Tonight, I saw a mesmerizing performance of the ballet, Anna Karenina, choreographed by Boris Eifman, St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet. The ballet is based on Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, considered the greatest novel ever written, and is a psychological drama revolving around the love triangle of heroine Anna Karenin and her husband and lover. It is a story that is intensely filled with passion, leading to rejection and, ultimately, self-destruction.

The style of dance combines classical ballet with modern technique, giving it quite a unique, creative expression. Somber, yet passionate, elegant and stylish, Eifman’s Anna Karenina captured my attention from start to finish. In fact, it had me sitting on the edge of my seat during the final act. Bravo!
Principle Roles:
Anna: Natalia Povoroznyuk
Vronsky: Sergey Volobuev
Karenin: Dmitry Fisher

About Eifman Ballet:

When founding St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet in 1977, Eifman broke the rules and resisted the trends to develop his own personal form of expression that combines classical and contemporary dance and theatre. He has won all the highest awards in the arts in Russia, including the People’s Artist of Russia, and has been honoured with France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. “This production leaves one applauding the Eifman company for its passionate integrity, and Eifman himself for a gift for showmanship,” stated The Daily Telegraph, London
*photo credit: Eifman Ballet