Dancers of the ballet company of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre are set to take on several debut roles this April—some of them truly landmark performances.

The spotlight falls first and foremost on Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian. Principal dancer Matvey Nikishaev has already won over audiences in the title role, but on April 2, he'll make his debut as Spartacus’s antagonist—the Roman general Crassus. Nikishaev began exploring the character while rehearsing Spartacus and will now present the result of that extensive work. That same night, young ballet soloist Alisa Shanina, a graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, will debut as Aegina, Crassus’s companion. On April 1, Artiom Mazunin will appear on stage for the first time as part of the trio of shepherds.

Another major debut awaits Anastasia Svetlishina in Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky: on April 24, she'll perform the role of the Black Swan, Odile, for the first time.

Two dancers will also take on the vivid role of the smuggler Dancairo in the opera-ballet Carmen, set to music by Georges Bizet: Nikolai Mashukov (April 8) and Vladimir Bragin (April 9). Anastasia Nigmatulina will debut as Mercedes on April 8.