News
Olga Esina farewell to the stage in June
14/10/2026
Olga Esina (ph. andreas jakwerth)
VIENNA This coming June, an extraordinary career as a dancer—one marked by great success from the very beginning—will come to an end at the Vienna State Ballet. Principal Dancer Olga Esina is bidding farewell to the stage after more than 20 years with the Vienna State Ballet.
Trained at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in her hometown of St. Petersburg, she joined the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera and the Volksoper as a soloist in 2006 after a stint at the Mariinsky Theater. In 2010, she was promoted to Principal dancer ("Erste Soloist" in German hierarchie). With her outstanding personality, emotional range, technical excellence, and artistic brilliance, she has become not only one of the most influential artists of the Vienna State Ballet but also one of the leading dancers of her generation on the international stage.
Stylistically, Esina is equally at home in classical and neoclassical ballet as she is in modern creations. She has danced numerous leading roles in recent seasons, including in Rudolf Nureyev’s Swan Lake, Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale, Roland Petit’s Die Fledermaus, Hans van Manen’s Live, and John Neumeier’s The Lady of the Camellias. This season, she can be seen as Romola Nijinska in Neumeier’s Nijinsky.
"I had admired Olga from afar for many years, but it was only during this past season that I had the privilege of getting to know her more closely. I discovered that the rare elegance she possesses as a ballerina goes far beyond the stage. It is in her spirit, in her soul and in everything she does. She has a very special aura, and I admire her deeply both as an artist and as a person. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her, even if only for a short time.” says ballet director Alessandra Ferri.
Olga Esina looks forward to her upcoming departure with mixed feelings: “Of course, this step marks a major change in my life. For more than 20 years, the Vienna State Opera has been an essential part of my daily life and has become a second home to me. Right now, I can hardly imagine what it will be like to no longer go there every day and be part of this special institution and this great artistic community. At the same time, I made this decision very deliberately. I’m happy with it and feel no sadness about it. For me, it’s not an end, but the beginning of a new chapter—in my life and also in my artistic career. I have many plans for the future and very much hope to pass on the knowledge and experience I’ve been able to gain over all these years to the next generation.
When I look back on my career today, I truly realize what a vast repertoire I’ve had the privilege of performing, how many different choreographers, roles, and artistic worlds have shaped me, and just how much experience I’ve accumulated over the years. I feel that I have something to pass on. Art—and dance in particular—has given me so much, and I am convinced that art is of great importance to our society and to the development of future generations. Of course, I will always remain connected to the theater. The Vienna State Opera and the Volksoper will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to attend performances and premieres with great joy.
But for now, I’m making a conscious effort to enjoy this final season and every single moment on stage. I’m very grateful to Alessandra Ferri for the understanding, warmth, and support with which she has accepted my decision. This allows me to experience this season with great freedom and joy—and I’m truly enjoying every single performance.”
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