The prima ballerina of our National Opera Marta Petkova, in partnership with the premier soloist Nikola Hadzhitanev, took part at the VI International Ballet Festival in Kremlin, which will continue until 29 September.

The Bulgarian ballet stars opened the festival on 23 September. They were in the main roles in the masterpiece of Russian ballet “The Nutcracker” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. 

Petkova transformed herself in the character of Marie and Nikola Hadzhitanev was Drosselmeyer. Marta and Nikola danced in the company of some of the greatest names in the ballet art: Nicoletta Manni (“La scala”, Italy), Adiarys Almeida (prima ballerina of the Cuban National Ballet and of the Rome Opera): Sarah Lane (leading ballerina of the American Ballet Theatre), Vadim Muntagirov (Royal Ballet Theatre “Covent Garden”, Great Britain) and others.

Marta Petkova graduated in 2004 the National School for Dance Art as student of Rumyana Atanasova. In 1995, she was finalist at the international ballet competitions in Tallinn, Estonia, and in Luxemburg. In 2000, at the Anastas Petrov National Ballet Competition she was awarded the Big Prize, as well as the Special Prize of the Dobrich Municipality. The same year she appeared at the Varna International Ballet Competition, where she was awarded the “Sylvia Ko” Prize for young talent. From the same competition she received an offer from the “Kirov Academy – Washington”, to continue her education there. In 2002, she won the Big Prize of “Fivizzano” in Italy. The same year she joined the company of the Sofia Opera and Ballet. In 2006, she received an Award from the Ministry of Culture for young talent. Marta is daughter of Petko from “Tramway No. 5”.

Nikola Hadzhitanev graduated the National School for Dance Art and “Ballet Pedagogy and Directing” at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. In the period 1997-2008, he took part in ballet competitions and concerts in Russia, Italy, Greece, Germany and the USA, in the spectacles of the Sofia Opera, at the Varna International Ballet Competition. He won Second Prize and the Special Prize of the Baroque Sicily Ballet Competition, as well as First Prize of the Anastas Petrov National Ballet Competition, Second Prize for duet dance and Second Prize for solo performance at the Fivizzano International Festival of Arts, Italy. He was awarded a distinction, a medal and a plaque with the title of the Future for Bulgaria Academy, diplomas of the Ministry of Culture for artistic achievements and a Crystal lyre for 2011.