Staging a tour de force

Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi Theatre is the country's main national theater, and is dedicated to keeping up the traditions of Russia's performing arts.

The theater's last performance in Beijing was in 2010, where it staged two ballet productions－The Pharaoh's Daughter and Don Quixote. The same year, the Bolshoi Opera Company visited the city for the first time with its production of Tchaikovsky's opera, Eugene Onegin.

In March 2006, the Bolshoi Theatre's ballet, opera and orchestra soloists performed at two concerts dedicated to the opening of the Year of Russia in China.

Beijing-based Wang Chang watched both the Bolshoi Theatre's performances in 2010 and in 2018. She was impressed by the company's grand production and the solid techniques of the ballet dancers, especially the pas de deux, which she describes as "powerful and stunning".

"Their shows gave the audience a new look at the old ballet, with new choreography and new dancers," says Wang, a 32-year-old white collar worker.

According to Zhao Ruheng, the former president of the National Ballet of China, Russian ballet dancers and experts were key figures in promoting the development of Chinese ballet.