By Kaija Pepper When Marius Petipa landed in St. Petersburg in 1847 at age 29, he lied about his age, knocking off four years. Despite an unremarkable career in Europe, he had snagged a one-year contract as a dancer with the Russian Imperial Ballet — where he ended up working for over 50 years. The
by Laura Cappelle There is a special joy in seeing an upstart company or festival fulfill its promise, and St. Petersburg’s Dance Open has done just that. Last spring, it celebrated its 15th anniversary, rebounding from budget cuts to present a satisfyingly full program, geared toward recent creations. The Vienna Ballet returned, while Dresden’s Semperoper
by Maggie Foyer Dresden, on the eastern border of Germany, has been called Venice on the Elbe. It’s well-deserving of the title as it boasts a distinguished cultural history. Caspar David Friedrich was one of the many painters who made their career there and the city abounds in fine art. Dresden was also a champion