World-renowned Kirov Ballet returns for Hong Kong performances

One of the world's leading ballet companies, Russia's Kirov Ballet, will perform two pieces -- 'Giselle' and the local premiere of 'Jewels' -- in Hong Kong at the end of next month.

The Kirov Ballet, based in the Mariinsky Theatre of St Petersburg, has over 200 dancers and more than 200 years of history and is regarded as the symbol of the famous tradition of Russian classical ballet.

The company has nurtured many of the great artists in the history of ballet, including Marius Petipa, Mikhail Fokine and George Balanchine, and legendary dancers such as Vaslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

The Kennedy Centre in Washington DC has engaged the Ballet to perform every year for the next 10 years, and the Kirov pays frequent visits to London and other major cities around the world. It is the company's return visit to Hong Kong after its 1998 sell-out performance of 'Swan Lake'.

'Giselle' will be staged November 28-30; and 'Jewels', choreographed by George Balanchine, will be performed twice on Sunday, December 1. The dancers will be accompanied by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

The visit of the Kirov Ballet Company is being presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Programme enquiries can be made on 2268 7323 or by visiting the website www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp.

End/ Monday, October 21, 2002