Simon Virsaladze, it proved the most successful staging of the ballet to date. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

SVETLANA ZAKHAROVA GALA PERFORMANCE 2009 Photos of the Svetlana Zakharova Gala Performance at the Bolshoi Theatre on April 9, 2009. The evening included the world premiere of "Zakharova Super Game", a one-act ballet with choreography by Francesco Ventriglia. The second part of the evening consisted of a divertissement, including among others Revelation (chor. M. Hirayama), the duet of Tristan and Isolde from Tristan (chor. K. Pastor), a duet from Legend of Love (chor. Y. Grigorovich), Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and fragments from Who Cares, Serenade and Symphony in C (chor. G. Balanchine). With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

AFTER THE SHOW Some impressions from backstage, after the curtain came down.

COPPELIA AT THE BOLSHOI Photos of the revival and new choreographic version of Marius Petipa's 1894 Coppelia by Sergei Vikharev. With sets by Boris Kaminsky, costumes by Tatiana Noginova. Music Director: Igor Dronov. Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov. Featuring Maria Alexandrova and Ruslan Skvortsov, Natalia Osipova and Vyacheslav Lopatin. Premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre on 12 March 2009. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

OSIPOVA & OVCHARENKO REHEARSING SYMPHONY IN C Photos of young Bolshoi soloists Natalia Osipova and Artem Ovcharenko rehearsing the 3rd movement from Balanchine's Symphony in C in the studio. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

PRAGUE BALLET GALA 2009 4th edition of the Prague Ballet Gala at the Prague National Opera on 9 January 2009, organised by the The Prague International Ballet, Jana Kurova, Director and Artistic Director. With international guests from Bйjart Ballet Lausanne, Bolshoi Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and Royal Ballet of Flanders. With kind permission of the Prague Ballet Gala.

RUSSIAN SEASONS AT THE BOLSHOI Photos of Russian Seasons, ballet in 1 Act, set to music by Leonid Desyatnikov, choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, originally created for New York City Ballet. Premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre on November 15, 2008. Featuring Natalia Osipova, Ekaterina Shipulina, Andrei Merkuriev, Denis Savin and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

GRAND PAS FROM PAQUITA Photos of the new staging and choreographic version of the Grand Pas from Marius Petipa's "Paquita" by Yuri Burlaka, premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre on November 15, 2008. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Anna Antonicheva, Nadezhda Gracheva, Marianna Ryzhkina, Alexander Volchkov, Ekaterina Shipulina, Anna Leonova, Anastasia Goriacheva, Elena Andrienko, Denis Medvedev and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

GALA FOR MAXIMOVA & VASILIEV Photos of the Gala Evening in honour of the 50th anniversary of the artistic creativity of Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vasiliev at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow 27 October 2008. Featuring Bolshoi dancers and international guests from the Mariinsky Theatre, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Rome Opera. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre.

GALA DES ЙTOILES DU XXIe SIИCLE Photos from the annual Gala at the Thйвtre des Champs-Elysйes in Paris (20 September 2008 - Tenth Anniversary Edition), featuring Irina Dvorovenko, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Daniil Simkin (ABT), Roberta Marquez, David Makhateli (Royal Ballet), Lucia Lacarra, Cyril Pierre (Bayerisches Staatsballett Mьnchen), Aki Saito, Wim Vanlessen (Royal Ballet of Flanders), Katerina Shalkina, Julien Favreau (Bйjart Ballet Lausanne), Desmond Richardson (Complexions). With kind permission of Richard Stйphant / Sherwood Productions.

IVAN VASILIEV AS SPARTACUS Photos from the debut of 19-year old Ivan Vasiliev as Spartacus during the Bolshoi tour at the Royal Theatre Carrй in Amsterdam - 25 July 2008. Also featuring Nina Kaptsova, Alexander Volchkov and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. With kind permission of the Bolshoi Theatre and Stardust Theatre BV.

MOSCOW CITY BALLET'S GISELLE Impressions from Moscow City Ballet's production of Giselle. Choreography by Jules Perrot, Jean Coralli, Marius Petipa, Leonid Lavrovsky, Viktor Smirnov-Golovanov. Production by Viktor Smirnov-Golovanov. Design by Viktor Smirnov-Golovanov and Evgeny Gurenko. Costumes by Elisaveta Dvorkina and Natalia Povago. Featuring Anastasia Gubanova, Talgat Kozhabayev, Anastasia Shiladzhyan and artists of Moscow City Ballet. With kind permission of Viktor Smirnov-Golovanov and Ludmila Nerubashchenko - July 2008.

FLAMES OF PARIS AT THE BOLSHOI A selection of photos from Flames of Paris, a new ballet in 2 Acts, with music by Boris Asafiev, book by Alexander Belinsky and Alexei Ratmansky, based on the original libretto by Nikolai Volkov and Vladimir Dmitriev. Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, with use of the original choreography by Vasily Vainonen. Sets by Ilya Utkin, Evgeny Monakhov, costumes by Yelena Markovskaya. Lighting by Damir Ismagilov. Premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, July 3, 2008.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S GISELLE (II) A selection from the 2nd Act of Giselle, featuring Natalia Osipova, Andrei Merkuriev, Maria Alexandrova, and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. staging by Vladimir Vasiliev (1997), sets by Sergei Barkhin, costumes by Hubert de Givenchy.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S LA SYLPHIDE (2), FEBRUARY 2008 A new staging produced by Johan Kobborg, principal dancer with London's Royal Ballet. Choreography by August Bournonville. Production and New Choreography by Johan Kobborg. Sets and costumes by Peter Farmer. Lighting by Damir Ismagilov. Featuring Natalia Osipova, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Ekaterina Krysanova, Yan Godovsky, Nelly Kobakhidze, Ruslan Skvortsov and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. Photos with permission of the Bolshoi Theatre. Special thanks to Katerina Novikova, head of press.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S LA SYLPHIDE (1), FEBRUARY 2008 A new staging produced by Johan Kobborg, principal dancer with London's Royal Ballet. Choreography by August Bournonville. Production and New Choreography by Johan Kobborg. Sets and costumes by Peter Farmer. Lighting by Damir Ismagilov. Featuring Natalia Osipova, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Ekaterina Krysanova, Yan Godovsky, Nelly Kobakhidze, Ruslan Skvortsov and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. Photos with permission of the Bolshoi Theatre. Special thanks to Katerina Novikova, head of press.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN PARIS, JANUARY 2008 The Bolshoi Ballet returns to Paris for three weeks at the Opera Garnier in January 2008. The programme consists of Le Corsaire, Spartacus and a triple bill with Jeu de Cartes/Card Game (Alexei Ratmansky), the Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadиre and Pique Dame/Queen of Spades (Roland Petit).

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN LA BAYADИRE The Bolshoi Ballet in Yuri Grigorovich's revival (1991) of Marius Petipa's La Bayadиre. Designs and costumes reproduced by Valery Firsov, Nikolai Sharonov and Nikolai Sviridchik under the guidance of Valery Leventhal according to the original 1877 production. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Svetlana Lunkina, Denis Matvienko, Natalia Osipova, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Andrei Sitnikov and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet.

NATALIA OSIPOVA & IVAN VASILIEV The Bolshoi Ballet summer 2007 season in London was overall an outstanding success. Natalia Osipova (21) and Ivan Vasiliev (18) were the company's eye-catching young soloists. Whether on their own or dancing together, on the ground or in the air, they unconditionally conquered audiences and critics, and quickly became the new favourites of the London balletgoers.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S LE CORSAIRE (part 2) New production (2007), choreography by Marius Petipa, revival and new choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Burlaka. Sets by Boris Kaminsky, costumes by Elena Zaytseva (with the use of sketches by Evgeny Ponomaryov - 1899), lighting by Damir Ismagilov. Premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, 21 June 2007. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Nikolai Tsiskaridze and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. Photos with permission of the Bolshoi Theatre. Special thanks to Katerina Novikova, head of press.

NATALIA OSIPOVA & IVAN VASILIEV REHEARSING DON QUIXOTE Up-and-coming Bolshoi Ballet soloists Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in rehearsal for Don Quixote.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET'S LE CORSAIRE (part 1) New production (2007), choreography by Marius Petipa, revival and new choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Burlaka. Sets by Boris Kaminsky, costumes by Elena Zaytseva (with the use of sketches by Evgeny Ponomaryov - 1899), lighting by Damir Ismagilov. Premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, 21 June 2007. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Nikolai Tsiskaridze and artists of the Bolshoi Ballet. Photos with permission of the Bolshoi Theatre. Special thanks to Katerina Novikova, head of press.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET CLASS A selection of black and white shots of the Bolshoi Ballet in class. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Rimma Karelskaya, Nelly Kobakhidze, Ekaterina Krysanova, Svetlana Lunkina, Denis Medvedev, Natalia Osipova, and members of the Bolshoi Ballet.

SVETLANA ZAKHAROVA REHEARSING SWAN LAKE A selection of photos of Svetlana Zakharova rehearsing Swan Lake in the studio. Also featuring Ruslan Skvortsov.

SVETLANA ZAKHAROVA AS CINDERELLA A selection of photos of Svetlana Zakharova in the the Bolshoi Ballet's 2006 production of Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella. Choreography by Yuri Possokhov, sets by Hans-Dieter Schaal, costumes by Sandra Woodall.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN DON QUIXOTE A selection from the Bolshoi Ballet's production of Don Quixote. Choreography by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky, staging by Alexei Fadeyechev. Additional choreography by Kasyan Goleizovsky, Rostislav Zakharov, Anatoly Simachev. Designs by Sergei Barkhin, costumes after Vasily Dyachkov (1906), recreated by Tatiana Artamonova and Yelena Merkurova.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN LONDON (part 2) The Bolshoi Ballet seen from and in the wings.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN LONDON (part 1) Photographic survey of the Bolshoi's three-week season at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 31 July-19 August 2006.

NATALIA OSIPOVA The Bolshoi's new up-and-coming soloist, Natalia Osipova, rehearsing in the studio for Don Quixote and The Pharaoh's Daughter. London, August 2006.

LES ЙTOILES DE BALLET2000 Les Etoiles de Ballet2000. An international dance gala, Cannes Palais des Festivals, 16 July 2006. Featuring stars from Paris Opera Ballet, Boston Ballet, Ballet Bйjart Lausanne, Ballet du Grand Thйвtre de Genиve and Vienna Opera Ballet.

THE BOLSHOI BALLET IN GISELLE A selection from the 1st Act of Giselle, romantic ballet par excellence. Production of the Bolshoi Ballet, featuring Svetlana Zakharova and Andrei Uvarov, production by Vladimir Vasiliev (1997), sets by Sergei Barkhin, costumes by Hubert de Givenchy.

LIGHT, COLOUR AND MOVEMENT A selection of images of dance and dancers, on or offstage, emphasizing light, colour and movement. Featuring Bolshoi and Mariinsky ballet companies.

THE CUBAN NATIONAL BALLET Images from The Cuban National Ballet, including some of this company's greatest dancers - Viengsay Valdиs, Joel Carreсo, Rуmel Frуmeta, Sadaise Arencibia and Anette Delgado.

IMAGES OF ROMEO AND JULIET - A MARIINSKY BALLET PHOTO GALLERY Impressions from the Kirov Ballet's production of Romeo and Juliet in a choreography by Leonid Lavrovsky. Featuring up-and-coming coryphйe Evgenia Obraztsova and principal dancer Igor Kolb.

IMAGES OF SWAN LAKE - A BOLSHOI BALLET PHOTO GALLERY Impressions from the Bolshoi Ballet's production of Swan Lake (as staged by Yuri Grigorovich). Featuring the Bolshoi principals and soloists Galina Stepanenko, Sergei Filin, Vladimir Neporozhny, Ekaterina Shipulina, and the corps de ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre. With special thanks to the press department of the Bolshoi Theatre.

THE BOLSHOI IN LONDON - A BOLSHOI BALLET PHOTO GALLERY Impressions from the Bolshoi Ballet tour in London, July-August 2004. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Sergei Filin, Svetlana Zakharova, and the Bolshoi Ballet artists. With special thanks to the press department of the Bolshoi Theatre.

BACKSTAGE AT THE BOLSHOI - A BOLSHOI BALLET PHOTO GALLERY Shot backstage at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, May 2004. Featuring Maria Alexandrova, Nadezhda Gracheva, Dmitry Gudanov, Nina Kaptsova, and Marina Kondratieva. With special thanks to the press department of the Bolshoi Theatre.

CLASS AND REHEARSALS - A BOLSHOI BALLET PHOTO GALLERY A selection of shots showing the Bolshoi Ballet in class and in rehearsal. Featuring Alexei Ratmansky, Ludmilla Semenyaka, Ekaterina Shipulina, Anastasia Yatsenko, Svetlana Zakharova, and Andrei Uvarov. With many thanks to the Paris Opera and the Bolshoi Ballet.

IMAGES OF NIKIYA - A KIROV BALLET PHOTO GALLERY A selection of moments taken from La Bayadиre, focusing on the ballet's central character, the temple dancer Nikiya. All shots are from the Mariinsky's new-old production of La Bayadиre, as staged by Sergei Vikharev. Featuring Svetlana Zakharova as Nikiya, Leonid Sarafanov and Igor Kolb as Solor, and Viktoria Tereshkina as Gamzatti.

WINGS, CURTAINS AND FLOWERS - A KIROV BALLET PHOTO GALLERY When the Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet was guesting at the Opera House in Graz, Austria in July 2003, I was allowed to shoot the dancers from the wings and backstage. Here is a selection of images rarely seen by the audience. With many thanks to Rieder Promotions and the Mariinsky Ballet management.

FRENCH DANCERS AT TIVOLI, COPENHAGEN - PHOTO GALLERY A group of eight French principals and soloists of the Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet appeared for a short stint at Tivoli's Concert Hall in Copenhagen in September 2002. Thanks to the producer of the event Alexander Meinertz, I was able to shoot them in performance. Here is a selection.

DANSES CONCERTANTES PHOTO GALLERY A group of ten principals and soloists of New York City Ballet performed at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre in September 2002. As with the French dancers at Tivoli, thanks to the producer of the event Alexander Meinertz, I was able to shoot them in performance. Here is a selection.

WARNING:All photos copyright © Marc Haegeman. All rights reserved. It is illegal to publish, download, reproduce, distribute, or sell the photograph(s) contained in these pages without the expressed permission of the photographer.