On the birthday of Rudolf Nureyev, March 17, the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theater will host a unique retro premiere of the feature film “Venice. Carnival. Love” (Venezia, Carnevale, Un Amore) with Rudolf Nureyev in the title role. The screening will take place on the opening day in Ufa of the first regional stage of the Nureyev Seasons International Cultural Project and the traditional Nureyev Days, which are held annually in Bashopera in honor of the great dancer's birthday.

The film "Venice. Carnival. Love”, filmed in 1981-82 by the Italian film director Mario Lanfranchi, takes a special place among documentaries and feature films about Rudolf Nureyev and with his participation. The picture was lost in the film archives for almost 40 years and has never been shown in Russia. The film was found, restored and translated into Russian by the organizers of the "Nureyev Seasons" and on March 17 will be shown for the first time in Ufa.

Before the film screening, there will be a performance in the lobby of the theater with participation of ballet troupe artists and students of the Ufa Choreographic College named after Rudolf Nureyev. The theater museum will host an exhibition of heretofore unknown photographs of Rudolf Nureyev, depicting him during filming in Venice. It is expected that artists who personally knew Rudolf Nureyev will attend the opening ceremony of the "Nureyev Seasons".

The project is implemented under the Civil Society Assistance Foundation of the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.

 The program of "Nureyev days":

March 17

17.30 - Laying flowers at the bas-relief of Rudolf Nureyev;

18.00 - opening of the exhibition of photographs by Rudolf Nureyev at the Bashopera Museum;

19.00 - retro-premier of the film "Venice. Carnival. Love" in the Great Hall of the theatre;

March 18

19.00 - ballet "Corsair". The main parts will be performed by Irina Sapozhnikova and Kanat Nadyrbek;

March 19

18.00 – the gala concert "Romance with a dance". As part of the concert, the premiere of the one-act ballet "Without Names" will take place.