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For the Thoroughbred racehorse, see Nureyev (horse). Nureyev (1977-2001 was a Kentucky-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire who was bought in 1978 at the Keeneland yearling

Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev (Tatar: Rudolf Xämät ulı Nuriev, Russian: Рудольф Хаметович Нуриев) (March 17, 1938 – January 6, 1993) was a dancer, primarily known for his work in ballet. The Tatar language (,, Татар теле, Татарча) is a Turkic Language spoken by the Tatars. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance

Contents

Biography

Early life and career at the Kirov

Nureyev was born on the Trans-Siberian train near Pysinky Irkutsk, Siberia, Soviet Union, while his mother Farida was travelling to Vladivostok, where his father Hamat, a Red Army political commissar was stationed [1]. Irkutsk (Ирку́тск Эрхүү Erkhüü; Эрхүү Erkhüü) is one of the largest cities in Siberia and the administrative center of Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Vladivostok ( is Russia 's largest port city on the Pacific Ocean and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya A political commissar, or politruk, is an officer appointed by a government to oversee a unit of the military He was raised as the only son in a Muslim Tatar family in a village near Ufa in Soviet republic of Bashkiria. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups Ufa (Уфа́ Өфө Öfö; Уфа|Ufa Ӗпхӳ Ephü) is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. Republic of Bashkortostan (Респу́блика Башкортоста́н Башҡортостан Республикаһы or Bashkiria (ru Башки́рия When his mother smuggled him and his sisters into a performance of the ballet "Song of the Cranes", he fell in love with dance. [2] As a child he was encouraged to dance in Bashkir folk performances and his precocity was soon noticed by teachers who encouraged him to train in Leningrad. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River On a tour stop in Moscow with a local ballet company, Nureyev auditioned for the Bolshoi ballet company and was accepted. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The Bolshoi Theatre (Большой театр Bol'shoy Teatr Great Theatre) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by famed architect However, he felt that the Kirov Ballet school was the best, so he left the local touring company and bought a ticket to Leningrad. The Mariinsky Ballet, is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. [3]

Due to the disruption of Soviet cultural life caused by World War II, Nureyev was unable to enroll in a major ballet school until 1955, aged 17, when he was accepted by the Leningrad Choreographic School, the associate school of the Kirov Ballet. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance The Vaganova Ballet Academy is probably the most famous and influential Classical ballet school in the world The Mariinsky Ballet, is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia.

Alexander Pushkin took an interest in him professionally and allowed the younger dancer to live with him and his wife, with the latter of whom, at 21, he had an affair. Upon graduation, he continued with the Kirov and went on to become a soloist.

In his three years with the Kirov, he danced fifteen roles, usually opposite his partner, Ninel Kurgapkina, with whom he was very well paired, although she was almost a decade older than he [4]. Ninel Kurgapkina (b 1929 Leningrad) is a Russian dance teacher and former Prima ballerina for the Kirov Ballet with over 50 years stage experience He became one of the Soviet Union's best-known dancers and was allowed to travel outside the Soviet Union, when he danced in Vienna at the International Youth Festival. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Not long after, for disciplinary reasons, he was told he would not be allowed to go abroad again. He was confined to tours of the Soviet republics.

Defection

In 1961 the Kirov's leading male dancer, Konstantin Sergeyev, was injured, and Nureyev was chosen to replace him on the Kirov's European tour. Konstantin Mikhailovich Sergeyev ( 1910 - April 1, 1992) was a Russian Ballet dancer artistic director and Choreographer In Paris, his performances electrified audiences and critics, but he broke the rules about mingling with foreigners, which alarmed the Kirov's management. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The KGB wanted to send him back to the Soviet Union immediately. KGB ( Transliteration of "КГБ" is the Russian abbreviation of Committee for State Security ( Komityet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosty The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 As a subterfuge, they told him that he would not travel with the company to London to continue the tour because he was needed to dance at a special performance in the Kremlin. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. View01jpg|thumb|right|250px|Remains of the Kolomna Kremlin]] Kremlin (Кремль Kreml) is the Russian word for "fortress" "citadel" or "castle" He believed that if he returned to the U. S. S. R. , he would likely be imprisoned, due to the fact that KGB agents had been investigating him for being gay. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation.

On June 17, 1961 at the Le Bourget Airport in Paris Rudolf Nureyev defected. Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paris - Le Bourget Airport (Aéroport de Paris - Le Bourget is an Airport located in Le Bourget and Dugny, 12 km north-northeast (NNE Within a week, he was signed up by the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas and was performing The Sleeping Beauty with Nina Vyroubova. The Sleeping Beauty ( Спящая Красавица, Spyashchaya Krasavitsa) is a Ballet in a prologue and three acts Opus 66 by Pyotr On a tour of Denmark he met Erik Bruhn, a dancer who became his lover, his closest friend and his protector for many years. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Erik Belton Evers Bruhn ( October 3, 1928 &ndash April 1, 1986) was a Danish Ballet Dancer, Choreographer [5]

Although he petitioned the Soviet government for many years to be allowed to visit his mother, he was not allowed to do so until 1989, when his mother was dying and Mikhail Gorbachev consented to the visit. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician During this visit, he was invited to dance with the Kirov Ballet at the Maryinsky theatre in Leningrad. The visit gave him the opportunity to see many of the teachers and colleagues he had not seen since he defected, including his first ballet teacher in Ufa.

Royal Ballet

Nureyev's first appearance in Britain was at a ballet matinée organised by The Royal Ballet's Prima Ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn. The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England "Dame Margot" redirects here For the medieval trouvère see Dames Margot and Maroie. The event was held in aid of the Royal Academy of Dance, a classical ballet teaching organisation of which she was President. The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD is a leading International dance Examination board specialising in Classical Ballet. He danced "Poeme Tragique", a solo choreographed by Frederick Ashton, and the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake. See also List of ballets choreographed by Frederick Ashton,, Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE, ( September Swan Lake ( Лебединое Озеро, Lebedinoye Ozero) is a Ballet, op

Dame Ninette de Valois offered him a contract to join The Royal Ballet as Principal Dancer. See also Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE ( June 6, 1898 &ndash March 8, 2001) was the The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England His first appearance with the company was partnering Margot Fonteyn in Giselle on 21 February 1962. Giselle is a Ballet by Adolphe Adam. It has 2 acts 2 scenes with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Fonteyn and Nureyev would go on to form a partnership. Nureyev stayed with the Royal Ballet until 1970, when he was promoted to Principal Guest Artist, enabling him to concentrate on his increasing schedule of international guest appearances and tours. He continued to perform regularly with The Royal Ballet until committing his future to the Paris Opera Ballet in the 1980s. The Paris Opéra Ballet is the official Ballet company of the Opéra national de Paris, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, though

Fonteyn & Nureyev

Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn in the Grand adage from Nureyev's staging of the Petipa/Minkus The Kingdom of the Shades for the Royal Ballet, London, 1963.
Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn in the Grand adage from Nureyev's staging of the Petipa/Minkus The Kingdom of the Shades for the Royal Ballet, London, 1963. "Dame Margot" redirects here For the medieval trouvère see Dames Margot and Maroie. The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England

Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn became longstanding dance partners and continued to dance together for many years after Nureyev's departure from the Royal Ballet. Their last performance together was in Baroque Pas de Trois on 16 September 1988 when Fonteyn was 69, Nureyev was aged 50, with Carla Fracci also starring, aged 52. Carla Fracci (born 20 August 1936 in Milan, Italy) is a famous Ballet dancer and actress Nureyev once said of Fonteyn that they danced with "one body, one soul".

Together Nureyev and Fonteyn premiered Sir Frederick Ashton's ballet Marguerite and Armand, a ballet danced to Liszt's B minor piano sonata, which became their signature piece. See also List of ballets choreographed by Frederick Ashton,, Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE, ( September They always completely sold out the house. Kenneth Macmillan was forced to allow them to premiere his Romeo and Juliet, which was intended for two other dancers. Kenneth MacMillan ( December 11, 1929 - October 29, 1992) was a Scottish Ballet dancer and Choreographer Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the Films exist of their partnership in Les Sylphides, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and other roles. Les Sylphides is a short non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original Choreography was by Mikhail Fokine, with music by

When Fonteyn was suffering from cancer, Nureyev paid many of her medical bills and visited her constantly despite his busy schedule.

When Nureyev admitted that his body was too wracked with disease and injury to dance, and he was considering conducting, Fonteyn exclaimed, "Darling, that's perfect!!!"

In March 1992 Rudolf Nureyev, already heavily HIV diseased, visited Kazan and appeared as a conductor in front of the audience at Musa Cälil Tatar Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Kazan. Events in March American Red Cross Month Fire Prevention month ( The Philippines) Women's History Month ( United Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Kazan (Каза́нь Казан tt Qazan) is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russia's largest cities Kazan (Каза́нь Казан tt Qazan) is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russia's largest cities This was his only appearance on the stage of the Musa Cälil Tatar Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, which now annually organizes the Rudolf Nureyev Festival in Tatarstan [6] [7]. Republic of Tatarstan (Респу́блика Татарста́н Татарстан Республикасы|Tatarstan Respublikası is a federal subject of the Russian

Film and television

In 1962 Nureyev made his screen debut in a film version of Les Sylphides. Les Sylphides is a short non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original Choreography was by Mikhail Fokine, with music by In 1977 he played Rudolph Valentino in Ken Russell's Valentino, but he decided against an acting career in order to branch into modern dance with the Dutch National Ballet in 1968. Rudolph Valentino ( May 6, 1895 &ndash August 23, 1926) was an Italian Actor, Sex symbol, and early Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell, known as Ken Russell (born 3 July 1927 is an English Film director. Valentino is a biographical Drama film very loosely based on the life of Rudolph Valentino, directed by Ken Russell. Dutch National Ballet was formed in 1961 when the Amsterdams Ballet and the Nederlands Ballet merged In 1972 Robert Helpmann invited him to tour Australia with his own production of Don Quixote [8], his directorial debut. Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE (9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986 was an Australian dancer actor director and Choreographer. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. es '''''Don Quixote''''' (, see spelling and pronunciation below fully titled es '''''El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha''''' ("The Ingenious Hidalgo Don The film version (1973) features Nureyev, Lucette Aldous as Kitri, Helpmann as Don Quixote and artists of the Australian Ballet. Lucette Aldous (born 1938 is an Australian Ballet dancer and Ballet teacher. The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962 and had its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney

During the 1970s, Nureyev appeared in several films and toured the United States in a revival of the Broadway musical The King and I. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The King and I is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. He was one of the guest stars on the television series The Muppet Show where he danced in a paradoy called "Swine Lake". The Muppet Show is an American Television program featuring a cast of Muppets which was produced by Jim Henson and his team from In 1982 he became a naturalized Austrian. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich In 1983 he was appointed director of the Paris Opera Ballet, where as well as directing he continued to dance and to promote younger dancers. The Paris Opéra Ballet is the official Ballet company of the Opéra national de Paris, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, though He remained there as a dancer and chief of choreography until 1989. See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" Among the dancers he groomed were Sylvie Guillem, Isabel Guerin, Manuel Legris, Elisabeth Maurin, Elisabeth Platel, Charles Jude, and Monique Loudieres. Sylvie Guillem CBE (born February 23, 1965 in Paris, France) is a French Ballet dancer Élisabeth Platel is a French ballet dancer born in Paris on April 10, 1959. Despite advancing illness towards the end of his tenure, he worked tirelessly, staging new versions of old standbys and commissioning some of the most ground-breaking choreographic works of his time. His own Romeo and Juliet was a popular success. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the

Personality

Nureyev was notoriously impulsive and did not have much patience with rules, limitations and hierarchical order. His impatience mainly showed itself when the failings of others interfered with his work. Most ballerinas with whom he danced, including Antoinette Sibley and Annette Page paid tribute to him as a considerate partner. Dame Antoinette Sibley DBE (b 1939 Bromley, Kent, England) is an English Prima ballerina.

Nureyev was homosexual at a time when it was illegal and might have ended his career had it become known. It is thought that he would occasionally solicit male prostitutes, and he was known to frequent the gay baths in New York. Gay bathhouses, also known as Gay Saunas or Steam baths (and sometimes called in Gay slang in some regions "the baths" or "the [9] He was a very reclusive person.

He socialised with Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol and Talitha Pol, but developed an intolerance for celebrities. Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991 was a Zanzibar -born British Musician, best known as the lead Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger, Kt (born 26 July 1943 is a Golden Globe -winning and two-time Grammy -winning English rock For the song by David Bowie, see Andy Warhol (song. Andrew Warhola (August 6 1928 &ndash February 22 1987 known as Andy Warhol Talitha Getty ( October 18, 1940 - July 14, 1971) was an Indonesia -born Dutch actress and regarded to some extent He kept up old friendships in and out of the ballet world for decades, and was considered to be a loyal and generous friend. He was known as extremely generous to many ballerinas, who credit him with helping them during difficult times. In particular, the Canadian ballerina Lynn Seymour - distressed when she was denied the opportunity to premiere Macmillian's Romeo and Juliet - says that Nureyev often found projects for her even when she was suffering from weight issues and depression and thus had trouble finding roles. Lynn Seymour (born Wainwright; 8 March 1939) is a retired Canadian Ballerina. Kenneth MacMillan ( December 11, 1929 - October 29, 1992) was a Scottish Ballet dancer and Choreographer He is also said to have helped an elderly and increasingly impoverished Tamara Karsavina. Tamara Platonovna Karsavina (10 March 1885 &ndash 26 May 1978 was a famous Russian Ballerina who eventually settled in England, where she helped found

By the end of the 1970s, when he was in his 40s, he continued to tackle big classical roles in the late 1980s, and his rather diminished capabilities disappointed his admirers who had fond memories of his outstanding prowess and skill. Towards the end of his life, in the later stages of AIDS he worked on productions for the Paris Opera Ballet. His last work was a production of La Bayadere which closely follows the Kirov Ballet version he danced as a young man. La Bayadère ( The Temple Dancer) ( Russian Баядерка - Bayaderka) is a Ballet, originally staged in four acts The Mariinsky Ballet, is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia.

Influence and AIDS

Nureyev's influence on the world of ballet changed the perception of male dancers; in his own productions of the classics the male roles received much more choreography. Another important influence was his crossing the borders between classical ballet and modern dance by performing both. Today it is normal for dancers to receive training in both styles, but Nureyev was the originator, and the practice was much criticized in his day.

When AIDS appeared in France in about 1982, Nureyev took little notice. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For several years he simply denied that anything was wrong with his health: when, about 1990, he became undeniably ill, he is said to have attributed these to other ailments. He tried several experimental treatments but they did not stop his deteriorating health.

At his last appearance, a 1992 production of La Bayadère at the Palais Garnier, Nureyev received a standing ovation. La Bayadère ( The Temple Dancer) ( Russian Баядерка - Bayaderka) is a Ballet, originally staged in four acts The French Culture Minister, Jack Lang, presented him with France's highest cultural award, the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Jack Mathieu Émile Lang (born 2 September 1939 is a French Politician and a member of the French Socialist Party. Commandeur is a title in French and Dutch (also now a purism, Kommandeur usually rendered in English as Commander, with different uses The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature is an Order of France, established on May 2, 1957 by the Minister He died in Paris a few months later, aged 54. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city

His grave, at a Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois near Paris, features a tomb draped in a mosaic of an oriental Turkic-style carpet. Cimetiere russe017jpg|thumb|The graves of White Émigres ]] Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Cemetery, specifically the one known as Cimetière de Liers, as there are two Nureyev was an avid collector of beautiful carpets and antique textiles. [10]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation official website
  2. ^ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation official website
  3. ^ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation official website
  4. ^ Nureyev.org
  5. ^ Soutar, Carolyn (2006), The Real Nureyev, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0312340974 
  6. ^ Yaroslav Sedov. Russian Life. Montpelier: Jan/Feb 2006. Vol. 49, Iss. 1; p. 49
  7. ^ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation official website
  8. ^ Set and Costume Designs for Don Quixote by Barry Kay for both the stage production at the Adelaide Festival (1970) and Nureyev's movie version, gala world premiere at the Sydney Opera House, 1973. es '''''Don Quixote''''' (, see spelling and pronunciation below fully titled es '''''El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha''''' ("The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Barry Kay (born Melbourne 1932 &ndash died London 1985 who studied arts at the Académie Julian in Paris, was a stage and Costume
  9. ^ (Kaiser, 1997)
  10. ^ Rudolf Nureyev Foundation official website

References

External links

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