Trivia

The ensemble was founded in 1928 by Alexander Alexandrov. He won a competition to write a Soviet national anthem, becoming instantly famous. "Be Glorious, Our Free Fatherland," is still the anthem of the Russian Federation (albeit with revised lyrics).

Dozens of members of the ensemble were among the 92 people killed when a Russian military passenger plane crashed into the Black Sea on December 25, 2016. They were traveling to Syria to entertain Russian military forces there.

Like the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets, the ensemble became a diplomatic weapon used by Soviet premiers Khrushchev and Brezhnev. It disseminated light propaganda, but also projected warmth and charm to foreign audiences eager to hear music from behind the Iron Curtain.