Principal Dancer, Wiener Staatsballett
International Guest Artist
Perennial Jury Member and Masterclass teacher, Ballet Grand Prix Vienna
Born in Chisinau (Moldova). After training at the Ballet Academy of Moldova and the Vienna Conservatory, he danced in the Jeune Ballet de France in 2000. In 2001 he became a member of the Vienna State Opera Ballet, advancing to semi-soloist in 2003. In 2010 he was appointed principal dancer of the Vienna State Ballet.
Field of Teaching (Online)
Classical Ballet: Based on the Vaganova and Bolshoi Ballet Method, as well as practices of Manuel Legris and Rudolf Nureyev, Mihail Sosnovschi teaches all students from age 12 upwards, intermediate to advanced levels.
Repertoire: Preparation and training of different variations. Practices from Manuel Legris and Rudolf Nureyev.
Online Teaching Availability
Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays, and Sundays between 09:00-13:00 CET.
Subject to Change*
His most important roles include Colas and Alain in Frederick Ashton’s “La Fille mal gardée”, Prince Alexei, Adjutant to the Prince and Italy in Renato Zanella’s “The Nutcracker”, Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio in John Cranko’s “Romeo and Juliet”, Companion to the Prince, Hungarian and Neapolitan Dancer in Rudolf Nureyev’s “Swan Lake”, Abderachman in Nureyev’s “Raymonda”, Blue Bird, and Pas de quatre in Peter Wright’s “Sleeping Beauty”, Vronsky in Boris Eifman’s “Anna Karenina”, Commissar in Eifman’s “Giselle Rouge”, Lanquedem and Seyd Pasha in Manuel Legris’ “Le Corsaire, Hilarion and Peasant Couple in Elena Chernishova’s “Giselle”, Gypsy in Rudolf Nureyev’s “Don Quixote”, Ulrich in Roland Petit’s “Die Fledermaus”, Angel Ben in Maurice Béjart’s “Le Concours”, Lensky in John Cranko’s “Onegin”, Lescaut in Kenneth MacMillan’s “Manon, Bratfisch in MacMillan’s “Mayerling”, Pas de deux in Pierre Lacotte’s “La Sylphide”, Gypsy in Michael Cord’s “The Snow Queen”, Oliver and Le Beau in Neumeier’s “As You Like It”, The Man (Vaslaw Nijinsky) in John Neumeier’s “Le Pavillon d’Armide”, García in Davide Bombana’s “Ballet: Carmen”, the title role in Mikhail Fokin’s “Le Spectre de la rose”, Max in “Max and Moritz” by Ferenc Barbay and Michael Kropf, Hungarian Constable and Groom in “Coppélia” by Gyula Harangozó sen. , Spiderman in Gyula Harangozó’s “The Nutcracker”, Harlequin in Renato Zanella’s “Wolfgang Amadé”, Josef in Zanella’s “Cinderella”, Minotaur in Zanella’s “Spartacus”, Mahdawaja in Vladimir Malakhov’s “The Bayadere”, Winter in Malakhov’s “Verdi Ballet: A Masked Ball”, a deserted cadet in Jo Strømgren’s “Nutcracker”, poet in Josef Hassreiter’s “The Doll’s Fairy”, young poet in “Square Concert” by Gyula Harangozó sen. , Father Lorenzo in Davide Bombana’s “Roméo et Juliette”, leading roles in Ben van Cauwenbergh’s “Dance Homage to Queen”, Stephan Thoss’ “Bluebeard’s Secret”, Ivan Cavallari’s “Tchaikovsky Impressions”, George Balanchine’s “Rubies” and “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”, Harald Landers’ “Études”, Rudi van Dantzig’s “Four Last Songs”, Hans van Manen’s “Adagio Hammerklavier”, John Neumeier’s “Bach Suite III” and “Faded Festivals”, Twyla Tharp’s “Variations on a Theme by Haydn”, Jiří Kylián’s “Petite Mort” and “Bella Figura”, Jerome Robbins’ “The Four Seasons”, Nils Christes’ “Before Nightfall”, William Forsythe’s “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude” and “The Second Detail”, Myriam Naisy’s “Ederlezi”, Renato Zanella’s “Bolero”, “Beethoven Opus 73” and “Sensi”, Jorma Elo’s “Glow – Stop”, “Skew-Whiff” by Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, Jiří Bubeníček’s “Le Souffle de l’esprit”, Helen Pickett’s “Eventide”, Thierry Malandain’s “Mozart à 2”, András Lukács’ “Whirling” and “In Your Eyes My Face Remains”, Liam Scarlett’s “With a Chance of Rain” (excerpt) as well as pas de deux and pas d’esclaves from Marius Petipa’s “Le Corsaire” and Agrippina Waganova’s pas de deux “Diana and Actaeon”. He had role creations in Renato Zanella’s “Duke’s Nuts”, as a cock in Renato Zanella’s “Renard”, as Puck in Jorma Elo’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, in Boris Nebyla’s “Afternoon of a Faun”, in Eno Peci’s “Flower of the Heart”, in Vesna Orlic’s “Out of Tango”, Natalia Horecna’s “Contra Clockwise Witness” (Gin Man/Principle), Antony McDonalds/Ashley Page’s “Ein Reigen” (Egon Schiele) and Andrey Kaydanovskiy’s “Der Feuervogel” (Koschey).
He also performed at numerous opera balls at the Vienna State Opera and New Year’s concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic. Guest performances took him to many European countries and overseas. Mihail Sosnovschi has also choreographed various events for members of the Vienna State Ballet and the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera. For many years he has been the deputy chairman of the Vienna State Opera Ballet Association and in this function, he is also responsible for the organisation of guest performances (e.g. Pamplona/Spain, Altaussee).
Mihail Sosnovschi has also organised several gala events with singers and dancers (e.g. in Moldova), ball events (artistic direction: e.g. Kaffeesiederball, New Year’s Eve Ball in the Vienna Hofburg) and events with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a board member of the Austrian Dance Council and has been a teacher at the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera since September 2017.
Awards
1st prize at the ÖTR Contest in Vienna (2001)
Grand Prix at the Concours International de Danse de Luxembourg (2001)
Karl Musil Memorial Prize (2016)
Premio Capri Danza (2017)
Ordinul Gloria Muncii Republic of Moldova (2018)
Ordinul de Onoare Republic of Moldova (2018)
Grand Prix de la Culture Austria/Vienna (2018)
President of the Vienna State Opera Ballet Association (2019)