Dutch National Ballet has announced that Russian prima ballerina Olga Smirnova has decided to join the company where she will start immediately and be welcomed with open arms.
One of the leading stars of the Bolshoi Ballet, Smirnova was outspoken in her recent denouncement of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is making it untenable for her to work in her native country. What’s more, Russia’s ties with the artistic community – which are so essential to the ballet world – have been substantially cut due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Smirnova’s decision to make the move to the Netherlands has to do with several factors:
- Dutch National Ballet has long been on her wish list, the company is internationally renowned, and it has a rich and varied repertoire that includes both classical and contemporary dance.
- She is also a huge fan of Dutch National Ballet’s resident choreographer Hans van Manen.
- She greatly admires ballet master Larissa Lezhnina, who has the same Russian background and training as Smirnova.
Olga Smirnova premieres in the title rolw in the ballet classic Raymonda, which will premiere on April 3 at Dutch National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam
Earlier this month on Telegram, the ballerina expressed:
“I have to be honest and say that I am against war with all the fibers of my soul. It is not only about every other Russian perhaps having relatives or friends living in Ukraine, or about my grandfather being Ukrainian and me being quarter Ukrainian. It is that we continue to live as if this were the 20th century, even though we have formally moved to the 21st century. In a modern and enlightened world, I expect civilized societies to resolve political matters only through peaceful negotiations.
I never thought I would be ashamed of Russia, I have always been proud of talented Russian people, of our cultural and athletic achievements. But now I feel that a line has been drawn that separates the before and the after.
It hurts that people are dying, that people are losing the roofs over their heads or are forced to abandon their homes.
And who would have thought a few weeks ago that all of this would happen? We may not be at the epicentre of the military conflict, but we cannot remain indifferent to this global catastrophe.”
Joining Smirnova in her debut with Dutch National Ballet in Raymonda is Brazilian Victor Caixeta, the 22-year-old rising star and soloist of Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg.
“The current circumstances have meant I’ve had to make the hard decision of leaving Russia – the place I’ve called home for almost 5 years, as well as the theatre that has given me such an amazing start to my professional career. I look forward to joining Dutch National Ballet and to continue developing as an artist and a person.”
Featured Photo of Olga Smirnova provided by Dutch National Ballet.
