The revised programme for the festival is now on the Mariinsky wesbite.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/

I know that Alina Cojocaru is one of the guest artists who will appear in the festival.

At the Mariinsky Festival, Nikolai Tsiskaridze will dance Solor in "La Baydere"on the 23rd of February, with Daria Pavlenko as Nikiya.

I wonder who will dance La Bayadere on the opening night of the festival on 21 Feb.

<small>[ 22 January 2003, 06:52 PM: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

It's said, Diana Vishneva.

Arina, who will be Vishneva's partner, have you heard?

21/0@ "La Bayadere": Diana Vishneva, Elvira Tarasova, Manuel Legris
22/02 "Cinderella": Natalia Sologub, Andrey Merkuriev
23/02 "La Bayadere": Daria Pavlenko, Ekaterina Osmolkina, Nikolay Tsiskaridze
24/02 "Giselle": Alina Cojocaru, Johan Kobborg

Castings of the next days are unknown.

<small>[ 24 January 2003, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: Arina ]</small>

My goodness! In four days you could see the cream of the world's dancers.

The casting for some performances is now listed in the Mariinsky/Kirov website.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/balfest03

World Ballet Stars to Gather in St Pete for Mariinsky Festival
From Pravda


On February 21 through March 2, St Petersburg will be hosting a third international ballet festival, Mariinsky.

Russia's sole classical dance event will traditionally involve leading ballet dancers from the world's major companies. St Petersburg will admire the art of dancers from Russia, France, Britain and the US, said the press service of the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre.

To perform the leading parts along with Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova, Andrian Fadeyev and Danila Korsuntsev, Mariinsky soloists, are the festival regulars, Vladimir Malakhov of the American Ballet Theatre and Nikolai Tsiskaridze of the Bolshoi. Also to take part in the ballet event are Paris' Grand Opera stars Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, Jean-Guillaume Bart, and Manuel Legri.

click for more

There is a press release issued today by the Mariinsky Theatre on the Festival.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/massmedia/press/balfest03

Some news from the dancer of POB who must participate to Maryinski Festival, Manuel Legris doesn't dance Solor in Bayadere. Agnès Letestu and Jean-Guillaume Bart will dance Paquita in the divertissement evening. And Agnès Letestu and José will dance too "In the middle" in the cloture gala. Against, It doesn't seem that POB dancers will participate to Emeralds.

There seems to be more POB dancers appearing in the festival. And yes, they will dance in Emeralds. I just checked the casting information.

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/balfest03

<small>[ 08 February 2003, 02:33 AM: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

Diana Vishneva will now dance the opening night of La Bayadere with Andrian Fadeyev instead. Fadeyev will dance the Nutcracker performance with Natalia Sologub.

My interview with Vishneva is now published in Ballet.co Magazine.

http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_03/feb03/interview_vishneva.htm

ballet stars assemble in petersburg
by Galina Stolyarova for The St Petersburg Times

The Mariinsky International Ballet Festival, which kicks off at the Mariinsky Theater on Friday is by no means a veteran in the theatrical world yet, over first three years of its history, it has grown big enough to attract the world's top dancers to St. Petersburg.

Wendy Whelan, Maria Kowroski and Jock Soto of New York City Ballet are coming for their first performance in Russia. Joining them will be Alina Cojocaru, a rising star of the London's Royal Ballet, and her Royal Ballet dancing partner, Johan Kobborg. The pair will appear in Giselle on Monday, and then in the gala performance on March 2. Paris Opera soloists Agnes Letestu, Manuel Legris and Jose Martinez will make their second visit to the festival.

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Not sure thatthere is anything new, but for completeness:

Mariinsky International Ballet Festival Opens Today in St. Petersburg
From Rosbalt News Agency (Russia)

SAINT PETERSBURG, February 21. The third international Mariinsky ballet festival will take place in the Mariinsky Theatre from February 21 to March 2. The event is currently the only classical dance festival in Russia to feature leading dancers from the world's most famous ballet companies. This year the Jock Soto, Wendy Whelan and Maria Kowroski, leading soloists from the New York City Ballet, will make their debuts at the festival. Regular performers at the festival include Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, Jean-Guy Barre and Manuel Legris from the Paris Opera, Vladimir Malakhov of the American Ballet Theatre, and Nikolai Tsiskaridze of the Bolshoi Theatre.

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