London's loss is Novosibrisk's gain as ballet star Polunin performs at Russia's largest theatre

One of the world's most sought-after dancers, Polunin tonight plays Count Albert in Giselle at the Novosibirsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre. Last year he quit London's world famous Covent Garden theatre citing a lack of respect and support from his British producers. 

Then in April the Ukrainian ballet prodigy walked out of rehearsals for Midnight Express directed by Peter Schaufuss at the London Coliseum. The show went on to receive mixed reviews without Polunin, with The Independent newspaper complaining of 'dreadful choreography'.

Since then Polunin has been back at the Stanislavskiy and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in Moscow, starring in Don Quixote and also Mayerling.

Igor Zelensky is artistic director of both the Stanislavskiy and the Novosibirsk ballet. 

Ahead of a previous appearance in Novosirbirsk, Polunin ridiculed Westerners who 'think that Siberia is just snow and nothing else'.

'You get here - and there is such life, such energy here', Polunin said of Novosibirsk. 

'There are restaurants here that are much cooler than Western ones. There are party places that would have very surprised many of my European and American colleagues. 

'It's beautiful here, and very fresh air. You feel the same energy as in Moscow, New York or London'.