THERE’S a big treat in store for ballet lovers throughout the county and beyond when one of Russia’s leading companies perform three of the more popular ballets on their latest British tour and also showcase a completely new production.

The Russian State Ballet and Orchestra of Siberia has established quite a reputation for itself and has built an international standing for delivering performances of outstanding quality and unusual depth and their regular visits to these shores are always warmly welcomed.

Both the soloists and the corps de ballet have been highly praised by critics, and never fail to delight audiences with their breathtaking ability and dazzling costumes, and now their latest tour - encompassing around 60 dates throughout England and Scotland, will once again see them heading for Malvern’s Festival Theatre next month.

Formed in 1981 the Russian State Ballet of Siberia will be Sleeping Beauty on Tuesday, February 9, Swan Lake the following afternoon and evening, The Snow Maiden on the evenings of Thursday and Friday, February 11 and 12, and finally The Nutcracker on the Saturday, when there will again be a matinee along with an evening performance.

Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake both feature Tchaikovsky’s sublime score, with the latter’s haunting music gliding from the impressive splendour of the palace ballroom to the moonlit lake and the swans.

The Snow Maiden is a new production and features on the UK tour for the first time. It is based on a traditional folk tale and is set in the snow covered landscape of rural Russia which becomes the enchanted Land of Frost. The ballet is set to music by Rimsky-Korsakov.

The final performance on the company’s visit to Malvern is that great family favourite, The Nutcracker. When midnight strikes on Christmas Eve the audience is swept away to a fairytale world - and all is not quite what it seems!

At other venues the company will perform Giselle.

The theatre is currently offering a saving of 20 per cent on the full price when buying two or more ballets.

Later in the month the ballet company also visits Oxford and Leicester and Wolverhampton towards the end of March.