From 12 to 15 November, Manama, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain, will host events concluding the annual cycle of the Russian Ministry of Culture’s international project “Russian Seasons” in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The project is taking place during the celebration of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova, “thanks to the international project ‘Russian Seasons,’ the Kingdom of Bahrain has become a special place where Russian culture has found a sincere and profound response in the hearts of all who have had the opportunity to experience it. Over the past year, residents of the Kingdom have been able to hear the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Valery Gergiev, see a dance program by the legendary ‘Lezginka’ ensemble, and now will encounter rising stars of our ballet at a gala concert by the Vaganova Ballet Academy; in addition they will see a performance by one of the country’s oldest orchestras – the Ossipov Orchestra. I sincerely hope that the impressions given by the ‘Russian Seasons’ projects will spark a lasting interest in Russian culture in the future.”
On 12 and 13 November 2025, a gala concert by students of the legendary Vaganova Ballet Academy will take place on the stage of the Bahrain National Theatre.
The Academy is one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet schools in the world, the first Russian professional dance school, founded in 1738. For nearly three centuries, the school has made an invaluable contribution to world choreographic teaching, carried on and developed the traditions established by generations of dancers and teachers, and won the recognition of millions of ballet fans. The school is headed by Nikolai Tsiskaridze, a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theatre, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, and State Prize laureate. He is a disciple of the great masters of dance Pyotr Pestov, Marina Semenova, and Galina Ulanova. The Academy’s First Vice-Rector and Artistic Director is Zhanna Ayupova, prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre and People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, who was brought up by Vaganova’s beloved student Ninel Kurgapkina.
For the first time in the Academy’s history, its students will tour the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Academy’s Rector, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, will personally introduce the students’ performance.
The program includes:
Dances from Act II of P. Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, choreographed by V. Vainonen. Academy students will perform pas de deux of the main characters and a divertissement of character dances: Spanish, Oriental, Chinese, and Russian. This magical story of love and courage, good and evil has become a kind of a Christmas hallmark for the Academy: each year, the ballet is staged with a new cast of students. Bahraini audiences will be treated to Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music, a fairytale multimedia set, an atmosphere of Christmas miracles, and the mastery of rising stars of Russian ballet.
Next, the audience will be invited to see an incredibly colorful Suite from the ballet The Fairy Doll to music by Joseph Bayer, Riccardo Drigo, and Cesare Pugni. The Fairy Doll is a revived version of the ballet choreographed by the brothers Nikolai and Sergei Legat, originally staged in 1903. The revival of the ballet was made by Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Rector of the Academy (2016). The costumes are made according to sketches by Leon Bakst.
The action takes place in a toy shop in St. Petersburg. One evening, as soon as the shop closes and a boy assistant is accidentally left inside, magic begins. The most beautiful Fairy Doll Fairy brings the toys to life: Harlequin, Clown, Porcelain and Lace Dolls, Chinese Doll, Japanese Doll, French Doll, and others. A dolls’ ball begins, with one dance following another, as if competing in beauty and virtuosity. The culmination of the ball is the trio of the beautiful Fairy Doll and the two Pierrots, who are both in love with her – the sad one and the merry one.
On 14 November, the Closing Ceremony of the International project “Russian Seasons” in the Kingdom of Bahrain will take place. A spectacular finale to the year of cultural events in the country will be a performance by the Ossipov National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments of Russia, conducted by People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Vladimir Andropov.
The Ossipov Orchestra is one of the oldest in Russia – last year it celebrated its 105th anniversary. Its history began in 1919, when balalaika players Boris Troyanovsky and the Alekseyev brothers started to form a musical group at the Red Army Heavy Artillery Club to boost the morale of the soldiers.
The Ossipov Orchestra is of great importance to Russian musical culture. The distinctive and pure sound, special culture of playing folk instruments, and high artistic level rank the orchestra the unique phenomena of Russian art. The repertoire features original orchestral works for Russian folk instruments and arrangements of classical symphonic music. The orchestra has released about 70 records and over 30 compact discs. It has toured worldwide, however this will be its first appearance in the Sultanate of Oman. The program, prepared especially for the residents of the Kingdom, will feature variations and fantasies on themes of Russian folk songs, works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Alexander Alyabyev, and the famous Kamarinskaya.
A surprise for the audience will be a joint performance of the composition “Since the Creation of the World, We Are the People of Bahrain,” with lyrics by Sheikh Isa bin Rashid and music by Ahmed Al-Jumairi, by the Ossipov Orchestra and Bahraini musicians.
On 15 November, at the Cultural Hall, musicians from the Ossipov Orchestra will conduct a master class and share the secrets of their artistry with children studying music.
