1.
Giselle
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Giselle is a romantic ballet in two acts. It was first performed by the Ballet du Théâtre de lAcadémie Royale de Musique at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris, France on Monday,28 June 1841, the ballet was an unqualified triumph. Giselle became hugely popular and was staged at once across Europe, Russia, the prolific opera and ballet composer Adolphe Adam composed the music. Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot created the choreography, the role of Giselle was intended for Carlotta Grisi as her debut piece for the Paris public. She became the first to dance the role and was the ballerina to dance it at the Opéra for many years. The ballet is about a peasant girl named Giselle, who dies of a heart after discovering her lover is betrothed to another. The Wilis, a group of women who dance men to death. They target her lover for death, but Giselles great love frees him from their grasp, the Wilis are particularly haunting characters. They are the spirits of virgin girls that died before they married and these creatures were very popular in Romantic era ballets. Although still appearing ethereal, watching the Wilis sweep the stage creates a mood that builds as the ballet continues. They are ruthless and hateful of men because they have all died of a broken heart, Giselle finds forgiveness in her heart for Albrecht, but she knows the Wilis will not do the same. Their goal is clear and they are relentless on their quest, the Wilis are one of the most iconic characters in Giselle. They leave an imprint in the mind as they dominate the second act. The following plot summary is that of the first performances in Paris with Grisi in the title role, the plot changed slightly in details as the years passed. The ballet opens on a sunny morning in the Rhineland during the Middle Ages. The grape harvest is in progress, Duke Albrecht of Silesia, a young nobleman, has fallen in love with a shy and beautiful peasant girl, Giselle, despite being betrothed to Bathilde, the daughter of the Duke of Courtland. Albrecht disguises himself as a humble villager called Loys in order to woo the innocent Giselle, with the help of his squire, Albrecht hides his fine attire and sword before coaxing Giselle out of her house to romance her as the harvest festivities begin. Hilarion, a gamekeeper, is also in love with Giselle and is highly suspicious of the newcomer Loys who has won Giselles affections
2.
French language
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French is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages, French has evolved from Gallo-Romance, the spoken Latin in Gaul, and more specifically in Northern Gaul. Its closest relatives are the other langues doïl—languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium, French was also influenced by native Celtic languages of Northern Roman Gaul like Gallia Belgica and by the Frankish language of the post-Roman Frankish invaders. Today, owing to Frances past overseas expansion, there are numerous French-based creole languages, a French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as Francophone in both English and French. French is a language in 29 countries, most of which are members of la francophonie. As of 2015, 40% of the population is in Europe, 35% in sub-Saharan Africa, 15% in North Africa and the Middle East, 8% in the Americas. French is the fourth-most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union, 1/5 of Europeans who do not have French as a mother tongue speak French as a second language. As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 17th and 18th century onward, French was introduced to new territories in the Americas, Africa, most second-language speakers reside in Francophone Africa, in particular Gabon, Algeria, Mauritius, Senegal and Ivory Coast. In 2015, French was estimated to have 77 to 110 million native speakers, approximately 274 million people are able to speak the language. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie estimates 700 million by 2050, in 2011, Bloomberg Businessweek ranked French the third most useful language for business, after English and Standard Mandarin Chinese. Under the Constitution of France, French has been the language of the Republic since 1992. France mandates the use of French in official government publications, public education except in specific cases, French is one of the four official languages of Switzerland and is spoken in the western part of Switzerland called Romandie, of which Geneva is the largest city. French is the language of about 23% of the Swiss population. French is also a language of Luxembourg, Monaco, and Aosta Valley, while French dialects remain spoken by minorities on the Channel Islands. A plurality of the worlds French-speaking population lives in Africa and this number does not include the people living in non-Francophone African countries who have learned French as a foreign language. Due to the rise of French in Africa, the total French-speaking population worldwide is expected to reach 700 million people in 2050, French is the fastest growing language on the continent. French is mostly a language in Africa, but it has become a first language in some urban areas, such as the region of Abidjan, Ivory Coast and in Libreville. There is not a single African French, but multiple forms that diverged through contact with various indigenous African languages, sub-Saharan Africa is the region where the French language is most likely to expand, because of the expansion of education and rapid population growth
3.
Ballet
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Ballet /ˈbæleɪ/ is a type of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own based on French terminology. It has been influential and has defined the foundational techniques used in many other dance genres. Becoming a ballet dancer requires years of training, Ballet has been taught in various schools around the world, which have historically incorporated their own cultures to evolve the art. Ballet may also refer to a dance work, which consists of the choreography. A well-known example of this is The Nutcracker, a ballet that was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa. Ballets are choreographed and performed by trained artists, the word came into English usage from the French around 1630. Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries before being spread from Italy to France by an Italian aristocrat, Catherine de Medici, in France, ballet developed even further under her aristocratic influence. The dancers in these early court ballets were mostly noble amateurs, Ballets in this period were lengthy and elaborate and often served a political purpose. Ornamented costumes were meant to impress viewers and restricted freedom of movement. The ballets were performed in large chambers with viewers on three sides, French court ballet reached its height under the reign of King Louis XIV. Known as the Sun King, Louis symbolized the brilliance of France, in 1661 Louis founded the Académie Royale de Danse to establish standards and certify dance instructors. In 1672, Louis XIV made Jean-Baptiste Lully the director of the Académie Royale de Musique from which the first professional ballet company, Lully is considered the most important composer of music for ballets de cour and instrumental to the development of the form. Ballet went into decline in France after 1830, though it continued to develop in Denmark, Italy, the arrival in Europe on the eve of First World War of the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, revived interest in the ballet and started the modern era. The Russian choreographer Michel Fokine challenged tradition and called for reforms that reinvigorated ballet as an art form, in the 20th century, ballet had a wide influence on other dance genres, and subgenres of ballet have also evolved. In the United States, choreographer George Balanchine developed what is now known as neoclassical ballet, other developments include contemporary ballet and post-structural ballet. Also in the century, ballet took a turn dividing it from classical ballet to the introduction of modern dance. Stylistic variations have emerged and evolved since the Italian Renaissance, early, classical variations are primarily associated with geographic origin
4.
Russia
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Russia, also officially the Russian Federation, is a country in Eurasia. The European western part of the country is more populated and urbanised than the eastern. Russias capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world, other urban centers include Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod. Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe, Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a range of environments. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, the East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants, in 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of states, most of the Rus lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion. The Soviet Union played a role in the Allied victory in World War II. The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century, including the worlds first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space. By the end of 1990, the Soviet Union had the second largest economy, largest standing military in the world. It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic, the Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015. Russias extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world, making it one of the producers of oil. The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction, Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower. The name Russia is derived from Rus, a state populated mostly by the East Slavs. However, this name became more prominent in the later history, and the country typically was called by its inhabitants Русская Земля. In order to distinguish this state from other states derived from it, it is denoted as Kievan Rus by modern historiography, an old Latin version of the name Rus was Ruthenia, mostly applied to the western and southern regions of Rus that were adjacent to Catholic Europe. The current name of the country, Россия, comes from the Byzantine Greek designation of the Kievan Rus, the standard way to refer to citizens of Russia is Russians in English and rossiyane in Russian. There are two Russian words which are translated into English as Russians
5.
Peter the Great
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Peter the Great, Peter I or Peter Alexeyevich ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from 7 May 1682 until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his elder half-brother, Ivan V. Through a number of successful wars he expanded the Tsardom into a larger empire that became a major European power. He led a revolution that replaced some of the traditionalist and medieval social and political systems with ones that were modern, scientific, westernized. Peters reforms made an impact on Russia and many institutions of Russian government trace their origins to his reign. From an early age, Peters education was put in the hands of tutors, most notably Nikita Zotov, Patrick Gordon. On 29 January 1676, Tsar Alexis died, leaving the sovereignty to Peters elder half-brother and this position changed when Feodor died in 1682. As Feodor did not leave any children, a dispute arose between the Miloslavsky family and Naryshkin family over who should inherit the throne, Peters other half-brother, Ivan V, was next in line for the throne, but he was chronically ill and of infirm mind. Consequently, the Boyar Duma chose the 10-year-old Peter to become Tsar with his mother as regent and this arrangement was brought before the people of Moscow, as ancient tradition demanded, and was ratified. Sophia Alekseyevna, one of Alexis daughters from his first marriage, in the subsequent conflict some of Peters relatives and friends were murdered, including Matveev, and Peter witnessed some of these acts of political violence. The Streltsy made it possible for Sophia, the Miloslavskys and their allies, to insist that Peter and Ivan be proclaimed joint Tsars, Sophia acted as regent during the minority of the sovereigns and exercised all power. For seven years, she ruled as an autocrat, a large hole was cut in the back of the dual-seated throne used by Ivan and Peter. Sophia would sit behind the throne and listen as Peter conversed with nobles, while feeding him information and giving him responses to questions and this throne can be seen in the Kremlin Armoury in Moscow. Peter was not particularly concerned that others ruled in his name and he engaged in such pastimes as shipbuilding and sailing, as well as mock battles with his toy army. Peters mother sought to force him to adopt a conventional approach. The marriage was a failure, and ten years later Peter forced his wife to become a nun, by the summer of 1689, Peter planned to take power from his half-sister Sophia, whose position had been weakened by two unsuccessful Crimean campaigns. When she learned of his designs, Sophia conspired with the leaders of the Streltsy, Sophia was eventually overthrown, with Peter I and Ivan V continuing to act as co-tsars. Peter forced Sophia to enter a convent, where she gave up her name, still, Peter could not acquire actual control over Russian affairs. Power was instead exercised by his mother, Natalya Naryshkina and it was only when Nataliya died in 1694 that Peter became an independent sovereign
6.
Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg is Russias second-largest city after Moscow, with five million inhabitants in 2012, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea. It is politically incorporated as a federal subject, situated on the Neva River, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea, it was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 271703. In 1914, the name was changed from Saint Petersburg to Petrograd, in 1924 to Leningrad, between 1713 and 1728 and 1732–1918, Saint Petersburg was the capital of imperial Russia. In 1918, the government bodies moved to Moscow. Saint Petersburg is one of the cities of Russia, as well as its cultural capital. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Saint Petersburg is home to The Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world. A large number of consulates, international corporations, banks. Swedish colonists built Nyenskans, a fortress, at the mouth of the Neva River in 1611, in a then called Ingermanland. A small town called Nyen grew up around it, Peter the Great was interested in seafaring and maritime affairs, and he intended to have Russia gain a seaport in order to be able to trade with other maritime nations. He needed a better seaport than Arkhangelsk, which was on the White Sea to the north, on May 1703121703, during the Great Northern War, Peter the Great captured Nyenskans, and soon replaced the fortress. On May 271703, closer to the estuary 5 km inland from the gulf), on Zayachy Island, he laid down the Peter and Paul Fortress, which became the first brick and stone building of the new city. The city was built by conscripted peasants from all over Russia, tens of thousands of serfs died building the city. Later, the city became the centre of the Saint Petersburg Governorate, Peter moved the capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in 1712,9 years before the Treaty of Nystad of 1721 ended the war, he referred to Saint Petersburg as the capital as early as 1704. During its first few years, the city developed around Trinity Square on the bank of the Neva, near the Peter. However, Saint Petersburg soon started to be built out according to a plan, by 1716 the Swiss Italian Domenico Trezzini had elaborated a project whereby the city centre would be located on Vasilyevsky Island and shaped by a rectangular grid of canals. The project was not completed, but is evident in the layout of the streets, in 1716, Peter the Great appointed French Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond as the chief architect of Saint Petersburg. In 1724 the Academy of Sciences, University and Academic Gymnasium were established in Saint Petersburg by Peter the Great, in 1725, Peter died at the age of fifty-two. His endeavours to modernize Russia had met opposition from the Russian nobility—resulting in several attempts on his life
7.
Anna of Russia
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Anna Ioannovna, also spelled Anna Ivanovna and sometimes anglicized as Anne, was regent of the duchy of Courland from 1711 until 1730 and then ruled as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740. Anna was born in Moscow as the daughter of Tsar Ivan V by his wife Praskovia Saltykova, although Annas father was himself Tsar of Russia and co-ruler with his half-brother Peter I, he was mentally disabled and incapable of administering the country. Therefore, his younger half-brother and co-ruler was effectively the autocrat of all the Russias, Ivan V died in February 1696, when Anna was only three years old, and her uncle became the sole ruler of Russia. Although Anna was the child of her parents, she had only one surviving elder sister, Catherine. The three girls were raised in a disciplined and austere manner by their mother, a very stern lady of sterling character. Anna grew up within a milieu which cherished womanly virtue and domesticity above all else and her education consisted of French, German, religious texts and folklore, leavened with some music and dancing. As she grew older, she developed into a girl, with a mean streak. Anna was famed for her big cheek, which, as shown in her portraits, in time, her uncle Peter the Great ordered the family to move from Moscow to St. Petersburg. This meant a change of not just location but also society, and she greatly enjoyed the splendor of court and the lavishness of high society, which was very different from the austerity preferred by her mother. In 1710, Peter the Great arranged for the 17-year-old Anna to marry Frederick William, Duke of Courland and her wedding was held on a grand scale, as per her own inclinations, and her uncle gave her a fabulous dowry of 200,000 roubles. At the feast which followed the wedding, two performed a parody by jumping out of enormous pies and dancing on the tables. The newly wedded couple spent several weeks in Russia before proceeding to Courland, only twenty miles out of St. Petersburg, on the road to Courland, Duke Frederick died. The cause of death was uncertain - it has been attributed variously to a chill or to the effects of alcohol, after her husband died, Anna proceeded to Jelgava, the capital of Courland and ruled that province for almost twenty years, from 1711 to 1730. During this period, the Russian resident, Peter Bestuzhev, was her adviser and she never remarried after the death of her husband, but her enemies said she conducted a love affair with Ernst Johann von Biron, a prominent courtier, for many years. In 1730, Tsar Peter II died childless at a young age and his death rendered the main line of the Romanov dynasty extinct, which had ruled Russia for over a century, since 1613. Possible candidates for the throne were the three surviving daughters of Ivan V, namely Catherine, Anna and Praskovya, and the two surviving daughters of Peter the Great, namely Anna and Elizabeth. Ivan V had been the brother of Peter the Great and co-ruler with him. Finally, the Russian Supreme Privy Council led by Prince Dmitri Golitzyn selected Anna and she was selected in preference to her elder sister Catherine even though Catherine was at that time resident in Russia whereas Anna was not
8.
Charles Didelot
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Charles-Louis Didelot was a French dancer and choreographer. He then studied in Paris with Jean Dauberval and he followed his study with Jean-Georges Noverre, under whose lead he debuted in London in 1788. When the Russian Imperial ballet demanded a new choreographer, the former Imperial choreographer Charles Le Picq proposed to invite Charles Didelot. He arrived in Saint Petersburg in 1801 at the invitation of the director of the Imperial Theatres and his career ended in 1806, following an accident to his leg and the death of his wife, Rose, a brilliant ballerina. From then on, Didelot taught dance, having an important influence over the development of ballet and he received great acclaim for his choreography in Flore and Zephyre in 1796. This production featured dancers on wires in order to create the illusion of weightlessness, Didelot raised the Russian ballet to unprecedented height, and it is from Didelot that the Russian ballet became to progress and has achieved global importance. He delivered more than 40 full ballets, not counting dances and he was dismissed from the Imperial troupe after a foolish quarrel with the Director of the Imperial troupe. His place of chief choreographer was taken by the Frenchman Alexis-Scipion Blache, bolshoi Theatre, Saint Petersburg December 8,1824, Ruslan and Ludmila to Friedrich Scholz music See Category, Ballets by Charles Didelot
9.
Jules Perrot
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Jules-Joseph Perrot was a dancer and choreographer who later became Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He created some of the most famous ballets of the 19th century including Pas de Quatre, La Esmeralda, Ondine, the Lyon-born Perrot danced often with Marie Taglioni but their partnership was short-lived. She eventually refused to dance with him fearing that he would outshine her and he left the Opéra in 1835 to tour European dance centers such as London, Milan, Vienna and Naples, where he met and noticed the talent of Carlotta Grisi. He coached her and presented her to the world as the great ballerina in an 1836 performance in London with himself as her partner. Following the success of his contributions to the choreography of Giselle, Perrot went on to choreograph Alma ou La Fille du Feu for Fanny Cerrito, which was hailed as a major choreographic success. For the next six years he choreographed regularly at Her Majestys Theatre in London, including Ondine, La Esmeralda, Le Judgement de Paris, and Pas de Quatre. For this ballet he not only negotiated the difficult task of persuading the four leading ballerinas of the day to appear on stage together at Her Majestys Theatre in London, nearly every ballet Perrot ever created was set to the music of Cesare Pugni. Perrot was engaged as a dancer in St. Petersburg for the Imperial Ballet and he remained with the Imperial Russian Ballet until 1858. While there, he married Capitoline Samovskaya, a pupil at the Imperial Theater School and he returned to Paris to a life of comparative leisure. Perrot died on holiday in Paramé29 August 1892
10.
Bolshoi Theatre
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The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The theatres original name was the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow, at that time, all Russian theatres were imperial property. Moscow and St. Petersburg each had two theatres, one intended for opera and ballet, and one for plays. Because opera and ballet were considered nobler than drama, the houses were named Grand Theatres. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and it is by far the worlds biggest ballet company, having more than 200 dancers. The theatre is the parent company of The Bolshoi Ballet Academy and it has a branch at the Bolshoi Theatre School in Joinville, Brazil. The main building of the theatre, rebuilt and renovated several times during its history, is a landmark of Moscow, on 28 October 2011, the Bolshoi was re-opened after an extensive six-year renovation. The official cost of the renovation is 21 billion rubles, however, other Russian authorities and other people connected to it claimed much more public money was spent. The renovation included restoring acoustics to the quality, as well as restoring the original Imperial decor of the Bolshoi. The company was founded on 28 March 1776 by Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Ouroussoff, the current theatre was built on Theatre Square between 1821 and 1824. It was designed by architect Andrei Mikhailov and it opened on 18 January 1825 as the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theatre with a performance of Fernando Sors ballet, initially, it presented only Russian works, but foreign composers entered the repertoire around 1840. On 20 August 1856 the Bolshoi Theatre reopened, other repairs of the building took place in 1896. On 7 December 1919 the house was renamed the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, only a few days later, however, on 12 December, there was an unsuccessful attempt to shut the institution down entirely. Beethoven Hall opened on 18 February 1921, there was further reconstruction of the theatre between 1921 and 1923 under the auspices of Ivan Rerberg. Bomb damage occurred during World War II, but this was promptly repaired, a new stage for the Bolshoi Theatre, called the New Stage, went into service on 29 November 2002. It was built to the left of the historic main stage. Together with auxiliary buildings — a restored 17th-century building, two halls, and artists recreation rooms — it forms a single theater complex, the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. The new building is on a hill where, until recently
11.
Ballet master
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Ballet Master is the term used for an employee of a ballet company who is responsible for the level of competence of the dancers in their company. In modern times, ballet masters are generally charged with teaching the daily company ballet class, the artistic director of a ballet company, whether a male or female, may also be called its ballet master. Historic use of marking in job titles in ballet is being supplanted by gender-neutral language job titles regardless of an employees gender identity or expression. His duties included creating ballets, dances in operas, commissioning music and it was this head ballet master who had the responsibility of the artistic directorship of a particular group of dancers or of a theatre. Jean-Baptiste Landé, Ballet master in Russia from 1733–1747, he is known as the parent of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet. Jean-Georges Noverre, Ballet master of the Stuttgart Ballet from 1760–1767, of the Wiener Hofoper in Vienna from 1768–1775, between 1758 and 1760 he published his Lettres sur la danse et les ballets. He is generally considered the creator of ballet daction, a precursor of the ballet of the 19th century. Louis Gallodier, Ballet master in Sweden from 1773–1803, he is known as the parent of the Royal Swedish Ballet, after Noverre he defended the ballet daction in the early 19th century. Salvatore Viganò, Ballet master of the Wiener Hofoper from 1799-1803, Ballet master of La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan from 1811-1821. He is considered the father of a new kind of performance called coreodramma, filippo Taglioni, Ballet master of the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm from 1803–1804 and 1817-1818. Born and trained as a dancer in his native Italy, he is today as the Father of Romantic Ballet. Also a great choreographer and teacher, he was instrumental in the training of his daughter, Jean Coralli, Ballet master of the Ballet du Théâtre de lAcadémie Royale de Musique from 1831-1850 who was born Jean Coralli Perecini in Paris of Bolognese parents. Joseph Mazilier born Giulio Mazarini, Ballet master of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1853-1859, Ballet master of the Théatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels from 1866-1867. His creations witnessed the switch of the European center of dance from Paris to Saint Petersburg with the end of the Second Empire, august Bournonville, Ballet master of the Royal Danish Ballet from 1828 to 1879 and the most prolific choreographer Denmark has ever known. Paul Taglioni, Deuxieme Maître de Ballet of the Ballet of Her Majestys Theatre from 1847–1848, Maître de Ballet en Chef of the Court Opera Ballet in Berlin from 1852-1866. Jules Perrot, Maître de Ballet en Chef of the Ballet of Her Majestys Theatre from 1843-1848, Maître de Ballet en Chef to the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1849 to 1859. Christian Johansson, Coaching ballet master/master teacher for the Russian Imperial Ballet 1880 to 1900, marius Petipa, Maître de Ballet of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1871 to 1903, Deuxieme Maître de Ballet from 1862-1871. Lev Ivanov, Deuxieme Maître de Ballet of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1885 to 1901, enrico Cecchetti, Ballet master for the celebrated Ballets Russes 1910
12.
Paris Opera
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The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of France. Classical ballet as we know it today arose within the Paris Opera as the Paris Opera Ballet and has remained an integral, small scale and contemporary works are also staged in the 500-seat Amphitheatre under the Opéra Bastille. The companys annual budget is in the order of 200 million euros, with this money, the company runs the two houses and supports a large permanent staff, which includes the orchestra of 170, a chorus of 110 and the corps de ballet of 150. Each year, the Opéra presents about 380 performances of opera, ballet and other concerts, to an audience of about 800,000 people. In the 2012/13 season, the Opéra presented 18 opera titles,13 ballets,5 symphonic concerts, the companys training bodies are also active, with 7 concerts from the Atelier Lyrique and 4 programmes from the École de Danse. The poet Pierre Perrin began thinking and writing about the possibility of French opera in 1655 and he believed that the prevailing opinion of the time that the French language was fundamentally unmusical was completely incorrect. Seventeenth-century France offered Perrin essentially two types of organization for realizing his vision, an academy or a public theater. On 28 June 1669, Louis XIV signed the Privilège accordé au Sieur Perrin pour létablissement dune Académie dOpéra en musique and he was free to select business partners of his choice and to set the price of tickets. No one was to have the right of free entry including members of the royal court, although it was to be a public theatre, it retained its status as royal academy in which the authority of the king as the primary stakeholder was decisive. The monopoly, originally intended to protect the enterprise from competition during its phase, was renewed for subsequent recipients of the privilege up to the early French Revolution. As Victoria Johnson points out, the Opera was an organization by nature so luxurious and expensive in its productions that its survival depended on financial protection. His first opera Pomone with music by Robert Cambert opened on 3 March 1671, a second work, Les peines et les plaisirs de lamour, with a libretto by Gabriel Gilbert and music by Cambert, was performed in 1672. The institution was renamed the Académie Royale de Musique and came to be known in France simply as the Opéra. Because of legal difficulties Lully could not use the Salle de la Bouteille, during Lullys tenure, the only works performed were his own. The first productions were the pastorale Les fêtes de lAmour et de Bacchus, Lully greatly desired a better theatre and persuaded the king to let him use the one at the Palais-Royal free of charge. The Théâtre du Palais-Royal had been altered in 1660 and 1671, the first production in the new theatre was Alceste on 19 January 1674. The opera was bitterly attacked by those enraged at the restrictions that Lully had caused to be placed on the French, to mitigate the damage, Louis XIV arranged for new works to be premiered at the court, usually at the Chateau Vieux of the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. This had the advantage of subsidizing the cost of rehearsals, as well as most of the machinery, sets, and costumes
13.
Ballets Russes
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The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company based in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society, after its initial Paris season, the company had no formal ties there. It also introduced European and American audiences to tales, music, the influence of the Ballets Russes lasts to the present day. The French plural form of the name, “Ballets Russes, ” specifically refers to the company founded by Sergei Diaghilev and active during his lifetime. ”To add to the confusion, some publicity material spelt the name in the singular. The names “Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo” and “The Original Ballet Russe” refer to companies that formed after Diaghilevs death in 1929, Sergei Diaghilev, the companys impresario, was chiefly responsible for its success. He was uniquely prepared for the role, born into a wealthy Russian family of vodka distillers, he was accustomed to moving in the upper-class circles that provided the companys patrons and benefactors. In 1890 he enrolled at the Faculty of Law, St. Petersburg, from childhood, Diaghilev had been passionately interested in music. His ambition to become a composer was dashed when Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov told him he had no talent, in 1898, several members of The Pickwickians founded the journal Mir iskusstva under the editorship of Diaghilev. As early as 1902, Mir iskusstva included reviews of concerts, operas, the latter were chiefly written by Alexandre Benois, who exerted considerable influence on Diaghilevs thinking. Mir iskusstva also sponsored exhibitions of Russian art in St. Petersburg and its enormous success created a Parisian fascination with all things Russian. Diaghilev organized a 1907 season of Russian music at the Paris Opéra, in 1908, Diaghilev returned to the Paris Opéra with six performances of Mussorgskys opera Boris Godunov, starring basso Fyodor Chaliapin. The performances were a sensation, though the costs of producing grand opera were crippling, in 1909, Diaghilev presented his first Paris Saison Russe devoted exclusively to ballet. Most of this company were resident performers at the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg. The first seasons featured a variety of works chiefly choreographed by Michel Fokine, including Le Pavillon dArmide, the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, Les Sylphides. The season also included Le Festin, a set by several choreographers to music by several Russian composers. The Ballets Russes was noted for the standard of its dancers, most of whom had been classically trained at the great Imperial schools in Moscow. Their high technical standards contributed a great deal to the success in Paris. The Ballets Russes was even more remarkable for raising the status of the dancer, largely ignored by choreographers
14.
Sergei Diaghilev
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Sergei Diaghilev was born to a wealthy and cultured family in Selishchi, Russia, his father, Pavel Pavlovich, was a cavalry colonel, but the familys money came mainly from vodka distilleries. After the death of Sergeis mother, his father married Elena Valerianovna Panaeva, the family lived in Perm but had an apartment in Saint Petersburg and a country estate in Bikbarda. In 1890, Sergeis parents went bankrupt, having for a time lived beyond their means. After graduating in 1892 he abandoned his dreams of composition, during his years at University, Diaghilevs cousin Dmitry Filosofov introduced him to a circle of art-loving friends who called themselves The Nevsky Pickwickians. They included Alexandre Benois, Walter Nouvel, Konstantin Somov, although not instantly received into the group, Diaghilev was aided by Benois in developing his knowledge of Russian and Western art. In two years, he had voraciously absorbed this new obsession and came to be respected as one of the most learned of the group, with financial backing from Savva Mamontov and Princess Maria Tenisheva, the group founded the journal Mir iskusstva. In 1899, Diaghilev became special assistant to Prince Sergei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky, in 1900–1901 Volkonsky entrusted Diaghilev with the staging of Léo Delibes ballet Sylvia, a favorite of Benois. The two collaborators concocted an elaborate plan that startled the established personnel of the Imperial Theatres. At the same time, some of Diaghilevs researchers hinted at his homosexuality as the cause for this conflict. However, his homosexuality had been known long before he was invited into the Imperial Theatres. In the following year he took a major exhibition of Russian art to the Petit Palais in Paris and it was the beginning of a long involvement with France. In 1907 he presented five concerts of Russian music in Paris and this led to an invitation to return the following year with ballet as well as opera, and thus to the launching of his famous Ballets Russes. The company included the best young Russian dancers, among them Anna Pavlova, Adolph Bolm, Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina and Vera Karalli, and their first night on 19 May 1909 was a sensation. During these years Diaghilevs stagings included several compositions by the late Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, such as the operas The Maid of Pskov, May Night and his choreographer Michel Fokine often adapted the music for ballet. Diaghilev also worked with dancer and ballet master Léonide Massine, the artistic director for the Ballets Russes was Léon Bakst. Together they developed a complicated form of ballet with show-elements intended to appeal to the general public. The exotic appeal of the Ballets Russes had an effect on Fauvist painters, coco Chanel is said to have stated that Diaghilev invented Russia for foreigners. Perhaps Diaghilevs most notable composer-collaborator, however, was Igor Stravinsky, Diaghilev heard Stravinskys early orchestral works Fireworks and Scherzo fantastique, and was impressed enough to ask Stravinsky to arrange some pieces by Chopin for the Ballets Russes
15.
George Balanchine
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Styled as the father of American ballet, he co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its Artistic Director for more than 35 years. He was a known for his musicality, he expressed music with dance. Balanchine was invited to America in 1933 by an arts patron named Lincoln Kirstein. Along with Kirstein, Balanchine also co-founded the New York City Ballet, the rest of Balanchines Georgian side of the family comprised largely artists and soldiers. Little is known of Balanchines Russian, maternal side and his mother, Melitons second wife, Maria Nikolayevna Vasilyeva, was fond of ballet and viewed it as a form of social advancement from her lower reaches of the St. Petersburg society. She was eleven years younger than Meliton and rumored to have been his former housekeeper, as a child, Balanchine was not particularly interested in ballet, but his mother insisted that young Giorgi audition with his sister Tamara, who shared her mothers interest in the art. Georges brother Andria Balanchivadze instead followed his fathers love for music, tamaras career, on the other hand, was cut short by her death in unknown circumstances as she was trying to escape on a train from besieged Leningrad to Georgia. After graduating in 1921, Balanchine enrolled in the Petrograd Conservatory while working in the corps de ballet at the State Academic Theater for Opera and his studies at the conservatory included advanced piano, music theory, counterpoint, harmony, and composition. Balanchine graduated from the conservatory during 1923, and danced as a member of the corps until 1924, while still in his teens, Balanchine choreographed his first work, a pas de deux named La Nuit. This was followed by duet, Enigma, with the dancers in bare feet rather than ballet shoes. During 1923, with dancers, Balanchine formed a small ensemble. At this time, the impresario Sergei Diaghilev invited Balanchine to join the Ballets Russes as a choreographer, Diaghilev soon promoted Balanchine to ballet master of the company and encouraged his choreography. Between 1924 and Diaghilevs death in 1929, Balanchine created nine ballets and he described it as the turning point in my life. Apollo is regarded as the original neoclassical ballet, apollo brought the male dancer to the forefront, giving him two solos within the ballet. Apollo is known for its minimalism, utilizing simple costumes and sets and this allowed the audience not to be distracted from the movement. Balanchine considered music to be the influence on choreography, as opposed to the narrative. Suffering a serious injury, Balanchine had to limit his dancing. After Diaghilevs death, the Ballets Russes went bankrupt, to earn money, Balanchine began to stage dances for Charles B
16.
New York City Ballet
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New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Léon Barzin was the companys first music director, Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. In a 1946 letter, Kirstein stated, The only justification I have is to enable Balanchine to do exactly what he wants to do in the way he wants to do it. He served as the companys General Director from 1946 to 1989, developing and sustaining it by his organizational, the company was named New York City Ballet in 1948 when it became resident at City Center of Music and Drama. Its success was marked by its move to the New York State Theater, now David H. Koch Theater, the School of American Ballet, which Balanchine founded, is the training school of City Ballet. After the companys move to the State Theater, Balanchines creativity as a choreographer flourished and he created works that were the basis of the companys repertory until his death in 1983. His vision influenced dance both across the United States and in Europe and he worked closely with choreographer Jerome Robbins, who resumed his connection with the company in 1969 after having produced works for Broadway. City Ballet has performed The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, City Ballet has trained and developed many great dancers since its formation. Also, many dancers with already developed reputations have joined City Ballet as principal dancers, the performance was repeated in 1968. In 1972 Balanchine offered a tribute to the composer, his great collaborator. Balanchine created Symphony in Three Movements, Duo Concertant, and Violin Concerto for the occasion and he and Robbins co-choreographed and performed in Pulcinella. Balanchine had produced an earlier Stravinsky festival in 1937 as balletmaster of the American Ballet while engaged by the Metropolitan Opera, the composer conducted the April 27th premiere of Card Party. In 1975 Balanchine paid his respects to the French composer Maurice Ravel with a two-week Hommage à Ravel, Balanchine, Robbins, Jacques dAmboise, and Taras made sixteen new ballets for the occasion. Repertory ballets were performed as well, high points included Balanchines Le Tombeau de Couperin and Robbins Mother Goose. In 1981 Balanchine planned a two-week NYCB festival honoring the Russian composer Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky, Balanchine, Joseph Duell, dAmboise, Peter Martins, Robbins, and Taras created twelve new dances. In addition to presenting these and repertory ballets, Balanchine re-choreographed his Mozartiana from 1933, Philip Johnson and John Burgees stage setting of translucent tubing was designed to be hung and lit in different architectural configurations throughout the entire festival. In 1982 Balanchine organized a celebration in honor of his long-time collaborator Igor Stravinsky. Balanchine made three new ballets, Tango, Élégie, and Persephone, and a new version of Variations, the choreographer died the following year
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Mariinsky Ballet
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The Mariinsky Ballet is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, internationally, the Mariinsky Ballet continues to be known by its former Soviet name the Kirov Ballet. The Mariinsky Ballet is the parent company of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, the Mariinsky Ballet was founded in the 1740s, following the formation of the first Russian dance school in 1738. The Imperial Theatre School as it was known, was established on 4 May 1738. It would become the predecessor of todays Vaganova Ballet Academy, the schools founder director was the French ballet master and teacher Jean-Baptiste Landé and the purpose of creating the school was to train young dancers to form the first Russian ballet company. The first group of students included twelve boys and twelve girls, following the Russian Revolution, the Soviet government decided that the ballet school and company were unwanted symbols of the tsarist regime and went on to close them both. Following the assassination of the Bolshevik revolutionary Sergey Kirov in 1934, the then Soviet Ballet was renamed the Kirov Ballet, a name which is still sometimes incorrectly used. Despite later name changes and pressures of the Russian revolution, the present day Mariinsky Ballet is still linked to the school, the Mariinsky Ballet is today recognised as one of the worlds greatest ballet companies, employing over 200 dancers, including a reserve troupe and character artists. The Director of the Mariinsky Ballet is Yuri Fateyev, gergiev also serves as Director of the opera company. The two companies operate as separate units, the basis of the Mariinsky Ballet consists of the following artists, For a number of years, Marius Petipa was the ballet master of the Imperial Russian Ballet. NY Times article by Lawrence van Gelder, March 25,2008 Kennedy Center, Information about Mariinsky Ballet accessed 4 October 2008
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Bolshoi Ballet
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The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russian Federation. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the worlds oldest ballet companies and it only achieved worldwide acclaim, however, in the early 20th century when Moscow became the capital of Soviet Russia. Along with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg, the Bolshoi is recognised as one of the foremost ballet companies in the world, the earliest origins of the Bolshoi Ballet, can be found in the creation of a dance school for a Moscow orphanage in 1773. In 1776, dancers from the school were employed by Prince Pyotr Vasilyevich Ouroussoff, originally performing in privately owned venues, they later acquired the Petrovsky Theatre, which, as a result of fires and erratic redevelopment, would later be rebuilt as todays Bolshoi Theatre. The Bolshoi Ballet is a hard place to get into. The first American ballet dancer to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and to join the Bolshoi Ballet company, was Michael Shannon, the Soviet leaderships preference for uncomplicated moral themes in the arts was demonstrated in Yuri Grigorovichs appointment as director in 1964. Anastasia Volochkova has claimed that female dancers were forced to sleep with wealthy patrons and she said, “It mainly happened with the corps du ballet but also with the soloists. I repeatedly received such propositions to share the beds of oligarchs, American dancer Joy Womack echoed this concern when she left the company because she was told that, to secure solo roles she must either pay $10,000 or start a relationship with a sponsor. Reasons for the attack again include corruption within the company, andrei Anikhanov Yuri Fayer Algis Shuraitis Today the Bolshoi Ballet remains one of the worlds foremost ballet companies, as well as being the largest, with approximately 220 dancers. Indeed, the very name means big or grand in Russian. Due to its size, the company operates two troupes of corps de ballet, in 2000, the Bolshoi Ballet opened its first Ballet Academy outside Russia, in Joinville, Brazil. The performance style of the Bolshoi Ballet is typically identified as being colourful and bold, combining technique and athleticism with expressiveness and this style is commonly attributed to Gorsky. The Bolshoi has a rivalry with St. Petersburg heritage ballet company. Both have developed very different performing styles, the Bolshoi has a colourful and bold approach, whereas the Mariinsky is associated with pure. Female Male It was announced 30 January 2013, that Svetlana Lunkina told the Russian newspaper Izvestia that she wants to remain in Canada, the Bolshoi Ballet operates two troupes of corps de ballet, with approximately 120 dancers in total. The Corps de Ballet is known for its precise Vaganova technique
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Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet
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The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet is a school of classical ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 1957, the school was renamed in honor of the renowned pedagogue Agrippina Vaganova, the Vaganova Academy is the associate school of the Mariinsky Ballet, one of the worlds leading ballet companies. Students of the school have found employment with ballet and contemporary companies worldwide, such as the Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and the Mikhailovsky Ballet. The school was established as the Imperial Theatrical School by decree of the Empress Anna on 4 May 1738 with the French Ballet Master Jean-Baptiste Lande as its director. The first classes occupied empty rooms in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, the purpose of the school was to form Russias first professional dance company, which led to the formation of the Imperial Russian Ballet, the school becoming known as the Imperial Ballet School. The Imperial Russian Ballet is the predecessor of todays Mariinsky Ballet. Nearly all the teachers at the school were from Western Europe, including Franz Hilferding. The first Russian teacher to join the school was Ivan Valberg, since 1836, the school has been situated at 2 Rossi Street in St. Petersburg, which was renamed Leningrad after Vladimir Lenins death in 1924. The Imperial Ballet School was dissolved by the new Soviet government, the Imperial Russian Ballet was also dissolved and re-established as the Soviet Ballet. The company was renamed the Kirov Ballet following the assassination of Sergey Kirov in 1938. Agrippina Vaganova brought perhaps the most important developments in modern Russian Ballet and she graduated from the Imperial Ballet School in 1897 and danced with the Imperial Ballet, retiring from the stage early to pursue her teaching career following the Revolution. Vaganovas students would become some of the most famous dancers of all time, and in recognition of her achievements. There are a number of variations in the name of the school, the Vaganova academy which some consider the source of modern ballet is now over 275 years old. The Academy has over 300 students, as in other similar institutions, competition for a place at the school is very fierce, with over 3,000 children auditioning each year,300 of these being from St. Petersburg. Approximately 60 students are selected annually, with some 25 eventually graduating from the school having completed the course of training. The school employs approximately 75 dance teachers,30 piano teachers,40 academic teachers and 40 accompanists, the Rector of the academy is Nikolay Tsiskaridze and the Artistic Director is Zhanna Ayupova. Auditions for the school begin in June, and children must be at least 10 years old to apply, the audition process is divided into three sections. Aptitude, to assess the candidates proportions, height of jump, degree of turnout, as they progress through the school, the programme becomes more intensive, with new subjects being added to the curriculum as the students become more advanced
20.
Mikhailovsky Theatre
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The Mikhailovsky Theatre is one of Russias oldest opera and ballet houses. It was founded in 1833 and is situated in a building on the Arts Square in St. Petersburg. It is named after Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia, the theatre was established in 1833 by decree of Tsar Nicholas I. Before the 1917 Revolution, the Mikhailovsky did not have its own resident company, performances were given either by a French company, hired by the Russian Imperial Theatres or at the end of the century by the Mariinsky Theatre and Alexandrinsky Theatre companies. Both classical and contemporary authors and composers had their works produced to great acclaim in French, when the Bolsheviks took power, the French company was forced to leave Russia. In 1917 the Mikhailovsky Theatre was closed, on March 6,1918 the theatre was reopened as an opera theatre. Shortly afterwards the Mikhailovsky started changing its names, in 1918-1920, it was called the Ex-Mikhailovsky Theatre. In 1920 it was renamed to the State Academic Comic Opera Theatre, in 1926 it got the name of the Leningrad State Academic Maly Opera Theatre, MALEGOT for short. In 1920-1930 the Maly Operny established itself as one of the experimental stages in Russian new musical theatre. In 1930s Russian choreographer Fyodor Lopukhov founded the company of the theatre. The first ballet premiere, Harlequinade, choreographed by Lopukhov, took place on June 6,1933, from 1989 to 2007 the theatre bore the name of Modest Mussorgsky, subsequently returning to its original name the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In what was seen as a move, in 2007 the Russian businessman Vladimir Kekhman was appointed as General Director of the Theatre. In 2007, Obraztsova was appointed director of the Mikhailovsky Opera. However Obraztsova resigned in 2008, and Ruzimatov - in 2009, from 2009 both Obraztsova and Ruzimatov held a seat on the Artistic Committee of the theatre, while Peter Feranec was the theatres music director in 2009 -2011. Mikhail Messerer is currently ballet master in chief of the Mikhailovsky Theatre, from 2012 till present time Mikhail Tatarnikov is the theatre’s music director. In 2011 -2013 Nacho Duato held the position of the Mikhailovsky Ballets artistic director, several of Duato ballets received their world premieres at the theatre, including Nunc Dimittis, Prelude, The Sleeping Beauty, Invisible. In 2009 -2015, Mikhail Messerer staged for the Mikhailovsky numerous ballets, including Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Flames of Paris, Laurencia, Le Corsaire, Class Concert. The Ballet Company of the Mikhailovsky Theatre made its London debut in July 2008 on the London Coliseum stage arranged by the British ex-dancer Gavin Roebuck
21.
Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre
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The Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre is an opera and ballet theatre in the city of Perm in Russia. It is one of the oldest theatres in the country, and it has remained a major centre during its history. Its ballet troupe is one of the most popular in Russia, the theatre is often named Tchaikovskys House, and all stage works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who was born in the region, are presented in its repertoire,10 operas and 3 ballets. Festivals of Tchaikovskys works were notable events of the country. The theatre was inaugurated on 24 November 1870 with the performance being Mikhail Glinkas A Life for the Tsar. The building was constructed from 1874 to 1879, after which the first performance took place in the winter of 1879/1880, at the time, the general manager was the later famous entrepreneur P. P. A new epoch in the history of the started in 1896. It received the patronage of the city parliament, which decided to finance the theatre, a board of directors was elected for managing the theatre and inviting the artists. Aida was the first presentation with the assistance of the city, the first season after the end of the Civil War opened on 20 August 1921. Among the performances were Demon, Faust, Aida, Eugine Onegin, Boris Godunov, Rigoletto, Perm had become one of the major operatic centers of Russia by the end of the 1920s. During World War II, when the Leningrad State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet evacuated its personnel to the city, the artists from Leningrad had worked in Perm for three winters and two summers. In 1956, the Perm theatre was renamed in honor of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the theatre was awarded the National Glinka Award for the performance of Sergei Prokofievs War and Peace in 1984. Five operas based on Pushkins works were presented during the 200th anniversary year of the poet, there is a good tradition of collaboration with directors and choreographers from Germany, United States, Spain, and Switzerland on the Perm stage. For many decades the theatre has been the site for many artists who are famous far away from Russia. Many stars of Moscow and Saint Petersburg theatres and other theatres of the world have begun their careers in the Perm theatre. Among those artists are, Galina Ragozina-Panova, Lubov Kunakova, Nadegda Pavlova, Olga Chenchikova, Marat Daukaev, Yuri Petuhov, Galina Shalyapina, Svetlana Smirnova, arabesque is a ballet competition headed by Vladimir Vasiliev which has taken place in Perm since 1990. International festivals known as the Diaghilev Seasons, Perm-Petersburg-Paris have become some of the most visible events in the life of Russia. The festival has taken place in the theatre two years since 2003
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Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre
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The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre is one of the most important theatres in Novosibirsk and Siberia. It is located at the center of Novosibirsk at Lenin square, the building was completed in February 1944, and the first performance was held on 12 May 1945. As of 2012, it is the largest theatre in Russia, after its renovation in 2005 with computerized stage equipment, at the time it became the most technically advanced in Russia. The total area of the building is 11,837 m2, the theatre is often called the Siberian Coliseum because of its size and beauty. The auditorium seats more than 1,790 spectators and its upper gallery is decorated with copies of antique Greek statues. The principal construction of the building is the big dome. The dome is a construction that supports itself without girders or columns. The ratio of its thickness to its radius is less than that of a chickens egg, in front of the dome there is a large foyer, while behind it there is a 30-metre deep stage with bars rising up to 30 metres above. Official website Photos of theater History of the project in photographs History of the construction in photographs
23.
Agrippina Vaganova
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It was Vaganova who perfected and cultivated this form of teaching the art of classical ballet into a workable syllabus. Her Fundamentals of the Classical Dance remains a standard textbook for the instruction of ballet technique and her technique is one of the most popular techniques today. Vaganova was born in Saint Petersburg to Akop Vaganov, an Armenian from Astrakhan, who worked as an usher at the Mariinsky Theatre, vaganovas whole life was connected with the Imperial Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. She was accepted into the Imperial Ballet School in 1888, the institution of classical dance founded by Anna of Russia. She graduated from the Classe de Perfection of the former Prima Ballerina Eugeniia Sokolova, by the time she attained the rank of soloist, Saint Petersburg balletomanes dubbed her queen of variations, for her unlimited virtuosity and level of technique. The old Maestro Petipa cared little for Vaganova as a dancer – any mention of her performances in his diaries were usually followed by such comments as awful or dreadful. In 1915 the Ballet Master Nikolai Legat cast Vaganova as the Goddess Niriti in his revival of Petipas 1889 grand ballet The Talisman, vaganovas portrayal was a great success, and won her promotion to the rank of Prima. Nevertheless, she chose to retire one year later to concentrate on teaching and she started to teach ballet in 1918 at the School of the Baltic Fleet which was founded and led by Akim Volynsky. In 1921 Vaganova began teaching at the Choreographic College, so at that time was called the former Imperial Theater School situated on Rossi street. Though she did have a career as a dancer, her leadership in teaching classical dance was what gave her one of the most respected places in the history of ballet. Her own early struggle with deciphering ballet technique had taught her much and she taught students who would go on to become legends of the dance. After the Revolution of 1917 the future of ballet in Russia looked grim because of its tradition as court entertainment, Vaganova fought tooth and nail, as she put it, for the preservation of the legacy of Marius Petipa and the Imperial Ballet. From 1931 to 1937 she was a director of the ballet of the Leningrad Opera. In 1933, she staged the classical version of Swan Lake by Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa with Galina Ulanova as Odette, Olga Jordan as Odile, in 1935 she revived La Esmeralda partly with her own choreography. In 1934 she published her famous book Fundamentals of Classical Dance, the same year Vaganova initiated the establishing at the Leningrad Conservatory of pedagogic department for training of future ballet teachers which she began to manage. There, some of her dance school alumnus became her students, most important names for the dance teaching are Vera Kostrovitskaya, Nadezhda Bazarova and Varvara P. Mey. Her last school graduation was in 1951 — not long before her death and she also taught the class of perfection for the female dancers of the Kirov Ballet for many years till 1951, when Natalia Dudinskaya succeed her as teacher. List of Russian ballet dancers Agrippina Vaganova at Find a Grave The Ballerina Gallery – Agrippina Vaganova
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Anna Pavlova
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Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, Pavlova is most recognized for the creation of the role The Dying Swan and, with her own company, became the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world. Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was born on February 12,1881 in Ligovo, Saint Petersburg and her mother, Lyubov Feodorovna, was a laundress. When she was three years old her mother married Matvey Pavlov, who adopted her and gave her his surname. Pavlovas passion for the art of ballet was ignited when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipas original production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Imperial Maryinsky Theater, the lavish spectacle made an impression on Pavlova. When she was nine, her mother took her to audition for the renowned Imperial Ballet School, because of her youth, and what was considered her sickly appearance, she was rejected, but at age 10 in 1891 she was accepted. She appeared for the first time on stage in Marius Petipas Un conte de fées, young Pavlovas years of training were difficult. Classical ballet did not come easily to her and her severely arched feet, thin ankles, and long limbs clashed with the small, compact body favoured for the ballerina of the time. Her fellow students taunted her with such nicknames as The broom, undeterred, Pavlova trained to improve her technique. She would practice and practice after learning a step, in 1898, she entered the classe de perfection of Ekaterina Vazem, former Prima ballerina of the Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatres. During her final year at the Imperial Ballet School, she performed roles with the principal company. She graduated in 1899 at age 18, chosen to enter the Imperial Ballet a rank ahead of corps de ballet as a coryphée and she made her official début at the Mariinsky Theatre in Pavel Gerdts Les Dryades prétendues. Her performance drew praise from the critics, particularly the great critic, such a style in many ways harked back to the time of the romantic ballet and the great ballerinas of old. Pavlova performed in various variations, pas de deux and pas de trois in such ballets as La Camargo, Le Roi Candaule, Marcobomba. She tried desperately to imitate the renowned Pierina Legnani, Prima ballerina assoluta of the Imperial Theaters, once during class she attempted Legnanis famous fouettés, causing her teacher Pavel Gerdt to fly into a rage. It is positively more than I can bear to see the pressure such steps put on your delicate muscles, I beg you to never again try to imitate those who are physically stronger than you. You must realize that your daintiness and fragility are your greatest assets and you should always do the kind of dancing which brings out your own rare qualities instead of trying to win praise by mere acrobatic tricks. Pavlova rose through the ranks quickly, becoming a favorite of the old maestro Petipa and it was from Petipa himself that Pavlova learned the title role in Paquita, Princess Aspicia in The Pharaohs Daughter, Queen Nisia in Le Roi Candaule, and Giselle
25.
Nina Ananiashvili
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Nina Ananiashvili is a Georgian ballerina and artistic director of the State Ballet of Georgia. She has been described by the Daily Telegraph as one of the twelve greatest ballerinas of all time, Ananiashvili has been a prominent fixture of the Soviet, Russian and Georgian ballet scene for decades. In 2014, a film of her 1991 performance in Giselle with the Bolshoi ballet was released, Nina Gedevanovna Ananiashvili was born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR. Her father, Gedevan, and two brothers, George and Levan, were all geologists, her mother, Lia Gogolashvili. She was a child and at the age of 4. At 10, she became champion in her age group in Georgia, a dance teacher saw how she moved on the ice – in particular her balance and how she used her arms – and had her perform The Dying Swan on skates. Then the teacher took Nina to a theatre and showed her the costume she could wear if she performed it on stage, just like Maya Plisetskaya. In 1969, Ananiashvili entered the Georgia State Choreographic Institute, tamara Vykhodtseva was her first teacher there. The great Vakhtang Chabukiani also took little Nina under his wing and her progress was so impressive that it drew the attention of teachers from the Moscow Choreographic Institute, who convinced her parents to allow Nina to continue her studies there. In 1976 she entered the Moscow Choreographic Institute where her teacher was Natalia Zolotova. In 1980, she made her debut in a school production of Copula. She graduated and entered the Bolshoi Theater in 1981. At the Bolshoi Theatre, Nina was taught by two of the greatest teachers in the Soviet Union, Raisa Struchkova and Marina Semenova. In 1982, although still a member, she danced her first principal role with the company, as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. Eventually she rose to become a prima ballerina and she, along with Andris Liepa, was the first Soviet dancer to appear as a guest performer with the New York City Ballet in 1988. In subsequent years, Nina Ananiashvili became a ballet superstar. In 1986, after a long interval caused by a strain in international relations, ananiashvili’s London performance of Raymonda was greeted with delight by both the public and the critics. That year was a point in her career. She was permitted to accept guest performances outside the Soviet Union since 1986 due to the policies of Mikhail Gorbachev and she became a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre in 1993, and in 1999 she joined the Houston Ballet with that same rank
26.
Altynai Asylmuratova
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Altynai Abduahimovna Asylmuratova is a former Kazakhstani-Russian prima ballerina with the Kirov Ballet/Mariinsky Theatre and a guest artist all over the world. Asylmuratova was born in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan into a family of dancers, the family relocated to St Petersburg so Asylmuratova could attend the Vaganova Choreographic Institute. After graduation from the class of Inna Zubkovskaya, she joined the Kirov Ballet in 1978, after four years in the corps de ballet, she was promoted to principal dancer in 1982. Asylmuratova became if anything more popular in Western theaters than her home due to her frequent guest appearances abroad. She was much admired both for her looks and the beauty of her dancing and she is married to fellow Mariinsky dancer Konstantin Zaklinsky and together they have a daughter, Anastasia Zaklinskaya, who is now a dancer in the Mariinsky Ballet. Her most frequent ballet partner was Farouk Ruzimatov, videos of her dancing in Le Corsaire, La Bayadère, Les Sylphides, and The Sleeping Beauty are available. In addition, Asylmuratova was the subject of a 1982 documentary Backstage at the Kirov which followed her as she prepared to dance the lead in Swan Lake, in 2000 she was appointed artistic director of the Vaganova Choreographic Institute. She retired from dancing soon afterwards, to all her energy on the Vaganova Academy
27.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov, nicknamed Misha, is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor. He is often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev and Vladimir Vasiliev as one of the greatest ballet dancers in history, after a promising start in the Mariinsky Ballet in Leningrad, Mikhail Baryshnikov defected to Canada in 1974 for more opportunities in western dance. After freelancing with many companies, he joined the New York City Ballet as a dancer to learn George Balanchines style of movement. He then danced with the American Ballet Theatre, where he became artistic director. Mikhail Baryshnikov has spearheaded many of his own projects and has been associated in particular with promoting modern dance, premiering dozens of new works. His success as an actor on stage, cinema and television has helped him become probably the most widely recognized contemporary ballet dancer. In 1977, he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and he also had a significant role in the last season of the television series Sex and the City and starred in the movie White Nights with Gregory Hines. Mikhail Baryshnikov was born in Riga, then Latvian SSR, Soviet Union and his parents were Russians, Alexandra and Nikolay Baryshnikov. Baryshnikov began his studies in Riga in 1960, at the age of 11. In 1964, he entered the Vaganova School, in what was then in Leningrad, Baryshnikov soon won the top prize in the junior division of the Varna International Ballet Competition. He joined the Mariinsky Ballet, which was called the Kirov Ballet, in 1967. Baryshnikov made signature roles of Jakobsons 1969 virtuosic Vestris along with an intensely emotional Albrecht in Giselle, while still in the Soviet Union, he was called by New York Times critic Clive Barnes the most perfect dancer I have ever seen. On June 29,1974, while on tour in Canada with the Mariinsky Ballet, Mikhail Baryshnikov defected, requesting asylum in Toronto. He also announced to the world he would not go back to the USSR. He later stated that Christina Berlin, an American friend of his and his first televised performance after coming out of temporary seclusion in Canada was with the National Ballet of Canada in La Sylphide. He then went on to the United States, in December 1975, he and his dance partner Natalia Makarova featured prominently in an episode of the BBC television series Arena. From 1974 to 1978, Mikhail Baryshnikov was a dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. Mikhail Baryshnikov performed with the New York City Ballet as a dancer for 15 months from 1978 to 1979
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Natalia Bessmertnova
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Natalia Igorevna Bessmertnova was a Soviet prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet and a Peoples Artist of the USSR. She was born in Moscow in 1941 and trained at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography from 1953 to 1961, among her teachers were Maria Kozhukhova and Sofia Golovkina, and later Marina Semyonova. She graduated in 1961 as the first student in the schools history receiving A+ in the final examinations, in 1963 she joined the Bolshoi Ballet and was its prima ballerina for three decades. She was married to Yuri Grigorovich, former Director and Chief choreographer of the Bolshoi, when Yury Grigorovich was forced to leave the Bolshoi in 1995, she took part in a historic strike which led to cancellations of scheduled performances. Bessmertnova died in Moscow on 19 February 2008, aged 66 and her sister Tatyana was also a ballet dancer. The Anna Pavlova Prize in Paris 1970, USSR State Prize and Lenin Prize. Peoples Artist of the USSR in 1976
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Vakhtang Chabukiani
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Vakhtang Mikheilis dze Chabukiani was a Georgian ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher highly regarded in his native country as well as abroad. This includes such famous ballets as Le Corsaire and La Bayadère and he is also noted for his and Vladimir Ponomaryovs 1941 revival of the ballet La Bayadère for the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet, which is still retained in the companys repertory. This version of the ballet has served as the basis for every production staged outside of Russia, including Rudolf Nureyev. Born in Tbilisi to a Georgian father and a Latvian mother and he continued his studies at the Leningrad Choreographic School between 1926 and 1929. He debuted at the Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Leningrad in 1929, and toured with the first Soviet ballets in Italy, vaghtang quickly established himself as a skillful artist, remaining a leading soloist with the Kirov Theatre. In 1920, the dancer and choreographer Mikhail Mordkin took over as director and it was not until Vakhtang Chabukiani came along, however, in the 1930s that classical ballet become truly Georgian in character. Heroism and romanticism were characteristics of Chabukianis style both as dancer and choreographer and this said, he also regularly challenged the refined delicacy of ballet and gave male dancers an active leading role in the work. Ultimately, he combined classic ballet with Georgian folk-dance traditions to create a form of dance that is uniquely Georgian, on 16 May 1930 Chabukiani performed as Siegfried in Tchaikovskys Swan Lake. His performance of Ludwig Minkuss Don Quixote on 16 November 1930 led to his known and loved not only in Leningrad. When one of the greatest Russian tenor Leonid Sobinov first saw him, he exclaimed, the Soviet press wrote, Chabukiani was born with dance in his blood and probably returned some of his back to the dance. His courageous appearance, explosive temperament, power and frankly virtuosic dancing, symbolizing the heroic origin, was expected by the Soviet ballet. The dancer did not fade into the background of partners as if caus all-comers competition, reveled in freedom, soar in flights-jumps, in mad, in her book Soviet Ballet 1945 the famous English writer and journalist Iris Morley wrote. Trying to describe this unusual and magnificent dancer, experienced the same difficulty and he is both a great classical dancer, the heir to all the traditions of Leningrad, and the embodiment of the rich folklore of his native Georgia. Before his American tour, Chabukiani and his partner Tatyana Vecheslova gave concerts in Latvia and Estonia, in 1938 the Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet performed Chabukianis own ballet The Heart of the Mountains, to music by Andria Balanchivadze. In 1939, Chabukiani composed the ballet Laurencia based on the play Fuente Ovejuna by Lope de Vega, in this performance, Chabukiani attempted to combine the principles choreodramy and virtuosic classical dance. When the reporter asked Maya Plisetskaya, what marked the beginning of the Soviet ballet, she answered, in 1939 fascist Germany attacked Poland. The Soviet Union supported Germany and took part in annexation of Poland, the countries of Europe and the USA refused to help Poland. The government of the USSR demanded the works supporting policy of the USSR, the ballet Taras Bulba became such work
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Natalia Dudinskaya
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Natalia Mikhailovna Dudinskaya was a Russian prima ballerina who dominated the Kirov Ballet from the 1930s through the 1950s. Dudinskayas mother was Natalia Tagliori, a ballerina coached by Enrico Cecchetti, trained by Agrippina Vaganova, Dudinskaya matriculated from her school in 1931. She danced all the leads at the Kirov Theatre including the starring role in Cinderella. She later originated leading roles in Boris Asafyevs Flames of Paris and she was best known in Bayadere, Don Quixote and in the title role of Laurencia, which she originated. Frail health forced her to retire in 1961 and she did, however dance in her husbands 1964 film version of Sleeping Beauty in the role of Carabosse. During her career, she received the total of four Stalin Prizes, in 1957, she was named a Peoples Artist of the USSR. Upon her retirement, Dudinskaya became the mistress of the Kirov Ballet. After Nureyevs defection to the West in 1961, she and her husband and they ultimately lost their company positions after the defection of Natalia Makarova in 1970 but Dudinskaya continued to teach up and coming dancers. Anastasia Volochkova and Ulyana Lopatkina were among the last ballerinas coached by her and she died in 2003 at the age of 90
31.
Michel Fokine
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Michael Fokine was a groundbreaking Russian choreographer and dancer. Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg, as son of a prosperous, middle-class merchant and at the age of 9, in that same year, he also made his performing debut in the ballet The Talisman under the direction of Marius Petipa. In 1898, on his 18th birthday, he debuted on the stage of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Paquita, along with being a talented dancer, Fokine also had a passion for painting and displayed great talent in this area as well. He also played instruments, mandolin, domra and balalaika Becoming frustrated with the life of a dancer. In 1902 however, he was offered a position at The Imperial Ballet School. It was here that he was able to explore the possibilities of choreography. Among his students were Desha Delteil and Bronislava Nijinska, in 1905 he created his first full-length ballet, Acis et Galatée, which was performed by his students and based on an ancient Sicilian legend. Fokine aspired to move beyond stereotypical ballet traditions, virtuoso ballet techniques to him were not an end in themselves, but a means of expression. He also believed many of the ballets of his time used costuming. Therefore, Fokine sought to strip ballets of their artificial miming, Fokine studied Greek and Egyptian art, including vase-painting and sculpture, which aided the development of his themes. In addition, as a choreographer, he initiated a reform that took out of their pointe shoes and also experimented with a freer use of the arms. He presented his reformist ideas to the management of the Imperial theatre, one such request was to have his dancers perform barefoot in his 1907 ballet Eunice. Since his request was denied, Fokine had toes painted on the dancers tights so they would appear to be barefoot. Some of his works include the ballet Acis and Galatea and The Dying Swan. Acis and Galetea included a dance with young boys playing fauns. Fokine later featured Nijinsky in a number of ballets, including Chopiniana, in 1909, Sergei Diaghilev invited Fokine to become the resident choreographer of the first season of the Ballets Russes in Paris. Fokines years with Ballets Russes were successful, collaborating with artists to create a ballet of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakovs Scheherazade which premiered in 1910. This ballet was inspired by symphonic poems composed by Rimsky-Korsakov and ancient tales of 1001 nights also known as the Arabian nights, the spectacular sets designed by Léon Bakst matched the sexually charged choreography
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Yekaterina Geltzer
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Yekaterina Vasilyevna Geltzer was a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet who danced in the theatre from 1898 to 1935. She is the daughter of the famous Russian dancer Vasily Geltzer and she worked with Marius Petipa, Sergei Diaghilev, and Reinhold Glière. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, she helped to preserve the art of ballet in Russia and she was the first ballet dancer to receive the title of Peoples Artist of Russia. Her most famous role was a Chinese dancer in the premiere of Glieres Red Poppy. This production was staged by her husband Vasily Tikhomirov for her 50th birthday, in 1943, she was awarded a Stalin Prize and also received an Order of Lenin and an Order of the Red Banner of Labour. After the divorce Yekaterina Geltzer and Vasily Tikhomirov remained onstage partners, once backstage at the Bolshoi Theatre, and well past the age of 60, Geltzer was heard telling her colleagues help me get myself up en pointe, after that I know what to do
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Elizaveta Gerdt
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Elizaveta Pavlovna Gerdt was a Russian dancer and teacher whose career links the Russian imperial and Soviet schools of classical dance. A daughter of celebrated dancer Paul Gerdt, she studied under Michel Fokine at the Imperial Ballet School and she married another popular danseur, Samuil Adrianov, who danced with Pierina Legnani and Mathilde Kschessinska, two ballerinas she sought to emulate. After the Russian Revolution Elizaveta Gerdt and Olga Spesivtseva were the only world-class dancers who chose to remain in Russia, in 1928, after 20 years of dancing, she resolved to abandon the stage and devote herself to teaching. She taught the class of perfection for the dancers in the Leningrad Opera. Then she moved from Leningrad to Moscow, there she taught the class for the female dancers at the Bolshoi Theatre, coaching ballerinas of the Bolshoi Ballet and also worked at the Moscow Ballet School. Among her students were Alla Shelest, Irina Tikhomirnova, Maya Plisetskaya, Violetta Bovt, Mira Redina, Raisa Struchkova, with some of them she continued to collaborate at the theatre. Thus she coached Sulamith Messerer and later her niece Maya Plisetskaya
34.
Alexander Alexeyevich Gorsky
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Alexander Gorsky, a Russian ballet choreographer and a contemporary of Marius Petipa, is known for restaging Petipa’s classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker. Gorsky “sought greater naturalism, realism, and characterization” in ballet and he valued acting skills over bravura technique His interpretations of ballets were often controversial and he often used artists outside the dance world to create sets and costumes. The Russian ballet choreographer Alexander Gorsky was born August 6,1871 outside of St. Petersburg, when he turned eight his parents hoped to send him to the School of Commerce and his sister to the Imperial Ballet School both in St. Petersburg. After being accepted to the School of Commerce he went along with his sister to the Imperial School of Ballet, officials of the school insisted he also be a student there as well as his sister. His parents accepted and Alexander became a student at the Imperial Ballet School Gorsky was taught by Platon K. Karsavin, upon graduation of the ballet school he joined the company and moved up in rank from corps de ballet, coryphée, to solo dancer. He danced roles in La Fille mal gardée, the La Flûte magique, in 1895 Alexander Gorsky developed a friendship with V. I. Stepanov who was creating a system of dance notation, upon Stepanov’s death Gorsky perfected Stepanovs system and was later appointed to teach it to students of the Imperial Ballet School. Stepanovs system was utilized by the Imperial Ballet to document much of the companys repertory, today this cache of notation is included in the Sergeyev Collection. What was meant to be a move became permanent. The school was creating many talented students but the company was in decline, Gorsky was named Premier Maître de Ballet of the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre. In his teaching he used “ free dance movements in contrast to the academic and he was inspired by Isadora Duncan who was famous for rejecting ballet and believed dance should be a natural expression of the soul. He was also inspired by Konstantin Stanislavskis system of acting, Alexander Gorsky choreographed, restaged, and revived many ballets. He created many of his own ballets but it was his restaging of Marius Petipa’s ballets that have become well known. Some say he paved the way for Michel Fokine’s work Some of Gorsky’s ballets were Gudule’s Daughter, Salammbo, Etudes, Dances of the Nations, Eunice and Petronius, gorskys production served as the basis for nearly every production staged thereafter. The largest change that Gorsky made to Petipa’s choreography was the action of the corps de ballet, instead of being a moving background as the corps often is, they became an important part of the drama. They bustled around the stage breaking the symmetry and lines typical of Petipa and their movement was often culturally relevant, playful, and realistic of a group of people. Some fans of ballet thought the new version was a masterpiece and rushed to Moscow to see it. Others such as Alexander Benois thought it was a mess “typical of amateur performances. ”However “the dynamic, stormy rhythm, Swan Lake had been changed many times and was considerably different from Petipa’s and Ivanovs St. Petersburg Ballet’s version
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Alexander Godunov
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Alexander Borisovich Godunov was a Russian-American ballet dancer and film actor, whose defection caused a diplomatic incident between the United States and the Soviet Union. Godunov was born in Sakhalin, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, Godunov began his ballet studies in Riga in 1958, in the same class as Mikhail Baryshnikov. The two became friends and helped each other throughout their years there, Godunov joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1971 and rose to become Premier danseur. His teachers there included Aleksey Yermolayev, in 1973, he won a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. After playing Lemisson, the Royal Musician, in The Thirty-first of June by J. B, priestley, Godunov became well known in the Soviet Union as a movie actor. His roles included Vronsky in Anna Karenina, on August 21,1979, while on a tour with the Bolshoi Ballet in New York City, Godunov contacted authorities and asked for political asylum. After discovering his absence, the KGB responded by putting his wife, Lyudmila Vlasova, a soloist with the company, on a plane to Moscow and this incident was dramatised in a 1986 movie Flight 222. Vlasova later said that while Godunov loved American culture and had desired to live in the United States. Godunov joined the American Ballet Theatre and danced as a dancer until 1982 when he had a falling-out with long-time friend. The official reason for his release from the company was there would not be sufficient roles for him after a change in the repertory. He then traveled with his own troupes, danced as a guest artist with different prominent ballet companies worldwide, and turned to acting in Hollywood. Godunovs acting roles were varied, including a good-natured Amish farmer in Witness, a comically narcissistic symphony conductor in The Money Pit, and he turned down many roles which typecast him as a dancer or another heavy as in Die Hard. Godunov married Ludmilla Vlasova, a soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet in 1971, the couple had no children and divorced in 1982. In 1981, Godunov met actress Jacqueline Bisset at a party in New York City and they began a long term relationship six months later. Godunov became a citizen of the United States in 1987. On May 18,1995, Godunovs friends became concerned when he had been quiet with his phone calls. A nurse who had not heard from him since May 8 went to his home in the Shoreham Towers, West Hollywood, California, Godunovs death was later determined to be caused by complications from hepatitis due to chronic alcoholism. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean, his memorial at Gates Mortuary in Los Angeles is engraved with the epitaph His future remained in the past
36.
Tamara Karsavina
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Tamara Platonovna Karsavina was a Russian prima ballerina, renowned for her beauty, who was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and later of the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. After settling in Britain at Hampstead in London, she began teaching ballet professionally and she assisted in the establishment of The Royal Ballet and was a founder member of the Royal Academy of Dance, which is now the worlds largest dance-teaching organisation. Tamara Karsavina was born in Saint Petersburg, the daughter of Platon Konstantinovich Karsavin and his wife, a principal dancer and mime with the Imperial Ballet, Platon also taught as an instructor at the Imperial Ballet School. He counted among his students Michel Fokine, a dancing partner. Karsavinas older brother Lev Platonovich Karsavin became a philosopher and medieval historian. Her niece, Marianna Karsavina, married Ukrainian author and artistic patron Pyotr Suvchinsky, through her mother, Karsavina was distantly related to the religious poet and co-founder of the Slavophile movement, Aleksey Khomyakov. Karsavinas father had once been the pupil of Marius Petipa, teacher and choreographer. Karsavina suspected that Petipa was behind the political intrigue that resulted in her father being forced into early retirement, though Platon continued to teach at the Imperial Ballet School, and also retained some private pupils, he was disillusioned by the experience. Karsavina later wrote, I think the blow to their pride meant more than financial considerations to them, after all, we always lived from hand to mouth, never looking ahead, spending more when there was something to spend, fitting in somehow when there wasnt. Father had reason to expect his being kept for the second service and he was sore at heart parting with the stage. Due to his own experiences, Platon initially refused to allow Karsavina to study ballet. Mothers dream was to make a dancer of me, Karsavina later wrote. It is a career for a woman, she would say, and I think the child must have a leaning for the stage, she is fond of dressing up. Without seeking Platons permission, Karsavinas mother arranged for her to taking lessons with a family friend. When Platon learned months later that his daughter had begun dancing lessons, he took the news in his stride, far from receiving preferential treatment, however, Karsavina referred to her father as her most exacting teacher. And to the tune of his fiddle I exerted myself to the utmost, in 1894, after a rigorous examination, Karsavina was accepted at the Imperial Ballet School. At her mothers urging, Karsavina chose to graduate ahead of schedule in early 1902 and they desperately needed the small income Karsavina would receive as a dancer with the corps de ballet. After graduating from the Imperial Ballet School, Karsavina enjoyed a rise through the ranks
37.
Mathilde Kschessinska
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Mathilda-Marie Feliksovna Kschessinskaya was a Russian ballerina from a family of Polish origin. Her father Feliks Krzesiński and her brother both danced in St. Petersburg and she was a mistress of the future Tsar Nicholas II of Russia prior to his marriage, and later the wife of his cousin Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia. She was known in the West as Mathilde Kschessinska or Matilda Kshesinskaya, Kschessinska was born at Ligovo, near Peterhof. Like all her Polish family, to whom she was known as Matylda Krzesińska, at the post-performance supper, the emperor sought out the young Kschessinskaya and told her to. be the glory and adornment of our ballet. In 1896, she obtained the rank of Prima ballerina of the Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatres, Petipa allowed Kschessinskaya to create only a small number of new roles, as he considered the Italian Pierina Legnani to be the superior ballerina. Among the few roles Kschessinskaya created were Flora in Le Réveil de Flore and she also became the first Russian danseuse to master the 32 fouettés en tournant of Legnani. Although Petipa had a respect for Kschessinskaya as a dancer, he thoroughly despised her as a person. Such roles became notoriously difficult once Petipa revised them for Kschessinskaya, in 1899, Prince Serge Wolkonsky became Director of the Imperial Theaters. Although he held the only until 1902, he achieved a great deal. Sergei Diaghilev was his assistant, and Wolkonsky entrusted him with the publication of the Annual of the Imperial Theaters in 1900. During this period, new names appeared in the theaters, such as painters Alexandre Benois, Konstantin Somov, however, Wolkonsky was forced to send in his resignation after clashing with Kschessinskaya when she refused to wear the panniers of an 18th-century costume in the ballet La Camargo. In 1902, she gave birth to a son, Vladimir, Prince Romanovsky-Krasinsky, but said that he never knew for sure who his father was. She was known to sew valuable jewels into her costumes and came on stage as the Princess Aspicia in The Pharaohs Daughter wearing her diamond encrusted tiaras and she could also be ruthless with rivals. One of her most famous miscalculations occurred when, while pregnant in 1902 and she considered Pavlova to be technically weak and believed that the other ballerina could not upstage her. Instead, audiences became enthralled with the frail, long-limbed, ethereal-looking Pavlova, another notorious incident occurred in 1906 when Kschessinskayas coveted role of Lise in the Petipa/Ivanov production of La Fille Mal Gardée was given to Olga Preobrajenska. One feature of this production was the use of chickens on stage. Nevertheless, Preobrajenska continued her variation to the end and received a storm of applause, through her aristocratic connections, she managed to amass much valuable property in the Russian capital. It was from the balcony of her elegant house that Vladimir Lenin addressed the crowd when he returned from Switzerland in 1917
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Ekaterina Krysanova
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Ekaterina Krysanova is a Russian principal dancer of Bolshoi Ballet. Krysanova was born in Moscow, Russia in 1985 and was trained at the Lavrovsky School of Ballet and she received a gold medal in 2001 at the Prix de Luxembourg International Ballet Competition and the same year was awarded a bronze in the Junior Competition. In 2002 she was awarded bronze in Saint Petersburg and the same year attended Bolshoi Ballet Academy from which she graduated in 2003. In the same year, she became a member of the Bolshoi Ballet and by 2009 had been promoted to soloist under the direction of Svetlana Adyrkhaeva and she was, however, a soloist before this as well. She had appeared in works as In the Upper Room of Twyla Tharp, Class Concert
