This adaptation of Tolstoy’s novel was choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, whose story ballets include The Bright Stream, an adorable romantic comedy that proved a huge hit with London audiences in the Bolshoi Ballet’s 2006 visit. With Anna Karenina, he takes on one of the great works of Russian literature, to a score by Rodion Shchedrin (husband of the Bolshoi ballerina Maya Plisetskaya). On Tuesday, Diana Vishneva plays Anna, the married woman who falls disastrously in love with the dashing officer Vronsky, danced by Konstantin Zverev. On Wednesday, Uliana Lopatkina and Yuri Smekalov dance the leading roles.

The Maryinsky visit ends with four performances of La Bayadère, with its exotic melodrama and showcase for the corps de ballet. Viktoria Tereshkina plays the temple dancer Nikiya on Thursday, with Vladimir Shklyarov as the warrior Solor and Anastasia Matvienko as Gamzatti, Nikiya’s rival. Friday’s cast is led by Diana Vishneva, Igor Zelensky and Anastasia Kolegova, followed by Alina Somova, Denis Matvienko and Anastasia Matvienko at Saturday’s matinée. On Saturday night, Uliana Lopatkina, Daniil Korsuntsev and Kolegova dance the final performance of this summer season.

Picture: Diana Vishneva and Konstantin Zverev in Anna Karenina. Photograph: N Razina.