Diana Vishneva

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Diana Vishneva graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy, joined the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet in 1995 and was promoted to principal in 1996. During her last year at the Academy, Vishneva began working at the Mariinsky Theatre. Her repertoire with the company includes the title roles in Giselle and Manon, Kitri in Don Quixote, Masha in The Nutcracker, Nikiya in La Bayadère, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Clemance in Raymonda, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, the third movement in Symphony in C, Terpsichore in Apollo, Rubies in Jewels, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Grand Pas Classique, among others.

Vishneva’s prizes and awards include the International Ballet Competition in Lausanne (1994), Benois de la Dance prize (1995), the St. Petersburg theatrical prize Golden Sophit (1996), the BALTIKA prize (1998), the highest theatrical prize of Russia Golden Mask (2001) and was named Best in Europe by Dance Europe magazine in 2002.

Vishneva has appeared in New York and Mexico City and danced at the Second International Ballet Festival with Manuel Legris, Rudolf Nureyev’s student, as her partner. In 2001, she made her debuts at the Bayerische Staatsballett in Manon and the Teatro alla Scala, Milan in The Sleeping Beauty.

Vishneva made her first appearance with American Ballet Theatre during the Company’s 2003 Spring season dancing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Her repertory with the Company includes a leading role in Ballet Imperial, Nikiya in La Bayadère, Kitri in Don Quixote, Titania in The Dream, Giselle in Giselle, Manon in Manon, Olga in On the Dnieper, Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, the Sylph in La Sylphide, Sylvia in Sylvia and the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux.

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