Tasmanians often complain that they are bypassed by arts organisations from (or visiting) the mainland. But they’ll soon have members of the Imperial Russian Ballet Company all to themselves – and in the north of the state, not in Hobart. There’s an exciting precedent, dating back 70 years. On 13 May 1040 The Mercury reported: “Convinced from the promise of support totalling nearly 800 pounds that the people of Hobart anti Launceston were genuinely desirous of seeing the Covent Garden Russian Ballet, Australian and New Zealand theatres have decided to bring the ballet to Tasmania next month. “It reflected the extent of the growing public interest and support. It had been proposed that the ballet should come to Tasmania early next month, but the readjustment of the Australian itinerary in consequence of the decision to Include Hobart and Launceston, provides for the opening of the Tasmanian season in Launceston on June 25.” Back to the future, and The Imperial Russian Ballet Company will perform for Theatre North this month, at the Princess Theatre in Launceston. (The theatre was opened in 1911 and was almost certainly the venue for the visiting troupe in 1940.) There’s a fair chance the company will be presenting the same ballet: Swan Lake, with music by Tchaikovsky, still the most loved classical ballet of all. The Imperial Russian Ballet Company version is presented in three acts and follows the original storyline with the happy ending which was decreed by Soviet rule in the 1930s during the reign of then Russian leader Stalin. Subtle revisions and variations have been introduced by Gediminas Taranda, Artistic Director of the Imperial Russian Ballet Company. Swan Lake crosses the world of magic and mystical creatures with that of the real world. It is a story where the virtues of love and forgiveness in the end conquer evil and betrayal. The Imperial Russian Ballet Company was formed in 1994, headed by the Bolshoi Theatre soloist Gediminas Taranda. The Imperial Russian Ballet Company comprises 40 dancers from the major ballet schools of Russia. Swan Lake will be performed on 18 and 19 September, just as the Australian Ballet opens its new season of the work in Melbourne. But the Imperial Russian Ballet Company has already been in Australia for about a month and continues its tour of several states in September, with performances of Sleeping Beauty. For details of all performances go to the Imperial Russian Ballet tour site