February 2026 brought with it a flurry of new productions in both opera (Idomeneo, Boris Gudonov) and ballet (Khorovody to music by Rodion Schedrin, choreographed by Slava Samodurov), but one event in particular created a fury among balletomanes and Mariinsky followers worldwide.
In honor of what would have been the late Vladimir Shklyarov’s birthday on February 9th, the Mariinsky held a performance of “Don Quixote” dedicated to him, featuring his long-time partner, prima ballerina Viktoria Tereshkina. The cast also included a debut by new second soloist Alexey Orokhovsky who hails from the USA, graduated from the John Cranko School last year, and holds a series of awards from various international ballet competitions.
This move was considered controversial for several reasons: placing a relative newcomer in an evening dedicated to a world ballet star, placing him alongside a tenured and beloved prima ballerina, and doing so on the historical stage, are all points that ballet circles discussed locally in the days prior to the performance.
As it turned out, the decision proved to be the right one: an evening filled with off-the-charts electricity and energy, not just from the performers but from the audience, honored the memory of Vladimir Shklyarov in one of his signature roles. Prima ballerina Viktoria Tereshkina brought palpable flirtation and an extra expressive sultry nature to her role as Kitri, supporting her onstage counterpart with verve and spice.
Alexei Orokhovsky, tasked with one of the most virtuoso roles in the classical repertoire, did not disappoint. Blessed with an effortless jump that achieves great height seemingly with no preparation, he performs the most technical combinations with great ease. To her credit of course, Tereshkina is one of a handful of great ballerinas who can “partner herself”, and here the overhead lifts and duet work went smoothly thanks to a well-matched pair. As for the Basilio of the evening, yes, there are areas to work on –port de bras, the mis-en-scenes and some of the pantomime– but those come with time, and with age. He is so young! And this evening was a victory in any event. It demonstrated the administration’s openness not just to younger dancers but to foreign-grown talent. In an era when everyone seems intent on war, this evening showed that art in fact can connect cultures and promote peace. Let’s hope that more people embrace that concept soon.