Award-winning, Behind-the-Scene Artists Create Moscow Ballet’s 2010 Great Russian Nutcracker and Swan Lake
A Tapestry of Cultures – Behind-the-Scene Artists

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(BERKSHIRES, Mass.) July 22, 2010 – Moscow Ballet’s 2010 North American tour of the Great Russian Nutcracker and Swan Lake is an artistic accomplishment behind-the-scene as well as on stage. Not only are the 80 Russian trained dancers selected individually for their talent and expertise, but so are the behind-the-scene artists. Award-winning set designer and puppet-maker Valentin Federov creates stunning backdrops with three dimensional details that are exclusive to the Great Russian Nutcracker and virtually unheard of in touring productions. Costumer Olga Dumova is an award-winning and world renowned costumer who successfully combines her deep love and knowledge of Russian dress with theatrical design and contemporary haute couture. The artistic vision, attention to the smallest detail and technical skill of Federov and Dumova make performances of the Great Russian Nutcracker and Swan Lake a joy to behold. With no detail left undone, the audience enjoys every opening of the curtain, every swish of a party dress and each trip through magical far-away lands to the fullest.

Exclusive to Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is fairy tale character Father Christmas (Ded Moroz), a Russian version of Santa Claus, and his daughter the Snow Maiden, whose costumes were created by Olga Dumova. These highly ornamental costumes display classic Russian opulence and grandeur, a costuming tradition of detailing that is rarely seen elsewhere and dates back hundreds of years in Russian theatrical history. New this season are Act II’s Festival costumes created with an ethnic Russian look that compliments Father Christmas and the Snow Maiden. The life-size Kissy Doll, brought to the Christmas party by Drosselmeyer in Act I, wears a hand-sewn “ribbon candy” costume using yards and yards of satin ribbon. The party costumes, ethnic outfits and even dancer’s tutus are of the highest quality in costuming anywhere and include hand-sewn beading, sparkling palettes and intricate trimming. (Click to see detailed costume images)
Olga Dumova costumes for the finest theatrical groups in the world including Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, the Strasburg Theatre in France and the Hermitage Youth Center in St Petersburg, Russia, to name a few. Prestigious awards and recognition include First Place at "Eve's Rib" International Exhibition, Moscow, Russia; an award at the "Doll exhibition", Moscow, Russia and being ranked among the top in her class at St. Petersburg Theatre Academy, Russia. She received a BA in Art History and Archaeology from Haifa University, Israel and a BA and MA in Theatre Design from the St. Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy, Russia. When asked about the most important lesson learned in her career, Dumova remarks, “It is very important that you not only know how to draw the costume, but that you are also thinking about how you make it. Everything can be on paper, but not everything can come to life. It is very important to imagine how it will be… which fabrics, which decorations.”

Scenic Designer and Puppet Maker Valentin Fedorov creates the imaginative sets and puppetry of Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker and (based in Chuvash, central Russia) received the title “Honored Artist of Chuvashia.” In 1991, his “Blackberry along the Fence” won at the Best Performances of Russia Festival. At Moscow Artistic Academic Theatre, Fedorov studied under legendary designer Valery Leventhal, of the Bolshoi Theatre. Federov has been art director at the Chuvashia State Theatre of Opera and Ballet since 1988 where he designed more than 40 productions for opera and ballet to critical acclaim. Chuvash, a mostly rural province in the middle of the country has a centuries-old history of puppetry. Federov’s fanciful sets and unique 6 foot tall “stick” puppets add to the whimsical and imaginative storytelling that sets this Nutcracker apart from others. Producer Akiva Talmi says, “Valentin brings his love of life into his puppets and even into his backdrops by adding treats for the eye such as angels with three dimensional trumpets and paying homage to great Russian artists in the interior backdrop with the “painting” ofthe Russian Troika, the famous sleigh pulled by three horses abreast which is practically a symbol of Russia.”

The Moscow Ballet 2010 Tour travels to 70 cities in North America and Canada with two simultaneously performing troupes of 40 professional dancers each. Nearly 6000 local dance students are selected to join the cast and over two hundred fifty thousand patrons attend performances annually. The 2010 premiere performances are in West Point, N.Y. on November 13th and in Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada November 6th. See complete tour schedule below. For tickets and more go to www.nutcracker.com.

Tickets are on sale for Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker and start at $27.50. Buy online at www.nutcracker.com or call Ticketmaster 800.745.3000 and ask for a performance near you. For a truly special holiday experience Moscow Ballet introduces its Platinum Seating and Gift promotion. Platinum ticket buyers receive a limited-edition, giclee print created by contemporary Russian artists from the St. Petersburg Academy of Art (Repin). Platinum Seating includes the best seats, Meet and Greet with a Moscow Ballet soloist, preferred parking and a Platinum Member’s Benefit Card for purchases at www.nutcracker.com. Only seven pairs of platinum tickets per performance are available.

Moscow Ballet - History
Moscow Ballet is known for its annual, touring Great Russian Nutcracker and full-length productions of the classic story-ballets; 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 Russian Bolshoi Theatre. 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, Moscow Ballet announced the appointment Vladimir Troshchenko, director of Odessa State Ballet and a pivotal figure in the ballet world, as Ballet Master and in 2010 Andre Litvinov joined as co-Ballet Master. Moscow Ballet continues to feature top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools in its productions.