Rudolf Nureyev is regarded as the greatest dancer of his generation – and perhaps of all time. 2008 marks the 70th anniversary of this legendary dancer and ballet master’s birth.

Stars of the Ballet Moscow under the direction of Yuri Vetrov, a former director of the Bolshoi Ballet, pays tribute to Nureyev in a gala concert tour presented in South Africa by Edouard Miasnikov.

World-renowned soloists and laureate award-winners from ballet companies such as Moscow State Classical Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Russian National Ballet, Kremlin Ballet, Crown of the Russian Ballet and the Metropolitan Classical Ballet (USA) will participate in this production.

Act 1 of the programme includes a documentary film made of the life of Rudolf Nureyev, together with scenes from La Bayadere, Don Quixote (Ludwig Minkus), Les Sylphides (Frederic Chopin), The Dying Swan (Camille Saint-Saëns) performed by artists of Stars of the Ballet Moscow.

Act 2 will be the ballet Raymonda by Alexander Glazunov, featuring prima ballerina Marina Rzhannikova from the Moscow State Classical Ballet, She was won the 7th International Ballet Competition in Moscow which takes place under the auspices of the Bolshoi Ballet master Yuri Grigorovich. Lovers of classical music and ballet are invited to join this memorable and unique celebration of Rudolf Nureyev’s 70th anniversary.

The Stars of the Ballet Moscow kick off their South African tour in Durban on May 17 in the Playhouse Opera with performances at 15h00 and 19h00. Tickets range from R125 to R225 and booking is at Computicket.