Moscow Ballet and St Petersburg’s Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory announce winners of inaugural “Ballet Art Juried Exhibition”
Limited edition prints of contemporary art included in Moscow Ballet’s Exclusive Platinum Experience

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

Exhibition judges Dan Talmi, Nataliya Yablakova and Oleg Vinogradov

Contact: Sally Michael Keyes
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High resolution images: http://www.nutcracker.com/promo

(Berkshires, MA) Aug 16, 2011 – Moscow Ballet partners with St. Petersburg’s Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory in the first annual “Ballet Art Juried Exhibition.” Held in May 2011 in anticipation of the 150^th Anniversary of the prestigious Conservatory, prints of the top three selected artist’s work are available exclusively in Moscow Ballet’s Platinum Experience ticket package for the 60 city tour of Romeo and Juliet and the Great Russian Nutcracker. Over 50 artists, associated with the Conservatory, entered the contest. The three winners, Inom Mansurov, Elmira Mustafina and Anastasia Vostrezova, received prize purses in addition to having their art included in the Platinum Experience. Legendary choreographer, considered by many to be the greatest working ballet classicist, Oleg Vinogradov chaired the exhibition and was one of 3 judges. Vinogradov is himself a painter and current Director of Dance at the renowned Conservatory. Moscow Ballet is honored by his support of the inaugural exhibition and feels that his long standing artistic vision is a contributing factor in the world-wide success that ballet has seen in the last half century. Other judges include Moscow Ballet producer Dan Talmi and Natalia Yablakova, director at the Conservatory and curator of the exhibition. Moscow Ballet keeps the standard of their productions at the highest artistic level which is consistently recognized by the press; “Expansive…the Russian style is elegantly generous, and so the experience is never meager” Alastair Macaulay NY Times; “Aristocratic finesse” Donald Rosenberg Plain Dealer; and “Breathtaking, awe-inspiring” Charleston Today. Moscow Ballet’s unique work in bringing acclaimed Russian dancers and artists in all genres, now including visual painters, to North America continues to expand the artistic experience of its American patrons. www.nutcracker.com

Inom Mansurov, born in Kokand, on the crossroads of the trade routes in Uzbekistan, attended the Kokand State School of the Arts, moving to St. Petersburg in 1988, a center of Russian artistic life. He was accepted to study at the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory under Professor Suvorov, where he entered and won First Place of the joint Moscow Ballet-St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Art’s inaugural 2011 Visual Art Contest. Mansurov exhibits in St. Petersburg, Moscow, London, New York, Hamburg and more. His paintings have strong geometric themes, reminiscent of M.C. Escher, and use color in the most forceful way.

Elmira Mustafina is a recognized contemporary artist from St. Petersburg and graduate of the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory. She is known as an independent, current master of watercolor cityscape. "Whatever story Mustafina uses - urban landscape or still life - it feels very much like what she would have seen,” said Alexander Dmitrenko Honored Artist of Russia, “This is achieved primarily via an ethical approach to nature, the ability to always experience it live." In 2005, she was involved in the III International Biennial "Art-Watercolor-Bridge" where she received an award for Best Work in Urban Landscape. In 2006, she was invited to join the Saint Petersburg Union of Artists and the Watercolour Society of Saint Petersburg.

Anastasia Vostrezova graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory, where she studied in the studio of Professor M. M. Devyatov. She works in portrait, still-life, landscape and figurative composition genres and mainly with oil and pastel techniques. Anastasia participates regularly in exhibitions such as the "Peredvijniki of the 21st century," in art exhibitions in Saint Petersburg, Ekaterinburg and other cities of the Russian Federation as well as in Italy and the USA.

Platinum Experience –the Moscow Ballet Platinum Experience, exclusive to Citibank cardholders until 1 month prior to each performance, includes a choice of a limited edition, giclée print of original artwork by artists of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory and the St. Petersburg Academy of Art Foundation. The prints undergo the process of giclée printing with archival inks and stock, and no more than 100 prints of each painting will be created. In addition to a choice of print, Platinum Experience ticket holders also receive the best seats in the house (limited to 7 pairs per performance) and a Meet and Greet with a Moscow Ballet Soloist. The Platinum Experience is $350 per ticket. Call Moscow Ballet 800-320-1733 or JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING . Regular Tickets are also on sale for Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker and start at $27.50 at www.nutcracker.com.

About the Performance - Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker tells the beloved Christmas story of the girl who falls in love with a Nutcracker Prince – with Russian flair. Praised by the NY Times as “thrilling and expansive,” the 40 impeccably trained Russian dancers leap, spin and lunge bringing the traditional story to life. The Act I Christmas party enchants with its magical toys, evil Mouse King and a journey through the glittering Snow Forest. Unique to the Great Russian Nutcracker, Russian folk characters Father Christmas (Ded Moroz) and the Snow Maiden (Snegurochka) escort Masha (aka Clara) to the Land of Peace and Harmony in Act II where she and the Nutcracker Prince are honored by emissaries from heritages the world over; African, Russian, Asian, European and Hispanic. Set to Pytor Tchaikovsky’s famous score, Moscow Ballet’s production features lavish costumes, nine hand-painted backdrops with 3-D ornamentation and fanciful, larger-than-life puppets designed by Russian puppet master Valentin Federov. A must see show for everyone in the family this holiday season! www.nutcracker.com

History - Akiva Talmi Presents Inc. is known for its annual, touring Great Russian Nutcracker and full-length productions of the classic story-ballets; Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and others. Created by award-winning Juilliard alumnus, composer/conductor and theatrical producer, Akiva Talmi, the organization evolved out of Talmi’s all-star Russian "Glasnost Festival Tour" (1986-92). Moscow Ballet made its debut in 1993 with the Great Russian Nutcracker which was directed and choreographed by soloist Stanislav Vlasov of the famous Bolshoi Theater. In 1994, Moscow Ballet invited the Moscow State Theatre of Natalia Sats, and the theatre's full orchestra, to expand the company to an 88-artist tour which was billed as the "19th Century Classical Nutcracker." In 2003, Anatoly Emelianov, then an upstart choreographer and winner of the Diagelev award, restaged the Great Russian Nutcracker to critical acclaim. Moscow Ballet continues to feature award-winning principals and top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools.

East and West 2011 Tour Cities