Two Kirov Principals to Cancel Orange County Dates

Altynai Assylmuratova and Konstantin Zaklinsky will not perform as scheduled with the Kirov Ballet during the company’s nine-day engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, which starts today.

The principal dancers, who are married, returned to the Soviet Union on Wednesday to be with Assylmuratova’s mother, who is gravely ill with cancer, according to Igor Stupnikov, a company spokesperson.

Assylmuratova was to have danced the role of Medora and Zaklinsky was to have danced Lankedem in “Le Corsaire” Aug. 22 and 24. Zaklinsky also was to have danced Prince Desire in “The Sleeping Beauty” Aug. 20.

New casting has not been announced. The programs will remain the same.

Assylmuratova’s mother has been ailing for weeks but her condition has deteriorated, according to Jane P. Hermann, presentations director of the Metropolitan Opera, which is presenting the Kirov’s national tour. Assylmuratova and Zaklinsky flew to the Soviet Union from San Francisco, where they were appearing with the company.