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For the 18^th year in succession the authoritative Benois de la danse program has come up with its selection of the most outstanding creative achievements of the past season. The candidates of its choice will be awarded the Benois-2010 prize. This year there is an additional reason for rejoicing: whereas in 2009 the financial crisis made it impossible for the award-giving ceremony and the associated concerts to be held at the Bolshoi, this year the Benois is back as usual at the Theatre.

Bolshoi Theatre Opera Company soloist Dinara Alieva has won 3^rd prize at the annual Operalia World Opera Competition, founded and led by the famous singer and conductor, Placido Domingo. This year for the first time the Operalia was held in Milan. The final round took place on La Scala stage, the competitors being accompanied by the Theatre’s orchestra. Dinara Alieva, a young native of Baku, has had an extremely impressive career both professionally and in terms of her performance at competitions. This is the 6^th competition in her life. And at all of the contests which preceded it, she had an equal success.

Natalya Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev have been promoted to the rank of premier dancers, they learnt of this in Peking where, at the present time, they are on tour with the Bolshoi Ballet Company. The announcement of this official recognition of their services was made at the end of their performance in Don Quixote — their star turn ballet, which brought the house down in Peking.
The world recognition which has engulfed these two young dancers anticipated their ascent up the career ladder which, even so, was unprecedentedly rapid. In so far as concerns Ivan Vasiliev, he has been promoted straight from First Soloist to Principal Dancer, skipping the intervening rank.