St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre to Perform Giselle on April 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre in Giselle at 8 p.m. on April 2 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. The performance is sponsored by KeyBank.

With talented dancers, beautiful costumes and breathtaking sets, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre is a visual masterpiece in the classic full-length performance of Giselle. The company was founded as the first Theater of Ballet in Russia under the management of the People's Artist of Russia, Professor Peter Gusev, in 1966. Gusev worked with several different companies before the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre and proved himself as a brilliant choreographer with Ballet Arts Schools. Now under the direction of Yuri Petukhov, the company constantly extends its sphere of activity.

The mastery of the high traditions of Russian Ballet is being passed on to a younger generation of artists, both Russian and foreign. The repertoire of the company consists of both modern ballet performances, as well as classic ballet performances, such as Giselle.

Giselle is one of classical ballet's notable and romantic works. It was first performed in France at the Paris Opera in 1841 and one year later premiered in St. Petersburg where the ballet was an immediate success. Giselle remains a benchmark for ballerinas, requiring technical skill and great acting ability. It also continues to be a favorite among audiences world wide.

Tickets for St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre in Giselle 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 ticketmaster.com. 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. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the center box office to receive discount.