A short talk (and a cup of tea) with Kirill Kourlaev & Olga Esina.

The World Star Gala in Vienna, next October 29th, will present an exclusive "surprise programme" with many ballet stars such as Matthew Golding, Ksenia Ryzhkova, Iana Salenko, Semyon Chudin, Suzanna Kaic, Dinu Tamazlacaru among others as well as outstanding musicians.

A short talk (and a cup of tea) with Kourlaev Esina Productions! 

The focus is completely on the unique performances by Stars from the world known Theaters like Bolshoi Theater, Berlin State Ballet, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet, Polish Nationational Balletand the Vienna State Opera. 

The one person that has a very special place in this year’s Gala is Igor Zapravdin –  pianist at the Vienna State Opera.  

This very year, he is celebrating his 25th anniversary on stage.  

Kirill Kourlaev – the World Star Gala's Artistic Director, with all his "savoir-faire" has put together a programme that spans an arc of classical Ballet's Highlights to the modern repertoire: excerpts of choreographic performance rarities, as well as neoclassical and contemporary works.

"To be very honest, Kirill, this sound like an imense work... Stars coming from everywhere in the world. Are you responsible for the whole event's organisation?" I ask.

Kirill Kourlaev and Olga Esina smile those inimitable smiles and he humbly says " Yes!".

This man has been working like crazy, day and night, to bring this project into life. To make it possible!

I venture one last question and say "Kirill, you may not answer this if you don't want to talk about it but... what are your future plans, your projects?"

"Ricardo, you surely remember my last interview to ORF (austrian television) after my last performance as a dancer at the the State Opera... I promised to keep doing my very best for Art in Austria. I do not only want to turn The Worls Star Gala into an evening which will be repeated every year but I also want, in the future, to bring foreign Ballet Companies to Vienna, to Austria!"

"And knowing you as I do, I know you are a man of word and you will do it!!

Thanks Kirill and Olga for such nice, relaxed morning hours in our very own district in Vienna! 

Ricardo Leitner

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