Masha Tolstunova

Masha Tolstunova was born in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and received her training at the Ballet School of the Vienna State Opera. Her most important teachers include Brigitte Stadler, Galina Skuratova and Martin Schläpfer. From 2013 to 2015 she was a member of the Vienna State Ballet under the direction of Manuel Legris, from 2015 to 2018 she was seen as a member of the Hamburg Ballet in numerous principal roles in John Neumeier’s »Matthäuspassion«, »Weihnachtsoratorium«, »Nussknacker«, »Nijinsky«, »Anna Karenina« and »Beethoven Project«. Masha Tolstunova dedicated the 2018/19 season as a freelancer to her dancing development, including in Miami with Magaly Suarez and in collaboration with international young creative talents. One of the formative experiences of this year was a tour of Russia with Sergei Polunin. In 2019/20 she became a member of the Ballet am Rhein Düsseldorf Duisburg under Martin Schläpfer, with whom she returned in September 2020 to the Vienna State Ballet as a demi-soloist. Masha Tolstunova won the 1st prize and the category »Most characterful interpretation« at the 4th Prague International Ballet Competition 2012, the 2nd place at the international dance competition Tanzolymp Berlin and the 3rd prize at the Vienna World Competition (ÖTR Contest) 2015. Her repertoire includes works by Maurice Béjart, Boris Eifman, Martha Graham, John Neumeier, Rudolf Nureyev, Martin Schläpfer and Peter Wright, among others.