Princess Diana Returns, in a Russian Ballet

LONDON, April 28, 2007 — -- The late Princess Diana will soon be dancing in a Russian ballet. What a headline! And like most strange stories about Princess Diana, there is a grain of truth amid the mystery.

In this case, a Russian theater company is preparing to perform a new British ballet on the life and death of Diana, princess of Wales, titled "A Princess of Modernity."

The ballet was written by British psychologist and composer Keith Hearne, who told ABC News, "The ballet depicts the story of a girl who marries a 'prince of tradition.' She becomes the 'princess of modernity.'

"However, her modern attitudes clash with those of the prince. The girl will not conform to the expected role, the prince does not change, and so the inevitable breakup is enacted -- followed by unexpected tragedy."

Hearne also told ABC News about his reaction to Diana's death, "She was a young person, a remarkable woman, her humanity influenced the whole world."

He added, "When she died, it was a shock to me, it was a shock to many people, many hundreds of millions all over the world. And it touched on something that was spiritual in us all. So that was the spark for the ballet within me. I knew I had to write something about this. It has taken me many years, but it's now ready and available."

The Diana ballet will be performed initially by the Premiera company in Moscow, and is expected to open at the Stanislavsky Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre in the fall.

Ilse Liepa, a principal ballerina for the Bolshoi ballet, will reportedly take the lead in the production. Organizers have not decided who will play the prince of tradition (undoubtedly meant to be Prince Charles).

Olga Lyakina, the general director of Premiera, told ABC News that Liepa was chosen for the main role "because she will be able to reflect Diana's beauty, her personality and all her subtleties through her movement and dancing."

Some of the 32 pieces, according to the ballet Web site, include "Dance of the young Princess-to-be," in which a young dancer portrays the princess in her childhood taking a ballet lesson. There are bursts of her individuality.