Melpomene and Terpsichore: Ancient Greek muses have been recognized the best New Year theater toys

Participants and organizers – the team of the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater – have come to love the contest New Year Theater Toys so much that the best works will soon be put on display in a special museum, which will be opened at premises of the theater soon.

The exposition is likely to include this year’s prizewinning works: the ancient Greek muses of tragedy and dance – Melpomene and Terpsichore, the Russian fairy-tale character Baba-Yaga, Mouse King, and the Ballet composition.

The grand prix went to the Kusnetsovs. The family was followed by the Semchenkos (1st place), Darya Filatova (2nd place), the Stavers (3rd place), and the Yemelyanovs (audience choice award). All the winners received tickets for the Christmas ballet The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky.

It was the fifth contest on record. This year 120 families from various parts of Belarus have submitted 140 toys for the contest. The terms of the contest put no restrictions on creativity. Participants of the contest used various materials to create their works – from cotton swabs and napkins to papier-mache and pasta. Deputy Director General of the National Academic Bolshoi Theater Svetlana Kazyulina noted that tomorrow the toys will be sent to Minsk children’s home No.5 in order to share a bit of family warmth with the kids on the eve of Orthodox Christmas and Old New Year.

The ceremony to award finalists of the New Year Theater Toy contest is in the report from the Bolshoi Theater.