James Cameron to broadcast first live 3D ballet

Avatar director James Cameron and Russian conductor Valery Gergiev will beam the world’s first live 3D ballet broadcast to 50 countries from Russia’s Mariinsky theatre in June.

Cinema audiences across Europe, the United States, South America, Asia, Australia and elsewhere will be able to watch Ekaterina Kondaurova dance the role of Odette/Odile in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake at the 19th century opera house on June 6.

Mariinsky artistic director Gergiev took his company on numerous world tours after the collapse of the Soviet Union crimped state funding.

But with Russia now pouring money into the arts and the completion of a $700 million (Dh2.57 billion) Mariinsky II extension, Gergiev has said he wants to concentrate on domestic performances.

Known as the Kirov in Soviet times, the Mariinsky is one of the great showcases of Russian culture.