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To the centennial of the great dancer
Museum’s main building
(6 Ostrovsky Sq. Ticket office: 571 21 95)
May 18 — July 19, 2010
 Sergey Prokofiev named her «the Genius of Russian Ballet, its elusive soul, its inspired poetry», Nikolay Benois — «Rafael with soul of Michelangelo», Alexey Tolstoy — «the Ordinary Goddess», Fedor Lopukhov — «Mona Lisa with her enigmatic yet very feminine half-smile».
 These epithets by the outstanding figures of Russian culture have defined naming of this exhibition, its character and design. The unique items from Galina Ulanova Foundation, St Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music, A. Bakhrushin Central Theatre Museum and its branch, Ulanova memorial apartments in Moscow, museums of Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres and Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet were chosen for the exhibition. The two Russian capitals and their greatest ballet scenes were inseparable and played the equal role in Ulanova’s life and art.
Authors of the exhibition present to the audience items illustrating scenic life of Ulanova. They tried to re-create the elusive image hidden under the veil of time and luring as the smile of Gioconda or «The Spring» by Botticelli. Ulanova’s scenic costumes and make-ups, sketches of theatre designers and photos documenting her best roles were collected at the exhibition. She will be always remembered as the first and the best performer of «Fountain of Bakhchisaray», «Romeo and Juliet», «The Bronze Horseman», «Cinderella» and as the best Giselle of the 20th century, the one who had rethought performing tradition of that role. Ulanova was worshiped by the audience and the power had placed her upon a pedestal and gave her each possible government award. Personal things of Ulanova presented at the exhibition, from the dress, which her mother, the famous ballet teacher Maria Romanova had tailored for her entering exam to the ballet school to the fan of Anna Pavlova and things belonged to Maria Taglioni, which were presented to Ulanova as a symbol of succession of their art, the art of the greatest dancers of the world, tell us a story of her life.
 The exhibition was timed to the date when Ulanova had graduated from Vaganova School, the day which she herself called her second birthday: «May 16, 1928 was the day of my graduation performance, the decisive day of my life».
The exhibition is sponsored by the public corporation «Gazprombank».
Information partners of the exhibition: «Where St Petersburg», «Addresses of St Petersburg», «St Petersburg Vedomosti», ITAR TASS, Internet-portal «Museums of Russia».
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