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Bolshoi Theatre gets new ballet prima

Nina Kaptsova, the Bolshoi’s leading soloist, brilliantly danced the role of Princess Aurora on Saturday

MOSCOW, November 20 (Itar-Tass) — Bolshoi’s new ballet, the Sleeping Beauty to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, saw the first night on Friday, November 18. The ballet had tremendous success. Bolshoi’s prima Svetlana Zakharova and world ballet star David Holberg from the United States danced the leading parties on Friday night.

However, the Sleeping Beauty introduced a new ballet star to Moscow audiences. Nina Kaptsova, the Bolshoi’s leading soloist, brilliantly danced the role of Princess Aurora on Saturday.

Sergei Filin, the artistic director of Bolshoi’s ballet troupe, told the audience after the Saturday performance that Nina Kaptsova was the theatre’s new prima.

Filin told Itar-Tass that the highest status had been awarded to Kaprtsova three weeks ago by joint decision of the ballet troupe’s leadership and Anatoly Iksakov, the Bolshoi Theatre’s general director. However, the ceremony of elevation into the rank of a star took place in public on Saturday. That was a surprise for the ballet dancer herself.

“By the way, this ritual is not our invention. For example, the Paris Opera honors newly-baked stars after performances in which they take part. We hope that this beautiful tradition will take root at the Bolshoi Theatre,” Filin said.

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