new, 239 season : .youtube.com/watch?v=7H2T33xEEBk&list=UUUimBc08CcsoCvP_WlYJl0Q&inde x=2 \ The first premiere of the season - the opera "The Maid of Orleans", conducted by Tugan Sokhiev - will be presented at the Bolshoi Theatre on September 26 and 28. Photo: Damir Yusupov Newsletter

September, 25 2014 Ossetia mass media: T ugan SOKHIEV is preparing for his creative debut at the Bolshoi Theatre The opera "The Maid of Orleans" by P. T chaikovsky will become the first premiere of

the Bolshoi Theatre's new season. The production will mark the 175 anniversary of the great Russian composer. This premiere will also become the debut of Tugan SOKHIEV, the music director and chief conductor of Russia's main theatre and a People's Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania. The choice of this opera, which is not performed at the opera theatres around the world very often, is quite logical, given the classical preferences of the talented conductor. "The Maid of Orleans" will be born again at the Bolshoi: the opera was first

staged here in 1990. Back then it marked the 150 anniversary of Tchaikovsky. Nowadays, almost 25 years later, the audience will be presented with a new interpretation of the same opera. It looks like the production will be very interesting to watch. It has a lot to do with the fact that according to numerous historical evidence the composer was fully absorbed by the work on "The Maid of Orleans" that started in 1878; he lived through the heroine's incredible destiny again and again and trembled at the grandeur of his own idea. As a result, we have the "grand opera" that features great choir scenes, ballet, impressive ensembles, lyrical duets and such grandiose "details", as battles and festive processions. "The Maid of Orleans" will premiere on the Bolshoi Theatre's Historic Stage on September 26 and 28. The Bolshoi Theatre General Director Vladimir Urin was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 May 1802 As ITAR-T ASS was informed by the Bolshoi Theatre's spokeswoman Katerina Novikova, the Bolshoi's General Director Vladimir Urin was awarded the rank of an Of ficer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. She also quoted the letter of Jean-Maurice Ripert, the French Ambassador to Russia, addressed to Vladimir Urin: ""Mr. Director, it is my greatest pleasure to inform you that you have been awarded the rank of an Of ficer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour by the decree of the President". The Ambassador also sent his most sincere congratulations to Mr. Urin: "I am very happy with the fact that your paramount contribution to strengthening the cooperation and cultural exchange between our two countries has been recognized and marked with this prestigious award. I assure you of my highest esteem". The National Order of the Legion of Honor (on the model of the knightly order) was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 May 1802. The Order is the highest decoration in France. Since the establishment of the Legion, the Grand Master of the Order has always been the Sovereign or the President of France. There are five classes in the Legion of Honour: Chevalier (Knight), Of ficier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross). More than 150 Russian cultural workers, people of art and scientists have been awarded the Legion of Honour. The 20 anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Russia and Liechtenstein, was marked by the concert of the Bolshoi Opera stars The concert "The New Stars of the Bolshoi Opera" took place in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, on September 22 and marked the 20 anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Russia and the Principality. The performance of the young singers marked the start of the first festival of Russian culture in Liechtenstein, organized by the charity foundation "Peace and Harmony". In neighboring Switzerland this festival was organized for the third year in a row; however, this has been the first time that such cultural event has been organized in the tiny state, situated in the centre of Europe. The Bolshoi Theatre's artists performed arias from world-famous operas. The audience of one of the main concert halls of Vaduz heard pieces by G. Verdi, M. Mussorgsky, P. T chaikovsky, Ernesto De Curtis, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and other composers. Alexander Golovin, the Russian Ambassador to Bern, said: "Over these 20 years, the Russia- Liechtenstein cooperation became progressive and dynamic; the relations between these two countries have been developing rapidly in political, trade and economic, financial and cultural spheres". Elmira Scherbakova, the head of the festival's organizing committee, mentioned in her conversation with the ITAR-T ASS journalist: "This is the first festival of Russian culture in Liechtenstein. Of course, there have always been some local and commercial events; however, projects of such level have never been carried out here before. I would say, our first attempt has been a good one". The festival will continue in October; there will be the exhibition of archive documents and other materials, telling about the activities of Prince Franz de Paula of Liechtenstein as the Ambassador of Austro-Hungary to Saint Petersburg in 1894- 1898, and the presentation of the Russian edition of the book about the Prince's life. In November the philatelic exhibition "Sport and Olympic Movement", based on the

private collection of Anatoly Karpov, the 12 world champion in chess, will be organized at the Postal Museum in Liechtenstein. /…/ The young singers of the Bolshoi Theatre will also perform at the celebration of

the 200 anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Russia and Switzerland. They will perform at the third festival "Russian Cultural Seasons" that will take place in the city of Zug, situated in central Switzerland. Newsletter

September, 25 2014 , 7 Bolshoi Theatre in the Internet Become the star of the World Ballet Day! The unique project World Ballet Day Live is just around the corner! It will take place on

October 1. On this day you will have a unique chance to take a look behind the scenes of the Bolshoi Theatre and four other greatest ballet companies of the world on-line. But the most interesting part about this event is that you will also be able to participate in it! In order to become a part of the world-wide project, you need to make a video of yourself performing a pirouette. Do not worry, you do not have to have a ballet school diploma in order to do this. Soloists of five leading ballet companies of the world will tell you how to do it, as they share with you some secrets at .youtube.com/watch?v=QXa3ZrHegP A Upload your video on YouT ube, Facebook or any other social network and do not forget to add hashtag #W orldBalletDay. W e will share your best pirouettes with the

world during the live broadcast on October 1! .youtube.com/watch?v=QXa3ZrHegP A

For articles published 23 September 2014 The Star (South Africa) features a video of Nina Kaptsova of the Bolshoi Ballet performing as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker in an article about the Joburg Ballet who is rehearsing for a version of The Nutcracker that sets the famous ballet in the Kalahari desert among ancient Bushmen paintings. Cote d'Azur a local French publication announces the festival of Russian cinema that will feature films from the archives of the Bolshoi Theatre among the films in its programme. The Financial Times reports about the Director of the Paris Opera Ballet Brigitte Lefèvre's farewell highlighting the company's strengths and weaknesses Y ahoo News reports about Kim Joo Ri who graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet School and later became Miss Korea and a TV personality after an injury prevented her from becoming a ballerina. Elaine Page the musical theatre star who is on her farewell tour has performed on the stage of the Bolshoi theatre among the many famous stages in the world where she has appeared according to an article in the Star Observer.