Svetlana Zakharova

Biography

Born in Lutsk, in the Ukraine. In 1989, she entered Kiev Choreographic School. In Kiev, she trained with Valery Sulegina. Having finished six years at the Kiev School, Zakharova took part in a young dancers’ competition Vaganova-Prix in St. Petersburg. Her phenomenal physique (extraordinary flexibility, big step, stability, stable rotation) were noted at once. She won second prize and received an invitation to join the graduating course at Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. In 1996, Zakharova graduated from the Vaganova Academy, ennobling the first graduation by  Elena Evteyeva, former distinguished ballerina of the Mariynsky Theatre. That same year she was accepted in the theatre’s company and in the following season was promoted to principal dancer. Famous ballerina and teacher Olga Moiseeva became her permanent teacher and mentor.

Throughout her time at the Mariynsky Theatre, Zakharova gained a vast repertoire:
Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux
The Dying Swan
Maria (The Fountain of Bakhchisarai. Music by Boris Astafiev. Choreography by Rostislav Zakharov)
Masha (The Nutcracker. Choreography by Vassili Vainonen)
Medora (Le Corsaire. Choreography by Pyotr Gusev after Marius Petipa)
Giselle
Bride (Les Noces. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Alexei Miroshnichenko production)
Queen of the Dryads (Don Quixote)
7^th Waltz and Mazur (Chopiniana)
Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty. Choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Konstantin Sergeyev. Revival of Petipa’s production by Sergei Vikharev)
Terpsichore (Apollo)
Serenade (Choreography by Georges Balanchine)
Odette-Odile (Konstantin Sergeyev version)
Soloist (Poem of Ecstasy to music by Alexander Scriabin. Alexei Ratmansky production)
Soloist Part 1 (Symphony in C)
Nikia (La Bayadere. Choreography by Marius Petipa, revised version by Vladimir Ponomarev, Vakhtang Chabukiani. Revival of Petipa’s production by Sergei Vikharev)
Soloist in Diamonds (Jewels)
Manon (Manon)
Soloist (Now and Then to music to Mariu§гe Ravel. John Neumeier production)
Young Lady (The Young Lady and The Hooligan to music by Dmitry Shostakovich. Choreography by Konstantin Boyarsky)
Zobeide (Scheherazade), Juliet (Romeo and Juliet. Choreography by Ltonid Lavrovsky)
Grand Pas (Paquita)
Middle Duet (to music by Yuri Khanon. Alexei Ratmansky production)
Etudes (Lander)

One of her permanent partners was Igor Zelensky — the principal of the Mariynsky Theatre and an international star.

In 2001-2003 Svetlana Zakharova was a permanent participant to the International Ballet Festival „Mariynsky”, which rewarded her with the partnership of such international stars as Jose Manoel Carreno, Ethan Stiefel and Vladimir Malakhov. She took part in the most prominent tours with the Mariynsky Theatre. On numerous occasions, she danced on the stages of The Bolshoi Theatre (exchange tours), Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera , the Kennedy Center in Washington (2002), Theatre du Chatelet (2002) in Paris and the opera theatre in Graz (Austria).

Svetlana Zakharova’s international career began in 1999-2000. She performed the role of Medora in Le Corsaire in 1999 at Teatro Colon, staged by Makhar Vaziev. In 2000, she danced in The Nutcracker staged by Balanchine with the New-York City Ballet. In 2001, she performed in L’Histoire de Manon with the Bayerisches Staatsballett Ballet Company (on both occasions she was partnered by Igor Zelensky). In 2002, Zakharova (partnered by Carreno) performed in a gala concert of international ballet stars that took place at Palace des Arts in Montreal. She also participated in a gala dedicated to Rudolf Nureyev at Teatro alla Scala (partnered by Nikolai Tsiskaridze).

As a guest star, Svetlana Zakharova successfully mastered new variations of well known classical ballets. She danced four versions of Swan Lake — by Natalia Makarova in Rio de Janeiro (2001), by Rudolf Nureyev at Opera de Paris (2002), by Derek Deane with the English National Ballet at the Royal Albert Hall in London (2002, partner — Sergei Filin), and by Galina Samsova at the Rome Opera (2003). In 2002, she danced the title role in The Sleeping Beauty (version by Paul Chalmer) at the Rome Opera, and Nikia in La Bayadere staged by Nureyev at Opera de Paris. In 2003, she performed in La Bayadere (choreography by Asami) with the New National Theatre Ballet in Tokyo, with which, the year prior, she danced Odette-Odile in Swan Lake staged by Konstantin Sergeyev. In 2004, Zakharova was a guest star with Teatro San Carlo in Naples, where she had a debut in La Bayadere (production by Derek Deane).

During the 2003-2004 season, Svetlana Zakharova joined the company of the Bolshoi Theatre, where she was trained by distinguished ballerina Lyudmila Semenyaka, who represents the Petersburg ballet school. Her first performance there was Giselle by Vladimir Vasiliev (before her move to Moscow, she danced this ballet three times in the Bolshoi Theatre). In 2003, the French Bel Air Company filmed Cesare Pugni’s La Fille du Pharaon in the Bolshoi Theatre (production by Pierre Lacotte after Marius Petipa) for the ballet’s subsequent release on DVD. This was Svetlana Zakharova’s first performance as Aspicia.

Repertoire

FOR THE BOLSHOI THEATRE

2003
Title role (Giselle. V. Vasiliev production, then Y. Grigorovich production)
Aspicia (La Fille du Pharaon )
Odette-Odile (Y. Grigorovich production)

2004
Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty. Y. Grigorovich production)
soloist Part 2 (Symphony in C)
Nikia (La Bayadere. Y. Grigorovich production)
Kitri (Don Quixote. A. Fadeyechev production)
Hyppolita/Titania (A Midnight’s Summer Dream. J. Neumeier production) — creation at Bolshoi Theatre

2005
Title part (Raymonda. Y. Grigorovich production)
Carmen (Carmen Suite. A. Alonso production)

2006
title part (Cinderella. Y. Possokhov and Y. Borisov creation)

2007
Serenade (choreography by G. Balanchine) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
Medora (Le Corsaire. Production and new choreography by A. Ratmansky and Y. Burlaka after Marius Petipa) — creation
Class Concert (to music by different composers; choreography by A.Messerer)

2008
Aegina (Spartacus.Y. Grigorovich production)
Couple in Yellow (Russian Seasons. Music by L. Desyatnikov, choreography by A. Ratmansky) — was among the creators of this ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre
Paquita (Paquita. Staging and new choreographic version by Y. Burlaka)

2009
Svetlana (E. Palmieri’s Zakharova Super Game. Choreography by F. Ventriglia) — creation

2010
Death (Le Jeune Homme et la Mort to music by J. S. Bach, choreography by R. Petit) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre

2013
The leading part in Diamonds (Part III of Jewels, choreography by G. Balanchine)

2014
Marguerite Gautier (Lady of the Camellias to music by F. Chopin, choreography by J. Neumeier)
— creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
Mekhmene Banu (A Legend of Love by A. Melikov, choreography by Y. Grigorovich)

2015
Mary (A Hero of Our Time by I. Demutsky, Princess Mary part, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director K. Serebrennikov) — creation

2017
Anastasia (Ivan the Terrible to music by Sergei Prokofiev, choreography by Y. Grigorovich)
The Diva (Nureyev by I. Demutsky, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director K. Serebrennikov) – creation

2018
Title role (Anna Karenina to music by P. Tchaikovsky, A. Shnitke, Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam, choreography by J. Neumeier) – creation at the Bolshoi Theatre

Tours

In March 2004, she danced the title role in Giselle for the Opera National de Paris. The part of Albrecht was danced by Laurent Hilaire.
In April 2004, she made her Teatro di San Carlo (Naples) debut in the role of Nikia in La Bayadere (Derek Deane’s production). The role of Solor was danced by Roberto Bolle.
In May 2004, she appeared in La Bayadere (Natalia Makarova version) with ABT at Metropolitan Opera. Her partner was Jose Manuel Carreno.
In 2004, she danced the role of Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty (Konstantin Sergeyev version) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Her partner was Andrei Uvarov.
In November 2004, she danced Odette-Odile in Swan Lake (Vladimir Bourmeister version) at La Scala (partner — Roberto Bolle) and the title role in Raymonda at Tokyo’s New National Theatre (Asami Maki version, partner — Andrei Uvarov).
In December 2004, she danced Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty (Rudolph Nureyev version) at the Paris Opera. Partner — Jose Martinez.
In January 2005, she appeared as Nikia (La Bayadere — Natalia Makarova version) in Hamburg, with John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet. Partner — Irzhi Bubenichek.
In April 2005, she danced the title role in Giselle at La Scala. Partner — Massimo Murru.
In June 2005, she danced Kitri in Don Quixote (Alexei Fadeyechev version) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Partner — Andrei Uvarov.
In August 2005, also at this Theatre, she appeared in the ballet Le Jeune homme et la mort to music by Johann-Sebastian Bach (choreography Roland Petit). Partner — Igor Zelensky.
In December 2005, she danced Odette-Odile in Swan Lake (Rudolph Nureyev version) at the Paris Opera. Her partner at the first performance was Jean-Guillaume Bart, at the second — Nicolas Le Riche.
In January 2006, she danced Odette-Odile (Konstantin Sergeyev version) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo (partner — Andrei Uvarov) and took part in Maya Plisetskaya jubilee festival, Coliseum, London.
February 2016 — Maya Plisetskaya jubilee festival at Espase Pierre Cardin Theatre, Paris.
March 2006 — Zobeide in Shéhérazade (Mariinsky Theatre, within the framework of Farukh Ruzimatov benefit performance).
May 2006 — Nikia in La Bayadere in N. Makarova’s version (Teatro alla Scala).
October 2006 — Shéhérazade in Raymonda in Tokyo. November — Swan Lake in the same place.
October 2006 — Svetlana Zakharova’s Gala in Parma (Teatro Regio di Parma) within the framework of ParmaDanza Festival. The program included divertissement and Carmen Suite.
November 2006 — Odette/Odile in Swan Lake at the Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Baku).
May 2007 — Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty in R. Nureyev’s version (La Scala, Denis Matvienko as Prince Desire).
June 2007 — Kitri in A. Fadeyechev’s Don Quixote (the New National Theatre, Tokyo, Andrei Uvarov as Basilio).
September 2007 — Don Quixote at the Teatro alla Scala (R. Nureyev’s version).
November 2007 — Lady of the Camellias to music by H. Berlioz (choreography by Asami Maki) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.
December 2007; April 2008 — Swan Lake at the Teatro alla Scala.
May 2008 — La Bayadere at the New National Theatre, Tokyo; Don Quixote at the Saratov Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre (choreography by M. Petipa in A. Dementiev version).
June 2008 г. — Swan Lake at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.
July 2008 — Giselle within the framework of Ravenna Fesrival (Italy) with the Latvian National Opera Ballet Company (A. Leimanis’ version, Andrei Uvarov as Count Albrecht).
October 2008 — Don Quixote within the framework of World Ballet Stars Festival in Donetsk (Ukraine).
February 2009 — Raymonda at the New National Theatre, Tokyo; Romeo and Juliet at the Mariinsky Theatre (choreography by L. Lavrovsky).
May 2009 — Swan Lake at the New National Theatre, Tokyo; Giselle at the Mariinsky Theatre.
June-July 2009 — premiere of Pink Floyd ballet at the Teatro alla Scala(choreography by R. Petit).
September 2009 — Lady of the Camellias (choreography by Asami Maki) with the New National Theatre Ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre.
October 2009 — Don Quixote at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.
November 2009 — Giselle at the Teatro alla Scala; November-December 2009 — Swan Lake at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
January 2010 — Swan Lake at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.
April 2010 — Swan Lake within the framework of the X Mariinsky International Ballet Festival.
June-July 2010 — Lady of the Camellias (choreography by Asami Maki) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.
June 2011 — Carmen Suite at the Mariinsky Theatre.
October 2011 — La Bayadere with the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet Company (choreography by M. Petipa, R. Avnikyan’s production, Alexander Volchkov as Solor).
December 2011 — The Sleeping Beauty with the Mikhailovsky Theatre Ballet Company (choreography by N. Duato).
February 2012 — Giselle at the Teatro alla Scala.
March 2012 — Gala in honor of Anna Pavlova, Coliseum, London; La Bayadere at the Mariinsky Theatre.
April 2012 — La Bayadere at the Opera National de Paris Ballet Company.
May 2012 — Marquerite et Armand (choreography by F. Ashton) & Concerto DSCH (choreography by A. Ratmansky) at the Teatro alla Scala.
June 2012 — Giselle at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (P. Bart’s production, Friedemann Vogel as Count Albracht).
August 2012 — took part in the International Ballet Festival in Tokyo.
September-October 2012 — took part in the Stars of the 21st Century Ballet Galas at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Paris) and at the Lincoln Centre (New York).
October 2012 — La Bayadere at the Bavarian State Opera (P. Bart’s production, Marlon Dino as Solor).
November 2012 — La Bayadere with the Berlin State Ballet (V. Malakhov’s version, Dmitri Semionov as Prince Siegfried); Giselle at the Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet House, Ruslan Skvortsov as Count Albrecht).
December 2012 — Giselle at the Sava Centar (Belgrade, Serbia).
February 2013 г. — Giselle at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Friedemann Vogel as Count Albrecht); Swan Lake with the Berlin State Ballet (P. Bart’s production, Mikhail Kaniskin as Prince Siegfried).
March 2013 — Giselle (XIII Mariinsky International Ballet Festival, Vladislav Lantratov as Count Albrecht); Don Quixote at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples (A. Fadeyechev’s version, Mikhail Lobukhin as Basilio).
April 2013 — Giselle at the Teatro alla Scala (Roberto Bolle as Count Albrecht).
May 2013 — Giselle at the National Theatre, Prague (Friedemann Vogel as Count Albrecht).
November 2013 — Manon at the Teatro alla Scala (Roberto Bolle as de Grieux); Giselle at the National Opera of Ukraine (Sergei Polunin as Count Albrecht); — La Bayadere at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre (N. Makarova’s version, Sergei Polunin as Solor).
December 2013 — A. Ratmansky’s choreography evening at the Teatro alla Scala (Russian Seasins, opposite Andrei Merkuriev; Concerto DSCH).
December 2013-January 2014 — The Sleeping Beauty at the Opera National de Paris (R. Nureyev’s version, David Hallberg as Prince Desire).
February 2014 — the title part in Natasha Rostova’s first ball within the framework of Sochi Olympic Opening Ceremony (choreography be R. Poklitaru, Danila Korsuntsev as Andrei Bolkonsky, Vladimir Vasiliev as Ilya Adreyevich Rostov); Giselle on the Teatro alla Scala tour to Hong Kong, David Hallberg as Count Albrecht).
September-October 2015 — The Sleeping Beauty at the Teatro alla Scala.
October 2015 — Carmen Suite at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples (Denis Rodkin as Jose); La Bayadere at the Sava Centar (Belgrade); The Dying Swan at the Teatro alla Scala (Gala Expo).
November 2015 — Manon at the Teatro alla Scala.
December 2015 — Giselle (Megaron, Athens).
January 2016 — La Bayadere with the Finnish National Ballet (Helsinki, N. Makarova's version, Michal Krcmar as Solor).
May-June-July 2016 — Amore project (Modena, Parma, the Bolshoi Theatre, Ravenna, Genova, Monte-Carlo).
July 2016 — Carmen Suite (Politeama, Naples, Denis Rodkin as Jose).
September 2016 — Giselle with the Bavarian State Ballet (Munich, P. Wright’s version, Vladimir Shklyarov as Count Albrecht).
October 2016 — Giselle with the Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company (Roberto Bolle as Count Albrecht).
May 2017 г. — Handel Project at the Teatro alla Scala, world premiere (choreography by M. Bigonzetti).
July 2017 — Giselle with Teatro Massimo Ballet/ Palermo, Teatro di Verdura stage (choreography by R. Nuñez, staged by P. Manieri; Denis Rodkin as Count Albrecht).
August 2017 — Amore project (Limassol/ Cyprus, Bodrum/ Mugla, Turkey).
September 2017 — Amore project (Tokyo).
October 2017 — Giselle with the Sofia National Ballet, The National Palace of Culture stage (Denis Rodkin as Count Albrecht);
Amore project (Athens, Megaron stage).
November 2017 — Amore project (London, Coliseum stage).
December 2017, January 2018 – La dame aux camellias (choreography by J. Neumeier) with La Scala Ballet Company (Roberto Bolle as Count Armand Duval).
April 2018 — Amore project (Finland, Helsinki Music House).
May 2018 — Amore project (Bulgaria, Sofia, The National Palace of Culture).
August 2018 — Amore project (Perelada/ Spain).
November 2018 – La Bayadere with Korean Universal Ballet Company at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Korea (Denis Rodkin as Solor);
Amore project (Beijing).
December 2018 – La Bayadere with Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company (Jacopo Tissi as Solor).
January 2019 — Amore project (Prague, Congress Centre).December 2018 – La Bayadere with Msariinsky Theatre Ballet Company (Jacopo Tissi as Solor).
June 2019 – premiere of MODANSE project, which included two ballets – Come un respire to music by G. F. Händel (choreography by M. Bigonzetti, new version premiere) and Y. Demutsky’s Gabrielle Chanel (choreography by Y. Possokhov, world premiere).

Svetlana Zakharova and the Friends Galas are regularly hold in Italy, Greece, Serbia. With Vadim Repin, the world famous violinist, she performs Pas de deux on fingers and for fingers program in Russian cities and abroad.