Eifman Ballet’s Anna Karenina premier concludes

The premiere of Anna Karenina by the Eifman Ballet of St Petersburg in Qatar concluded yesterday at QNCC Al Mayassa Theatre.The performances were over two days. Qatar’s ambassador to Russia Fahad bin Mohamed al-Attiyah and Russian ambassador to Qatar Nurmakhmad Kholov graced the occasion.The event, which continued a series of projects held in the framework of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018, was a hit among audiences with sold out shows on both days of the performance. The general partner of the event was Russian oil company Rosneft.The audience was treated to the brilliant technical mastery of the dancers and Boris Eifman’s outstanding choreography, and was captivated by the spectacular interpretation of the famed drama about the conflict between duty and desire.Eifman’s production comes as part of a rich cultural exchange programme that aims to promote mutual understanding, recognition and appreciation between Qatar and Russia.Ambassador al-Attiyah, stated: “We are honoured to have hosted the Eifman Ballet of St Petersburg in Qatar for the very first time, showcasing a rich and vibrant element of Russian culture. We are pleased that the performance, which demonstrated Eifman’s expertise and outstanding technical mastery of the ballet company, was a huge success among our audiences.“Year of Culture Qatar-Russia took place in 2018 with the aim of strengthening relations between the State of Qatar and the Russian Federation and to celebrate the vibrant complexity of both nations and their people, and we look forward to continued shared cultural exchange between our two countries.”Ambassador Kholov said: “ I’m happy to provide the friendly Qatari people and residents of the country with an opportunity to see this fantastic ballet performance for the first time. As one of the cultural bulwarks of Russia, ballet has a special place in the hearts of our people and in our history.“We are pleased to share this experience with the people of Qatar, who continue to welcome cultural exchange and mutual understanding. I am hopeful that Russia and Qatar continue their mutual co-operation in the field of culture as well as other important venues pertaining to our relationship.”As a continuation of projects in the framework of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018, the Eifman Ballet of St Petersburg also held a tour for young ballet students, introducing them to their performance on the stage of QNCC Al Mayassa Theatre.The young audience included both Qatar Foundation Ballet and Sophie Mcdonald Dance Company students, with movable ballet bars produced especially for the tour. The ballet bars will be left as a legacy to Qatar Foundation.Ingenious Russian choreographer Eifman created his own theatre to combine the dance and the drama and tell people touching stories of human souls. The famous choreographer successfully fused unconventional modern dance and the rich tradition of the Russian classical ballet.The Eifman Ballet in Saint Petersburg was founded by the choreographer himself.The company and theatre is now widely known and loved by ballet fans all over the world.