The company launched the careers of its five principal choreographers: Michel
Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Leonide Massine, Bronislava Nijinska and George Balanchine.
The programme was "Homage to
Fokine", Mariinsky Ballet's tribute to the great Russian choreographer Mikhail
Fokine (1880-1942), whose work thrust the company onto the world stage.
This year's programme opens with
Fokine's Les Sylphides in honour of the centenary of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, who premiered it in their inaugural 1909 Paris season.
AIDAN O'Brien and Seamus Heffernan should double-up with Mikhail
Fokine and Don Pedro Mendoza at Dundalk tonight.
He made a satisfactory debut when third to subsequent UltimateBet.com 2000 Guineas winner Haafhd in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket and ran another good race when second to
Fokine in the King Charles II Stakes last time.
The son of Royal Applause then showed he is still as good as ever with a sound performance in defeat in a Listed event back on the Rowley Mile course, going down by a neck to
Fokine.
Dettori's followers had already enjoyed another good-priced success as No Time (12-1) edged out Speed Cop in a photo for the ladbrokes.com Sprint, while the treble was completed when the Godolphin-owned 6-4 favourite Rosencrans grabbed a hard-fought win over
Fokine in the Spring Cup.
Yuri
Fokine said: "We must remember that breaking international law leads to catastrophes.
[ON TOUR] It's rare to see
Fokine or Nijinsky ballets these days, so to find them both on the same program is a golden opportunity.
FOKINE, runner-up in the Jersey Stakes last summer, takes his chance in the Hong Kong Derby over a mile and a quarter at Sha Tin today.
The Russian ambassador to Britain, Yuri
Fokine, expressed his country's thanks during the unveiling of a memorial on Loch Ewe in Wester Ross.