Diana Vishneva was born in Leningrad on 13 July, 1976. In 1987 she entered the Agrippina Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. L.V.Belskaya was her first teacher, and during her last year she studied under L.V.Kovalyova.
In 1994, being a student, she took part in the International Ballet Competition in Lausanne,where she won the gold medal and Grand Prix. Special for this contest the artistic director of Vaganova Academy Igor Belsky made "Carmen" miniature.
The last year of training Vishneva combined with study course in Mariinsky Theatre. She was only a trainee when she got the main role of Kitri in the ballet "Don Quixote". For this very role she was awarded "Benua de la Dance".
Diana graduated from the College in 1995 and was admitted into the Mariinsky Theater troupe.One year l after she officially became a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre. Since then she has been working very hard, dancing the leading roles practically in all perfomances. Among her world-famous roles are:
- Kitri ("Don Quixote")
- Masha ("Nutcracker")
- Juliet ("Romeo and Juliet")
- Aurora ("The Sleeping Beauty")
- Carmen ("Carmen")
- Odetta,Odilia ("Swan Lake")
- Cinderella ("Cinderella")
She also performs the works of modern choreographers, especially those of George Balanchine,William Forsythe and Roland Petit. She has enjoyed critical acclaim for her interpretation of Rubies,
(the second movement of Balanchine's evening-length ballet "Jewels"), "Giselle", and Kenneth MacMillan's "Manon".
Her partners have included such well-known dancers as Angel Corella and Vladimir Malakhov.In addition to dancing with Mariinsky Theatre, Vishneva has made guest appearances with many ballet companies, including not only American Ballet Theatre, but also the Bolshoi Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet. During her ballet career she won many prizes,last of which is "Spirit of dance" in "Ballerina of the decade" by Stars of the 21st Century in 2010.
All ballet critics mark her unique combination of power and fragility,her both ballet and actor gifts which she manages to reveal on the stage. Speaking about her actor talent,one would like tp know that in 2009 she eas offered a role of ballet-dancer Nina in the notorious film of Darren Aronofsky "Black Swan".But Diana refused as she was having tour around Japan.