The article presents a gallery of Italian dancers who toured inSt. Petersburgin the second half of the 19th century — from C. Grisi and F. Cerrito to P. Legnani and other Italians who came after her but failed to attract the attention of the public and ballet fans. The author characterizes the appearance and professionalism of Italian ballerinas using memoirs and archival materials. 

The article is devoted to the ballet The Nutcracker by P. I. Tchaikovsky staged by Y. Grigorovich (1966) and M. Bejart (1998) – the representatives of postclassicism and postmodernism in the choreographic art of the 20th century. The author sets a task to define the principles of development of musical and choreographic dramaturgy of ballets of Y. Grigorovich and M. Bejart and the artistic value of each of these performances. The basis for the analysis of the ballets created by Y. Grigorovich and M. Bejart were the videos of these performances. The author comes to the conclusion that Y. Grigorovich and M. Bejart — representatives of different directions in the choreographic art of the 20th century – managed to create performances of high artistic level. These ballets have marked some summits in the way of the realization of the music of P. I. Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker. One of the ways – the development of the tradition of classical ballet (performance Y. Grigorovich), the other one is a liberal interpretation of the music of the author, without reliance on the tradition of classical ballet, but with consideration of the highest achievements of classical dance technique (ballet M. Bejart). 

Jules-Henri Vernois de Saint-Georges (1799–1875) is a French playwright and director of the Opera-Comic Theater inParis. He is also known as the composer of opera and ballet libretto. From his pen came the programs of such illustrious romantic ballets: «The Devil in Love» , «Giselle» , «Corsair». It was with him that Marius Petipa collaborated to compose the libretto for his first monumental ballet inRussia— «The Pharaoh’s Daughter» , which immortalized the name of the choreographer. Did the eminent choreographer strive to emphasize the French aesthetics of his productions, turning to a famous playwright for writing scripts? The article proposes to consider the stages of cooperation between Petipa and Saint-Georges through the prism of composing ballet scripts and staging ballet performances inRussia. 

The article presents the results of a biographical study of the life of an American avant-garde artist R. Rauschenberg, who from the late 1950s to 2007 participated in the implementation of postmodern projects by choreographer M. Cunningham and composer J. Cage. The mindsets of J. Cage and M. Cunningham regarding postmodern dance are examined, the rules and principles of creative activity observed in the dance company of M. Cunningham are revealed. The degree of influence of the personality and talent of M. Cunningham on the personality and talent of R. Rauschenberg and vice versa is analyzed. A brief description of the programs of some of the most significant joint choreographic productions of Cunningham, developed and implemented in collaboration with the artist R. Rauschenberg and composer J. Cage, is given. The conclusion is drawn about the independent significance and value of Rauschenberg’s experimental artistic activity for the theory and practice of postmodernism. 

This article is dedicated to the creative life of Cuban dancer and ballet teacher Lazaro Carreño, holder of the title «Maestro» , and the highest award for artists inCubathe medal for «National Merit in the Field of Culture» . A brilliant performer, recognized by many international ballet competitions, ballet teacher and classic dance duets (pas de deux), his legacy includes the development of soloists such as Jose Manuel Carreño (American Ballet Theatre), Carlos Acosta (The Royal Ballet) and many international figures. The author traces his career from the beginning at the National Arts School of Cuba and the Leningrad Academic Choreographic School A.Ya. Vaganova becoming a pillar of excellence for the Cuban National Ballet and a guest star with many companies all over, influencing his pedagogical career through the Old and New Worlds. 

The article is dedicated to the creative heritage of Marius Petipa, reflected in the collection of notations of Nikolai Sergeyev atHarvardUniversity. Was given an interpretation of documents as sources of modern reconstructions of M. Petipa’s ballets. Analyzed the myths which were accompanying the stage and compositional practices of M. Petipa. And was raised the question: the notations of Petipa’s ballets — an unshakable truth or an occasion for creativity? 

The article describes a short dance film created by Jiří Kylián. The films were either created in collaboration with a film director, and in such films Kilian was the director of the choreographic material, created specifically for the screen work, or there were the films, where Kylian was the only creator, combining film direction and choreography in his work. Exploring Jiří Kylián’s creative path, this article describes the features of film production, where the main narrator is a non-verbal component, i.e. dance.

The author analyzes the current state of choreographic education inRussia, identifies significant, in her opinion, problems, all that then interferes with the stage, in the years of stage activity, to achieve maximum results in performing arts. It is told about a new stage in the existence of the Vaganovsky choreographic school, and it acquired the status of a higher educational institution. Comparison with the previous stage reveals a fundamental difference in approaches to the educational process. Specific differences and omissions are also mentioned.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the unique from the point of view of refraction of the opera genre of the project of the opera-seria Sverlyans created by six contemporary composers. The five-part work is considered in the context of the development of the genre of «sound drama» detached by Prometheus by Luigi Nono and very relevant for the New Media era. The conclusion from the study is that each of the composers involved in this project opens up new paths for a renewed perception of the listener. 

The article presents a review of the evolvement of acoustic space of Opera Houses. It examines the features of designing sound spaces from their origin in the ancient period to the present. The article provides constructive changes in the form of halls in connection with the appearance of the Opera genre. It provides examples of the individual aspects and common features for Opera Houses of different countries such as «Teatro alla Scala» (Italy), «Opera de Paris» (France), «Bayreuth Festspielhaus» (Germany). It investigates modern design trends. 

Silence, sounding effects in the space, new timbre paints of instruments and techniques of the playing... Most American composers did not pass these characteristic phenomena of avant-garde music of the 20th century, but each of them found its own solution to the problem of new musical material, new instrumentation and new means of expressiveness, corresponding to the vanguard period.

Cage used in his compositions predominantly exotic, prepared instruments or environmental subjects which could produce musical sounds, according to Cage. «All that sounds around is music», he wrote. Cage’s approaches to the instruments aim achieving an «objective» sounding, not connected with something «too human» but providing achieving Buddhist «not acting», Nothing, Satori. Means of instrumental expression, like music in general, were used to realize the composer’s musical and aesthetical concept, based on religious and philosophical ideas of various kinds.