This is the first time A Russian Triple Billing has been brought to Australia, but it’s not the first time prima ballerina Lina Seveliova’s has visited Launceston. In fact, the dancer said the kindness of one local in particular will always stick in her memory. 

“Once, after the show, one lady brought some flowers from her garden and delivered them to my room,” she said. 

“I’ve been [to Launceston] a couple of times and I really enjoyed the nature. It’s really similar to European nature, with the ocean and the mountains.”

The life of a ballerina is notoriously tough, and the Russian Imperial Ballet is no exception. Seveliova has been practicing her craft for eight hours a day for 18 years, after entering a professional ballet school at the age of 10.  

She said that she knew all the hard work was worth it whenever she stepped on a stage. 

“The first and main reason, despite how hard it is, is the energy exchange with the audience, the love of the audience, the applause and the flowers,” she said.

“I can’t really describe how I feel being on the stage when people are looking at me and enjoying the performance, and when they love the work.

“Once I performed in front of 7000 people, which was absolutely indescribable.”

This work will bring together three classic dances. The first is the joyous third act of Sleeping Beauty, named Princess Aurora’s Wedding. The second billing will be the entirety of Les Sylphides, about a young man who while walking at night encounters a group of sylphs or magical women. Lastly the Imperial Ballet will present a showcase of passion and tragedy with Carmen, a balletic version of the classic opera.

Seveliova said the mix of styles would be satisfying for long-time lovers of ballet, but particularly good as an introduction to the form. 

“All three pieces are really different, and they really look good together,” she said. 

“If someone has never seen ballet before they can see all the varieties.

“It’s going to be really complicated for the principal dancers to move from one piece to another because the characters are so different, so it’s going to be challenging but it’s more exciting because of that.”

The Russian Imperial Ballet was formed in 1994 by a soloist from the Bolshoi Ballet, and is now a cast of 40 elite dancers. Their stage repertoire is based on the combination of classical masterpieces and modern choreographic pieces.

A Russian Triple Billing will be performed at the Princess Theatre on Wednesday, September 26. Call 6323 3666 for bookings. Seveliova will be performing as solo dancer in Sleeping Beauty and Les Sylphides, with the possibility of also performing as a soloist in Carmen.