During the Moscow International Ballet Competition, the editorial team of Voci dell’Opera decided to celebrate not only the prize winners, but also the artists who especially moved us with their talent, stage presence, and sincerity.

Alexey Orokhovsky and Yana Peneva represent the USA, but today both are associated with the Mariinsky Theatre, where they are soloists. At the competition, they chose an emphatically classical repertoire, striving to show the clarity of style and academic culture that the Mariinsky school brings.

After the XV International Ballet Competition came to an end, Marmus Auguste’s bronze medal became an important event not only for the artist himself, but also for the Hungarian National Ballet, which he represents. The young dancer went through several rounds, demanding programs, and growing competitive pressure while preserving what matters most: stage expressiveness, technical focus, and the ability to remain fully inside the character.

The Korean pair Kim Min-jin and Lee Kang-won became one of the brightest impressions of the XV International Ballet Competition. Their performances were received with great enthusiasm, and the artists were called for an encore — a rare and truly phenomenal moment for a competition stage.

From June 25 to 28, 2026, the premiere series of Anna Karenina, a ballet set to music by Ilya Demutsky and staged by Maxim Sevagin, took place on the Main Stage of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre. The premiere was presented as part of the 2026 Cherry Forest Open Arts Festival.

We spoke with Auguste Marmus and Rachel Pimentel Quintão about what it means to step onto the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, how a competition performance differs from a regular production, how to find a balance between technique and artistry, and which roles they dream of performing in the future.

For Denis Watanabe from Japan, performing on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre became a special experience: after several years without competitions, he once again found himself in a competitive atmosphere, where technique and focus matter, but so does the ability to cope with one’s own nerves.

Vladislav Bashmakov shared his impressions of the XV International Ballet Competition, his preparation for performing, the nerves before going on stage, and what helps an artist maintain confidence in performance.

XV International Ballet Competition in Moscow brings together young performers from different countries and schools, creating a space not only for professional competition but also for the exchange of experience, inspiration, and new encounters.

We spoke with teacher Marina Vezhnovets and her student Anastasia Yarmosh, representing Belarus, about the meaning of the competition, pre-performance jitters, the ability to immerse yourself in character, and the importance of not comparing yourself to others.