Russian Ballet Tour 2021

Arrival to Moscow. Meeting with a guide at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in. Free time.

Breakfast at the hotel. Moscow bus city tour with free time at Red square.

Ballet in Russia reached its peak, becoming one of the visiting cards of the country and Russian art. The first ballet performance in Russia took place in Moscow on February 17, 1672 at the court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Today Beauty Moscow, luxurious and artistic, old and modern, invites you to a date that you will remember for a lifetime. The guests of the capital are waiting for the famous high red brick walls of the Kremlin, the charming beauty of the Alexander Garden, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the amazing Bolshoi Theater. Guests will touch the past in memory of the Great Patriotic War at the Memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill, take a look at the future from the present at the Moscow City International Business Center. And from the observation deck on the Sparrow Hills, Moscow will open to travelers in all its essence. Moscow carefully preserved in its image all the historical epochs of the development of culture, and it is indisputably considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Time for lunch at Zariadie food store (lunch is not included).

Return to the hotel, free time.

Evening performance in Bolshoi Theater or State Kremlin Palace or Theater “New Opera” or Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre or Helikon-Opera (opera or ballet).

*For SEPT musical concert (Chaikovsky concert hall or Zaradie concert hall).

Ballet is a “metropolitan little thing”, and at different times it was located in two capital cities of the country — Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, until it smoothed out their rivalry by settling there and there, but, responding to the tastes and atmosphere of the cities, in two varieties, two schools: restrained, academic Petersburg and artistic, temperamental Moscow. It was Moscow ballet that always conquered with its irresistible emotionality, fiery expression, and deep dramatic living of the role. This evening you will see for yourself by watching a masterpiece in one of the Moscow theaters.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Tour “History and architecture of the Bolshoi Theater” with backstage access.

The ballet has no nationality, although it has French and Italian roots, almost every country in the world has its own troupes of classical dance, but, nevertheless, the ballet has “citizenship”, has its own house, and this house is Russia. Since the end of the 18th century, ballet in Russia has reached new heights and subsequently firmly occupies a privileged position among other forms of theatrical art. In 1776, the Bolshoi Theater was founded in Moscow. The modern building, which for many years has been perceived by everyone as one of the main attractions of Moscow, opened on August 20, 1856. In 2011, the global reconstruction was completed — it revived many of the lost features of the historical appearance of the famous building and at the same time placed it among the most technically equipped theater buildings in the world. The Bolshoi Theater is a stable symbol of Russia for all time. He received this honorable role thanks to the great contribution he made to the history of Russian art. Today you have a unique opportunity to be behind the scenes of the legendary theater. During a tour of the Bolshoi Theater, you will visit the auditorium, Government, Imperial and Guest lodges, the Upper Rehearsal Stage, Beethoven Hall, the Small and Large Imperial Foyers, and the White Hall. You can also climb to the highest point in the theater and marvel at the wonders of acoustics in the Round Hall.

Time for lunch (lunch is not included).

Visit to the rehearsal for the National Show of Russia “Kostroma” with master class in folk dances.

The National Show of Russia “Kostroma” presents the history of a multinational state in a play about Great Russia and the life of its peoples. Through the brilliant stage incarnations, one can see the entry of Christianity into Russia, the era of tsarist and pre-revolutionary Russia, the first manned flight into space and the famous Russian ballet. As if a view from a window, the country expanses from the Caucasus Mountains to the Asian steppes, the Arctic Ocean and the Black Sea, the beauty — the Volga River and the mighty Yenisei. Together with them, people, their way of life, religions and traditions are changing. 50 artists on stage, masterly technique, excellent acting, 17 stage reincarnations, 10 tons of cargo, 600 unique costumes, 300 items of props, 7 changes of scenery — this is a fabulous reality of the Russian national dance show “Kostroma”, which captivates audiences of all ages and nationalities. And before the show itself, together with the staff of the Kostroma National Show, we have prepared a real exclusive for you — you can see the process of preparing the performance — an hour-long rehearsal with the commentaries of the directors, and also take part in a master class in Russian folk dance with elements of Russian costume.

Time for dinner (dinner is not included).

Evening performance National show of Russia “Kostroma” in the theater “Russian Song”.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the Leningradsky railway station. “Sapsan” morning train to Saint-Petersburg (business class with meal). Arrival to Saint-Petersburg, transfer to the hotel, check-in.

Saint-Petersburg bus city tour.

Cozy aristocratic Moscow gave way to solemn Saint-Petersburg. It takes only 4 h by train and you will see absolutely different scenes. On Saint-Petersburg city tour you will see: Nevsky Prospekt, the main street in Saint-Petersburg; Stroganov Palace; Beloselskih-Belozerskih Palace; Kazan Cathedral, named after “miracle-making” icon of our Lady of Kazan; the building of our famous “Dom Knigi” book store; the wonderful view down by Griboedova canal to the picturesque Russian-style Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood; the largest historical department store in the city — “Gostiny Dvor”; the Russian National Library (the second largest branch in the country); an impressive monument to Catherine the Great and the Anichkov Bridge, adorned with 4 striking equestrian statues (beautiful Klodt's horses).The Palace Square is the most grandiose among the squares of the city and a good example of how different styles can be combined in the most elaborate way. The General Stuff Headquarters Building and State Hermitage can be found here. The facade of the Admiralty and the Alexander Garden that is in front of it, link the Palace Square to the Senate Square. In the center of the square there stands an impressive monument to the founder of Saint-Petersburg — Peter the Great — known as Bronze Horseman.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit to the Museum of music in Sheremetev Palace.

The Sheremetev Palace is one of the most interesting sights of Saint-Petersburg, almost the same age as the city. Within the walls of a magnificent mansion, the Museum of Music found its home, which is based on the largest collection of musical instruments in Russia from around the world. Among the exhibits: a violin, owned by Mikhail Glinka, a collection of musical instruments of the imperial court, a violin by the Italian master Francesco Stradivarius and other precious rarities.

Visit to St. Isaac Cathedral.

Museum-monument “St. Isaac's Cathedral” is one of the most significant art museums in Russia, well-known in many foreign countries, a unique monument of Russian architecture and one of the best cathedrals in Europe. The decoration of the cathedral includes the largest collection of Russian painting of the mid-19th century, numbering more than 150 works, over 300 statues, sculptural groups and reliefs, more than 60 mosaic works of Russian masters.

Time for lunch (lunch is not included).

Return to the hotel.

Evening performance in The Mariinsky or Mikhailovsky or Aleksandrinsky Theatre (opera or ballet).

The most important event for Russian ballet was the arrival in Russia of the most significant European choreographer Sh. L. Didlo, who worked in Saint-Petersburg in the middle of the 19th century. Under his leadership, the ballet of Russia has become one of the leading in Europe. Already at the beginning of the XIX century. There are differences between the Petersburg and Moscow ballet, largely due to the tastes of the public and the specifics of the cultural life of the two capitals. The ballet style of Saint-Petersburg was distinguished by academic completeness and rigor. We offer you to compare yourself and visit the theatrical performance in the cultural capital of Russia.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit to Saint-Petersburg State museum of theatre and music art.

In one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles of Saint-Petersburg, created by the ingenious Karl Rossi, the Theater Museum is located. The museum’s collection is based on rarities related to the history of Russian theater from the 18th to the 20th century: luxurious costumes made in the workshops of the imperial theaters, portraits of great actors, pointe shoes of famous ballerinas, models and sketches of great artists (Benoit, Malevich). During the excursion “Stars of Russian Ballet”, you will learn about the creative path of the famous ballerinas Matilda Kshesinskaya, Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, get acquainted with luxurious costumes and scenery for the ballets “Swan Lake”, “The Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty”. In conclusion, you will find a visit to the multimedia exposition - it gives you the opportunity to work out at the machine, where Anna Pavlova, Vaclav Nizhinsky and Galina Ulanova stood. Virtual Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Mikhail Baryshnikov demonstrate the basics of classical dance. This installation is an attempt to penetrate the essence of the Saint-Petersburg ballet school, the crown of which was the ballets of Marius Petipa, the French choreographer, who staged more than 60 performances in Saint-Petersburg in 60 years.

Visit to Kazan Cathedral.

Kazan Cathedral – the main temple of Saint-Petersburg, a monument of architecture of the XIX century. The prototype of the church was the cathedral of St. Petra in Rome. The main Orthodox shrine of the cathedral is a list of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, in honor of which the temple was consecrated.

Transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport / railway station.
End of the tour.