From the early days of this century, the Maryinsky Ballet, later the Kirov, dazzled audiences with the beauty of the dance. Five years research in Russia's archives has unearthed fascinating footage, much of it never before available in the West, of many of the company's great dancers.

In October 1993, the St. Petersburg documentary film company, MIRIS, sent out a fax to the West – almost like a message in a bottle. They needed a partner to complete a series of documentary films on Russian ballet. NVC ARTS, with a long tradition of working with the Bolshoi and the Kirov, responded to the call.

The two directors of MIRIS had spent five years researching state archives, museums and private collections, discovering many wonderful items that had never been shown anywhere. For the first time, thanks to the new political situation, it was possible to bring the material out of Russia. It was carefully treated by the most up-to-date methods to achieve the best technical quality of both picture and sound. The result is the two films The Glory of the Bolshoi and The Glory of the Kirov, both available now on DVD.