Ulanova began her career with the Mariinsky Theater in 1928. She later recalled that she never liked ballet classes and only attended them out of a sense of duty to her parents. Despite her dislike of dancing Ulanova had talent – her exceptional flexibility and grace soon captured the great masters of the time, such as Konstantin Stanislavsky, Sergey Prokofiev and Rudolf Nureev.

In the early 1940s Ulanova’s fame reached Joseph Stalin, and in 1944 the talented dancer was transferred to the Bolshoi Theater, where she was prima ballerina for 16 years.

On January 8 the Mariinsky Theater, where the great ballerina began her outstanding career, will hold an anniversary evening featuring the theater troupe performing the most significant ballets from Ulanova’s repertoire: “The Fountain of Bakhchisaray”; “Giselle”; and “Romeo and Juliet”.

In Moscow, in honor of Galina Ulanova, a special program will be presented in the Bolshoi on January 15 and 16. On January 15, the Bolshoi will stage “Swan Lake” and “Giselle” in which Ulanova used to dance. On January 16, a gala concert will see soloists of the Bolshoi Theater ballet, its chorus and the orchestra, and the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater as special guests.