RUSSIA’S acclaimed ballet company is planning a return to the UK - and will stop off in Reading early next year.

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia returns in 2020 for a 22-venue schedule running between January 2 and March 15, with shows at The Hexagon on January 21 and 22.

It will be the company’s 18th UK tour and will feature exquisite performances of two of the world’s most popular ballets - Swan Lake on January 21 and Sleeping Beauty on January 22.

Sergei Selivanov, head of international touring for Raymond Gubbay Ltd, who is responsible for managing the Russian State Ballet of Siberia UK tour each year, said the ballet is admired around the world.

It will be the second year that digital technology has been used in their performances, despite the high costs of doing so.

Sergei said: “Digital background brings different dimension into performances and makes it easier to follow different scenes and dances on stage.

“For example, there are two scenes in each of two acts of Swan Lake. We can now quickly change the background say, from the castle park or the castle hall, to the lake scene just with a click of the button.

“But most impressive digital effects are in The Nutcracker when Drosselmeyer magically builds up a digital doll house and digital images of the Harlequin, Colombine and Moor leap down stage and then audience see real dancers performing as Harlequin, Colombine and Moor.

“Digital scenes make it easier to understand the ballet scene and brings magic into performances.”

So how does Sergei decide which ballets to perform each year?

He said: “Year after year we try to diversify the repertoire as much as we can. But it is not only down to us and the venue to decide what repertoire to bring next year. We look at productions the audience preferred in the past analysing sales. And guess what? The Nutcracker and Swan Lake are unbeatable champions.”

For tickets, go to www.whatsonreading.com/venues/hexagon/whats-on