1961 – Vladimir Bourmeister creates The Snow Maiden for London Festival Ballet

The Snow Maiden was the first Anglo-Soviet collaboration in ballet, Vladimir Bourmeister being the first Soviet choreographer to work with any Western company. It was later staged by the choreographer’s home company, Moscow’s Stanislavsky Ballet. Danced to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and designed by Pimini and Epishin, the leading role was danced by Belinda Wright.

The Snow Maiden was followed later that 1961 season by a staging of his 1953 version of Swan Lake, originally made for the Stanislavsky company. It featured Irina Borowska as Odette-Odile and Oleg Briansky as Siegfried.