On 02 June 2017 in Hiroshima city, the Bolshoi theatre’s ballet will open the “Russian seasons” in Japan. It will be a brilliant beginning of the project, consisting of more than 40 events in different cities of the country. 30’000-35’000 Japanese people in five cities, including the capital, will see three spectacles of the Bolshoi ballet: “Swan lake,” “Giselle” and “the Flames of Paris”. In Tokyo tickets for “Giselle” with the participation of Elena Obraztsova and “Swan lake” with Zakharova are already sold out.
The tour is anniversary. As reminded the journalists the Ambassador of Japan in Russia Toyohisa Kozuki, the first tour of the Bolshoi theater in Japan took place over 60 years ago, in 1957. But Japan learned about Russian ballet much earlier, in 1905, when Anna Pavlova shocked the Japanese with her skills. Japanese ballet, known today in the world because of its high professionalism, had originated from the Russian ballet.
In response to the question of cultural and political magazine “E-Vesti” about his favorite ballets, including the repertoire of the Bolshoi theatre, Excellency Touchesa Kazuki answered that he especially loves ballets by S. Prokofiev, whose music is “dynamic” and “Spartacus” by A. Khachaturian.
During 60 years the Bolshoi theatre has arrived on tour to Japan 18 times and this country, where there is a number of Russian ballet fans who warmly welcome artists, is dear for the theatre. During and after the show a Japanese audience warmly thank the artists for performances and give them pretty gifts and sweets.
Professional cooperation between the two countries is also developing successfully. As told to “E-Vesti” the head of the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi theatre Mahar Vaziev: “Our ties with Japanese friends and students had never been interrupted. As for my personal communication with Japanese colleagues, it was intensive, it continues and it will develop. On the one hand, Japan is a country with a wondereful sense of rhythm and dance. On the other hand, the history of the Japanese ballet dates back to the Russian ballet. A lot of things unite us and without it our cooperation would not have been so close and frequent. It is enough to mention that a large number of Japan representatives studies at the Moscow State Academy of choreography. These children often participate in our performances. The atmosphere when little children are involved in performance fosters a common sense of the stage space”.
After the Russian seasons, Bolshoi theatre of Russia will be also participating in cross-year of Russia and Japan in 2018. And as shared with theatre’s plans M. Vaziev, the leadership of the theatre has “started planning the tours in 2019 and 2020».
Sources: Global Coordination of Russians abroad, Bolshoi Theatre
