Moscow Festival Ballet to Perform Swan Lake

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Moscow Festival Ballet in Swan Lake at 8 p.m. on April 10 in the Mainstage Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

The Moscow Festival Ballet was founded in 1989 when legendary principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet Sergei Radchenko sought to realize his vision of a company which would bring together the highest classical elements of the great Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies in an independent new company within the framework of Russian classic ballet. Leading dancers from across the Russias have forged under Radchenko's direction an exciting new company staging new productions of timeless classics such as Giselle, Don Quixote, Paquita and Carmen.

Under the direction of Sergei Radchenko, the Moscow Festival Ballet continues to expand its repertoire. In addition to commissioning new works from within Russia and abroad, the company specializes in twentieth century full-length ballets such as "Cinderella," "Romeo and Juliet," "Legend of Love," "Stone Flower" and "The Golden Age." Radchenko has researched the original choreography and stage productions of several of Marius Petipa's classic ballets, including new productions in 2000 of "Don Quixote" and "Paquita," and a recreation of Jules Perrot's and Jean Coralli's "Giselle."

Since its inception, the Moscow Festival Ballet has completed two tours of Europe, with extraordinary receptions in Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. Two tours of the United Kingdom, including capacity audiences at London's famed Coliseum, have resulted in re-engagements during the 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.

The company also has performed with great success in Turkey at the Istanbul Festival and in Greece at the Athens Festival, and recently completed a two-month tour of Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Moscow Festival Ballet has toured extensively throughout the United States, beginning with a Coast-to-Coast tour in the Winter/Spring of 1997 and returning in 2001 and 2004. During the 2006-2007 season, the company returns to North America for a 17-week tour.

Tickets for Swan Lake are $22, students $10. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.