News

27.05.2022

Youth, joy, flight

The joy of youth, with its sunny outlook and faith in everlasting happiness, is palpable in Victor Lebedev’s dancing. Impeccably proportioned, with an elegant manner and a high, effortless jump, he is almost the ideal classical dancer. Among the many virtues of a cavalier dancer, one of the most important is the ability to present a ballerina in the best possible light. In this respect, Victor is a true knight of dance.

“For me, the upcoming gala on 9 June is not only a great honour and responsibility, but also an enormous pleasure,” says the dancer. “For any dancer, a dedicated showcase like this is always a very grand, joyful occasion. This is both a celebration and a certain milestone in my stage career. I am happy to be able to celebrate it at my home theatre, sharing the stage with my fellow dancers who inspire me, and to spend the evening with the audience, whom it is a joy for me to serve. I really value the duet that I have developed with my beloved partner and wife, Anastasia Soboleva. It is with her that I dance most often, and it is only natural that we will open and close the gala programme together. But I am also preparing to perform with other dancers, which will bring a different mood, a different tone, and different feelings.”

The evening will begin with a duet to the music of Shostakovich from Class Concert. Victor Lebedev and Anastasia Soboleva wonderfully convey the nervous excitement of two young lovers who, hearts aflutter, are getting ready for a date. Later, hand in hand, they will aspire to conquer new heights, both personal and professional. Balanchine’s famous Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux is another number that the audience will see performed by Anastasia and Victor, and another embodiment of their romantic feelings for and intoxication with each other. The evening’s programme will end with the grand pas classique from Paquita, in which Anastasia and Victor will once again take to the stage together.

Le Spectre de la rose is a small masterpiece choreographed by Mikhail Fokine, and one which the audience always eagerly awaits. This gem, which was once staged for Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina, acquires a special magic and inner light when performed by true masters. The choreographer himself wrote of the composition: “The dancing is expressive throughout. The theme of the Young Girl’s dance is very fresh and beautiful. Her eyes closed, the Young Girl seeks out her Spectre, summoning him. In none of the movements does the Spectre resemble a typical dancer performing his variations for the pleasure of the audience. He is a spirit. He is a dream. He is the scent of a rose, the caress of its delicate petals.” Victor Lebedev will dance Le Spectre de la rose with Kristina Shapran. The Mariinsky Theatre soloist is considered one of the most elegant dancers performing today, and her art embodies a truly special je ne sais quoi . Her distinctive talent captivates and never lets go, while her performance style entices the viewer before burning with a fire of contrasts.

Another composition from the treasure trove of classics is the Scarf Duet from La Bayadère, where nostalgic sentimentality is married with absolute purity of form. Here, Victor Lebedev will dance with Yulia Stepanova, the Bolshoi Theatre prima ballerina.

The programme for the gala concert is yet to be finalised, but it is safe to say that it will bring together a unique artistic team. Among others, it will feature Kristina Kretova and Igor Tsvirko, a Bolshoi Theatre duo who are well known to and highly regarded by our audience. Also confirmed are Bolshoi Theatre principal dancer Artem Ovcharenko, Mariinsky Theatre soloist Renata Shakirova, dancers from the Eifman Ballet and the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, and, of course, the soloists of the Mikhailovsky Theatre — the friends and colleagues that Victor Lebedev sees in morning class every day.