Madeleine Onne took over the directorship of the Hong Kong Ballet company

A Benois de la Danse jury member, Madeleine Onne, who had been for several years the Artistic Director of the Royal Swedish Ballet, took over the directorship of the Hong Kong Ballet company for the next several years.

The Paris Opera Ballet had been paying tribute to the Diaguilev Russian Seasons

From 12 to 31 December the Paris Opera Ballet had been paying tribute to the Diaguilev Russian Seasons. In the program of the celebration were included: “La Tricorne“, „Petrushka”, «Le Spåctre de la Rose», «L´Après-midi d´un faune» and the Anniversary gala with the participation of the Russian-French couples, stars of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Paris Opera.

Many Benois de la Danse laureates took part in the gala program: Jose Martinez and Marie Agnès Gillot danced the leading roles in “La Tricorne“; the title role in “Petrushka” was performed by Nicolas Le Riche and then by Benjamin Pech (the Prize nominee).

In the Anniversary gala Nina Kaptsova (the Prize nominee) danced in „Le Spectre de la Rose”; Marie Agnès Gillot performed “La Mort du cygne” in the version of G. Thésmar (a Benois de la Danse jury member); Agnès Letestu and Nicolai Tsiscaridze danced the pas-de-deux from «Shékhérazade», and Aurelie Dupont with Ruslan Skvortsov as her partner, — the pas-de-deux from “Giselle“. Svetlana Zakharova with Mathieu Ganio performed the pas-de-deux from „Le Lac des cygnes” in the redaction of R. Nureyev (Benois de la Danse first jury member); Emilie Cozette (the Prize nominee) and Nicolas Le Riche danced an excerpt from «L?Après-midi d?un faune» and Natalia Osipova with Manuel Legris — from “Petrushka”.

Patronage of the European Cultural Parliament

On December 19 the secretariat of the European Cultural Parliament announced that it has granted its patronage to the Prize Benois de la Danse.
Bellow is the lettre of the Secretary General of this organization Mr. Karl-Erik Norrman.

I hereby confirm that Prix Benois de la Dance, Moscow, will have the patronage of the European Cultural Parliament, ECP. The patronage does not imply any financial implications but constitutes a recognition of the true European character of the Prix Benois de la Dance.

Karl-Erik Norrman
Secretary General

Eleanora Abbagnato is going to dance the title role in Carmen

Eleanora Abbagnato, premiere danseuse of the Paris Opera and Benois de la Danse nominee is going to dance the title role in Carmen (choreography by A. Alonso).The spectacle will be produced on the stage of the Teatro Comunale of Florence, which is under artistic directorship of Vladimir Derevianko (Benois de la Danse laureate).

The world premiere of the all original production of the Nutcracker choreographed by the ABT resident choreographer Alexey Ratmansky

According to the American Ballet Theatre's press-office, the world premiere of the all original production of the Nutcracker choreographed by the ABT resident choreographer and Benois de la Danse laureate Alexey Ratmansky is planned for 23 Decembre, 2010 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This production will launch a new 5 years partnership of ABT with BAM.