A Tribute to Maya Plisetskaya: Program D at Peter Jay Sharp Building

For decades, the legendary Maya Plisetskaya (1925–2015)—muse to choreographers Yuri Grigorovich, Alberto Alonso, and Maurice Béjart—was synonymous with Russian ballet. A star in the truest sense of the word, she is remembered for the ravenous intensity of her hyperphysical dancing and the spitfire personality that captivated audiences around the world, onstage and off. Following her passing in May 2015, the Mariinsky presents an extended tribute to this iconic performer, comprising four distinct mixed programs featuring the incomparable Diana Vishneva and longstanding principal Uliana Lopatkina, performing with live accompaniment by the Mariinsky Orchestra.

In Program D, Lopatkina is joined by Vladimir Shklyarov, Andrey Ermakov, and other soloists of the Mariinsky ballet to perform a suite of masterworks by Petipa, Fokine, Messerer, Petit, and others. The timeless solos and duets that comprise this century-spanning evening are true gems of the Russian repertoire—dedicated to Plisetskaya, Anna Pavlova (1881—1831), and Galina Ulanova (1910—1998), the venerable primas who defined the roles.