On 21 November at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing (China), the Mariinsky Theatre's major tour of countries in the Asia-Pacific region began with a performance of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty.

Despite the fact that Chinese audiences, according to several critics, are not used to such lengthy ballets as The Sleeping Beauty (choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev), the dancers received a warm response: "The full version of The Sleeping Beauty that was performed at the National Centre is an outstanding example of Petipa's classical ballet, demonstrating the high level of the professionalism of the ballet company and allowing Chinese audiences to discover Russia's ballet culture," commented the portal Wenhua.youth.cn.

"In the triumphant palace scene, familiar characters brilliantly performed their variations: the Lilac Fairy, Princess Florine and the Bluebird, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf – washing away the borders of time and space and returning the audience to their childhood. And the protagonists – the happy lovers Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré (Anastasia Matvienko and Vladimir Shklyarov) – demonstrated impeccable technique and the elegant beauty of true classical dance," according to China.com.

Having concluded its performances in Beijing, the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra departed for Shanghai, where from 26 to 28 November at the Shanghai Grand Theatre the Mariinsky festival was held. Speaking of Sergei Prokofiev's ballet with choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, performed there three times, critics reported that "Ratmansky masterfully interweaves Prokofiev's bold and colourful music with contemporary dance movements, while at the same time retaining the very essence of classical ballet. He literally transports our lives into a world of fairy-tales – he creates the impression that the characters in Cinderella are our friends, neighbours or merely people passing by that we see each day on the street. Filipp Stepin produced a traditional, quasi-classical image as the noble Prince. Vladimir Shklyarov – a more passionate Prince – followed his love like a moth to the flame. Alexander Sergeyev, who appeared in the final performance of the tour, appeared as an ironic contemporary young man," wrote the portal ArtsBj.com.

"Ratmansky's Cinderella is a beautifully presented satire. Without the extreme sugariness of the plot, its lyrical components appear fuller and more touching, and the final pas de deux with its light note of sadness serves as an ideal conclusion to this complex production, so different to the typical 'and they all lived happily ever after.'" JF Daily.

On 28 November the festival in Shanghai ended with An Evening of Stravinsky. The Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev performed the suite from the ballet The Firebird, the music of the ballet Pétrouchka and Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. The soloist was Denis Matsuev.

Valery Gergiev began the tour of countries in the Asia-Pacific region with the Münchner Philharmoniker – from 18 to 25 November the musicians held a series of concerts at major venues in Nanking, Xi'an, Tianjin and Beijing (China). The tour programme included Ludwig van Beethoven's overture Leonore No 3, Anton Bruckner's Symphony No 3, the overture to Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser, Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 6 (Pathétique) and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 4. The soloist is Denis Matsuev.

by mariinsky.ru