In Korea, at the request of Ukraine, the performance of Svetlana Zakharova was canceled

In Seoul, the production of Modanse with the participation of ballerina Svetlana Zakharova was canceled. The Ukrainian Embassy considered “performances by performers from invader countries” unacceptable. The Russian diplomatic mission called on not to politicize cultural events Svetlana Zakharova

In Seoul, the production of Modanse from April 17 to 21 with the participation of prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Svetlana Zakharova was canceled. This was reported by the press service of the Arts Center in Seoul, where the event was to take place.

“The performance, scheduled from Wednesday, April 17 to Sunday, April 21, 2024 , has been canceled for the safety of audiences and performers,” the statement said. Spectators were promised a refund for purchased tickets.

Inarts Production, which organized the Bolshoi Ballet's tour in Seoul, also announced the cancellation of the production. “Before the onset of the covid-19 pandemic , we began planning and preparing [to organize the performance] <...>, but recently due to concerns for the safety of artists and audiences and at the request of the Arts Center, a cancellation was agreed upon,” they said. The company apologized to viewers who were “looking forward to this performance” and expressed hope for understanding.

The Ukrainian embassy in Seoul made a demand to cancel the production. They stated that such speeches “justify Russia’s aggression and devalue the suffering of the people of Ukraine,” the Yonhap agency wrote. The Russian Embassy in Seoul responded by pointing out the importance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation as a channel of communication between peoples. “We are confident that intentions to impose one’s agenda and politicize purely cultural events will not find understanding among citizens of the Republic of Korea , who are trying to be deprived of the right to get acquainted with examples of creativity of the highest world level,” the diplomatic mission said.

The Modanse program combines the ballets “Like Breath” by Mauro Bigonzetti to the music of G.F. Handel and “Gabrielle Chanel” by Ilya Demutsky. Its DIRECTOR is Yuri Posokhov. Zakharova plays one of the main roles in Modanse.

The ballerina was born on June 10, 1979 in Lutsk. She graduated from the Kiev Choreographic School and the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova. She worked at the Mariinsky Theater, and since 2003 at the Bolshoi Theater. In 2008 she became a prima ballerina at La Scala Theater in Milan. From 2007 to 2011, Zakharova was a member of the State Duma from the United RUSSIA party, and since 2018, a member of the Russian Presidential Council for Culture and Art.