On the third of January 2015 Irina Kolesnikova will be performing in Finland for the first time, in the city of Tampere. Russia’s closest European neighbour has never featured in the Saint Petersburg Ballet Prima Ballerina’s touring schedule even though geographically her tours have stretched for many years from Australia, Japan and South Africa to Great Britain, France and Italy.



On the third of January Irina will step on to the stage of the Tampere Hall one of Finland’s best concert complexes to perform in Swan Lake. The Tampere Hall can contain an audience of 1800 people.



Initially only one performance was scheduled for Irina. However, as soon as tickets went on sale the increased interest expressed by the Finish public required the addition of an additional performance.

Irina responded to SPBT’s Finish partners’ request by agreeing to give 2 performances of Swan Lake on the third of January.



Tickets for the extra show went on sale on the fifth of December.

Irina Kolesnikova’s first performance after the birth of her daughter will take place in Istanbul where the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre is touring in December. The SPBT Prima is planning to dance in Swan Lake; the audiences of Turkey’s first city will be able to see Irina dancing the role of Odette/ Odile on 19th and 21st December. Irina herself says she is feeling strong and the trip to Istanbul will be a way of checking herself before the major touring season begins in 2015, a circumstance which demands serious psychological as well as physical preparation. Five month old Vasilina is also preparing herself for the tour – Irina does not want to be parted from her daughter even for a few days, so they will be traveling together.

In August 2015 one of the world’s most famous theatres will host the project “Irina Kolesnikova invites”. The Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s prima ballerina will be dancing her favourite classical roles on the stage of the London Coliseum.



From 17 to 23 August British connoisseurs of choreographic art will witness Irina dancing Odette/Odile in “Swan Lake” and Nikiya in “La Bayadère”. Irina will be choosing her own partners all of whom will be gifted dancers; their names will be announced at a later date.



Londoners remember Irina Kolesnikova well from SPBT tours which were a regular event in the capital from 2001 to 2009. It is true to say that Irina’s international career began in Great Britain where the ballerina enjoyed her first international recognition and fame. For many years in a row her performances in the Royal Albert Hall with its seating capacity of many thousands were perpetual sell outs.



The influential British critics bestowed upon her the most flattering epithets. In 2011 Jeffery Taylor one of Great Britain’s most influential critics wrote an article in the Sunday Express which concluded with the words:

“Irina Kolesnikova's reputation was built in the United Kingdome, we watched in wonder as this colossal talent blossomed year after year. Hurry back to us, Kolesnikova, we deserve you.”



And now Irina Kolesnikova is on her way back to London full of new emotions and at the peak of her form and popularity with her new project “Irina Kolesnikova invites” which European aficionados have already had the opportunity to appraise.



The London Coliseum, home of the English National Opera is part of Britain’s theatrical heritage. Its auditorium holds around 2300 seats.

The prima ballerina of the Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre is continuing the tradition of her yearly season in the French capital. From 9 to 14 March 2015 Irina will be dancing the lead roles in “Swan Lake”, “La Bayadère” and “Romeo and Juliet”.



The Saint Petersburg ballerina will reprise exactly the same programme as last year which personal circumstances prevented her from fulfilling. The French public, however, reacted to this with understanding and great respect. After all, the Russian prima’s irreproachable reputation was forged in Paris some time ago. In the winter of 2014 Irina Kolesnikova was preparing for motherhood and now that her daughter Vasilina has appeared on the scene the ballerina is ready to enchant Paris once more.



The regular Irina Kolesnikova season in Paris will for the first time be set within the framework of the “Irina Kolesnikova invites” project. Irina will be sharing the famous Théâtre des Champs-Elysées stage with gifted contemporaneous dancers. The programme for the season will include the ballerina’s probably most favourite ballets. Irina is herself choosing her guest dancers for the season. Their names will be announced in the near future.



Paris performance schedule for March 2015:

9, 10 March “Swan Lake”

11, 12 March “La Bayadère”

13, 14 March “Romeo and Juliet”



To reserve tickets: http://www.theatrechampselysees.fr/danse

Paris Haute Couture week enriched by fashion show in honour of Irina Kolesnikova – in spite of the ballerina’s absence.



On 23rd January 2014 a fashion show dedicated to the Russian ballerina Irina Kolesnikova took place at the celebrated Opéra Garnier.

As part of Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week, the French designer Jean Doucet presented his new collection dedicated to the Saint Petersburg ballerina and to the glory of Russian ballet in toto. The collection is thus entitled “IRINA KOLESNIKOVA AND THE RUSSIAN BALLETS”.



This is the continuation of a project which had very auspicious beginnings in January 2013. It was Irina’s fluidity and sensitivity in her portrayal of Odette/Odile in the ballet “Swan Lake” which inspired the French fashion designer to create this image for her.



This time the designer created several dresses among which is one unique wedding dress inlaid with pearls, worthy of a museum setting and which was protected by four security guards for the duration of the event. Although due to matters out of her control Irina could not personally take part in the fashion show, the event in her name made great waves among the representatives of the Parisian fashion and cultural world.



Irina’s place at the end of the show was taken by the Japanese model Mile Tchao who wore the same unique wedding dress which, according to the designer’s concept, Irina would have worn on the runway.