Pavel Gershenzon

Born in Serov, Sverdlovsk Oblast. Studied architecture at the Sverdlovsk Institute of Architecture. Since 1989, contributed to magazines Decorative Art of the USSR, Theatre Life, Ballet Review (New York). Ballet columnist of papers Kommersant (1993–97) and Russian Telegraph (1997–98). In co-authorship with Vadim Gayevsky, published the book Dialogues on Russian Ballet (2010).

Beginning from 1994, editor of the Mariinsky Theater newspaper; from 1998 to 2008, assistant to Makhar Vaziyev, director of the Mariinsky Theatre ballet company. A ballet repertoire adviser to the management of the Bolshoi Theatre (2009–2011) and La Scala (2010–2016).

Permanent lecturer of the ‘Cultural journalism’ program of the PRO ARTE Foundation. Beginning from 2012, lecturer of the ‘Music Critics’ masters course at the St. Petersburg State University.

Supervisor of the most important projects in the contemporary history of Russian ballet theatre: the programs ‘Balanchine at the Mariinsky’ and ‘Forsythe at the Mariinsky’, the ‘Mariinsky’ International ballet festival (2000–2008), festivals ‘The Age of Balanchine: 1904–2004’ (St. Petersburg) and ‘The Age of The Rite of Spring — the Age of Modernism’ (Moscow, 2013).

He came up with an idea and, together with Sergey Vikharev, implemented the project of revival of ballets by Marius Petipa: The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, The Awakening of Flora at the Mariinsky Theatre, Coppélia at the Novosibirsk Opera and the Bolshoi Theatre, and Raymonda at La Scala. The project has entered a new stage in Ekaterinburg with the performances of La Fille mal gardée and Paquita.