Famous ballerinas of the Russian school of ballet of the 19th century

The history of ballet in Russia begins in the 30s of the 18th century. In 1731, the land gentry corps was opened in St. Petersburg. Since the graduates of the corps in the future had to occupy high government positions and needed knowledge of secular manners, the study of fine arts, including ballroom dance, a significant place was allotted in the body.

Jean-Baptiste Lande, who is considered the founder of Russian ballet art, became the dance master of the corps in 1734.

Jean Baptiste Lande, unknown

In 1738 Jean Baptiste Landet the first ballet school in Russia was opened - Dance Eya Imperial Majesty school (now the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Ya. Vaganova). Ballet in Russia gradually developed and in 1794 began productions of the first Russian choreographer by nationality Ivan Walberg.

Pushkin Petersburg. A.M. Gordin

Under Paul I were published special rules for ballet - it was ordered that there should not be a single man on the stage during the performance and male roles at that time were performed by women, for example, Evgenia Ivanovna Kolosova (1780-1869). Kolosova was one of the first to perform Russian dances on the ballet stage. Another of her innovations was that she changed her puffy stylized costume for an antique chiton.

Evgenia Kolosova (1782-1869), Alexander Grigorievich Varnek

Ballet dancer and choreographer Adam Glushkovsky wrote about Kolosova: "For more than forty years I have followed dance art, I saw a lot of famous ballet dancers coming to Russia, but in none of them did I see such a talent as Yevgenia Ivanovna Kolosova, a dancer of the St. Petersburg theater, possessed. Every movement of her face, every gesture was so natural and understandable that they definitely replaced speech for the viewer. "Evgenia Kolosova was on stage from 1794 to 1826, after which she took up teaching.

Evgenia (Evdokia) Ivanovna Kolosova (1782-1869)

One of the students of Evgenia Kolosova was Avdotya (Evdokia) Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848), sung by Pushkin in "Eugene Onegin":

Avdotya Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848)

Avdotya Ilyinichna Istomina (1799-1848), Henri-Francois Riesener

The theater is already full; lodges shine;

Parterre and armchairs, everything is in full swing;

In heaven they splash impatiently,

And, having risen, the curtain rustles.

Brilliant, half-air,

obedient to the magic bow,

Surrounded by a crowd of nymphs

Worth Istomin; she is,

One foot touching the floor

Another slowly circles

And suddenly a jump, and suddenly it flies,

It flies like fluff from the mouth of Eol;

Now the camp will soviet, then it will develop,

And he beats his leg with a quick leg.

Portrait of A.I. Istomina. Pushkin Museum, A (?). Winterhalter.

Another famous ballerina of those years was Maria Ivanovna Danilova (1793-1810), whose creative way cut short death from tuberculosis at the age of 17 years.

Maria Ivanovna Danilova

Historians are still arguing which Russian ballerina was the first to dance en pointe (relying only on the tips of her toes). Some believe that it was Maria Danilova, others are of the opinion that it was Avdotya Istomina.

Another student of Evgenia Kolosova was Ekaterina Alexandrovna Telesheva (1804-1857).

Portrait of E.A. Telesheva in the role of Louise from the ballet "The Deserter" to music by P.A. Monsigny, Pietro de Rossi Pietro de Rossi (1761-1831)

One of her contemporaries wrote about her: "With the most charming appearance, she had so many feelings and play that she captivated the most impassive spectator." Patron and lover, in fact civil husband Teleshova, was Count, Governor-General of St. Petersburg Mikhail Miloradovich.

Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich, George Doe

Ekaterina Telesheva. Portrait by Orest Kiprensky

Zephyr and Flora

A famous Russian ballerina of the 19th century was (1836-1882). The ballerina's husband was the ballet dancer Marius Petipa.

Maria Sergeevna Surovshchikova-Petipa

Maria Sergeevna Surovshchikova-Petipa

"Adele Dumilâtre as Myrtha in Giselle", Bouvier, Jules (1800-1867)

Marius Petipa in The Pharaoh's Daughter

Marius Petipa.

The fruit of the union of the artistic couple Maria Surovshchikova - Marius Petipa was the daughter Maria Mariusovna Petipa (1857-1930), who, like her parents, became famous artist ballet. Ballet historian Mikhail Borisoglebsky wrote about her: "Happy „ stage destiny“, a beautiful figure, the support of a famous father made her an indispensable performer character dances, a first-class ballerina, diverse in her repertoire".

Maria Mariusovna Petipa

Maria Mariusovna Petipa

17 years (from 1861 to 1878) on stage Mariinsky Theater spoke Matilda Nikolaevna Madaeva(stage name Matryona Tikhonovna). big scandal Petersburg society was her marriage to Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn, a representative of one of the most noble Russian births, an officer who rose to the rank of Adjutant General of His Majesty's Retinue.

Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1840-1918) - cavalry general

This marriage was considered a misalliance, since the spouses came from different classes, and according to the laws of the 19th century, officers of the imperial army could not be officially married to people from the lower classes. The prince chose to retire, having made a choice in favor of the family.

Scenery and costumes by A. Benois for the ballet Giselle

A prominent representative of the Moscow ballet school of the 19th century was Praskovia Prokhorovna Lebedeva (1839-1917), who was the leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater for 10 years.

Cambon, Charles-Antoine (1802-1875). Dessinateur

Another famous ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater was Lydia Nikolaevna Geiten (1857-1920).

For two decades, Gaten danced almost all the female roles, having no Big rivals on stage. In 1883, the Bolshoi Ballet Company was significantly reduced, but Gaten turned down offers to move to St. Petersburg theaters in order to preserve the traditions of Moscow ballet. After leaving the stage, Gaten taught at the Moscow Choreographic School.

Coppélia 1870 decor

For 30 years (from 1855 to 1885) she worked on the stage of the imperial theaters of St. Petersburg Lyubov Petrovna Radina (1838-1917). Contemporaries wrote about her: "She had outstanding success in characteristic dances, requiring fire and passion, but she also excelled in mimic roles."

Bayadere -Decor Design -Act II -K Brozh -1877

In the 60s of the 19th century, she shone on the stages of St. Petersburg, Moscow and Paris Marfa Nikolaevna Muravyova (1838-1879). Italian choreographer Carlo Blasis wrote that “diamond sparks fall from under her feet during the dances” and that her “fast and constantly changing pas can involuntarily be compared to a string of pearls pouring”.

Giselle (A. Benois)

Giselle Queen of the Vintage

From 1859 to 1879 in Bolshoi Theater spoke Anna Iosifovna Sobeshchanskaya (1842-1918). Yuri Bakhrushin in the book "The History of Russian Ballet" wrote: "Being a strong dancer and a good actress, Sobeshchanskaya was the first to deviate from generally accepted rules and, speaking in ballet parts, began to apply a characteristic make-up. Blazis, who observed Sobeshchanskaya at the beginning of her activity, wrote that she was “delightful as a dancer and mimeist” and that in her dances “a soul is visible, she is expressive” and sometimes even reaches “frenzy”. Later, another contemporary argued that “it is not the difficulty of jumps and the speed of turns that makes the best impression on the viewer, but the whole creation of a role in which the dance is the interpreter of facial expressions.”

The light of lights, piercing music, the rustle of mesh packs and the tapping of pointe shoes on wooden parquet - ballet! How beautiful, inimitable and great he is! Holding their breath and fixing their eyes on the infinitely beautiful spectacle, the viewer is amazed at the dexterity and plasticity of the ballet diva, who perfectly performs her "pas". The history of ballet is long, and its background goes back to the 16th century AD, but the true masterpieces originate in the 19th century. From here you can start counting.

Marie Rambert and Anna Pavlova

So the most famous ballerinas:

1 . Graduate of the Jacques-Dalcroze Ballet Institute, Polish Marie Rambert (Marie Rambert, true name Miriam Ramberg, born in 1988) already in 1920 ventured to open the first ballet school. The success was great, and therefore, ten years later, Marie created her first ballet troupe in London called Balle Rambert, whose performances and performances make a splash in English ballet. She works with such masters as Howard, Tudor, Ashton. The name Rambert is associated with the beginning of ballet in England.

2 . Illegitimate in 1881, the daughter of a railway contractor and a simple laundress, Anna Pavlova (Anna Pavlova) undoubtedly considered one of the greatest ballerinas in the world. After graduating from the Vaganovskoye school, great expectations the girl was almost immediately admitted to the Mariinsky Theater. Here she shone in such classical productions as "Giselle", "The Nutcracker", "La Bayadère", "Pavilion of Armida" and others. But the main triumph of the talented dancer was the miniature "The Dying Swan" in December 1907.

An interesting fact is the appearance of a miniature: a day before the performance at charity concert Anna's partner suddenly fell ill, and then famous choreographer During the night, Mikhail Fokin came up with a miniature especially for Pavlova to the music of the great Saint-Saens. In the morning, an enthusiastic Anna, seeing the result, asked "Misha, but does the swan die at the end?" "What are you doing!" exclaimed Fokin, "he just fell fast asleep!" Saint-Saens himself admitted to the ballerina that thanks to her he realized that he had composed beautiful music.

Matilda Kshesinskaya and Yvet Shovire

3 . Petersburg native Matilda Kshesinskaya (Mathilda-Marie Kschessinskaya) was famous in Russia as the favorite of Nicholas II. After graduating from the Imperial Theater School, Matilda was admitted to the Mariinsky Theater in 1890. She delightfully performed parts from "Mlada", "The Nutcracker" and other ballets. A distinctive feature of the ballerina was the classic Russian plastique, diluted with notes of bold and dynamic Italian school. Kshesinskaya was a constant favorite in Fokine's performances ("Eros", "Butterflies", "Evnika").

Glory to one of the most talented ballerinas she brought a virtuoso performance of Esmeralda in the ballet of the same name in 1899. One of the main advantages of Matilda, in addition to talent, according to experts, was her iron character and the ability to defend one's position. They say that it is with her light hand The director of the Imperial Theaters, Prince Volkonsky, was fired.

4 . Sophisticated Parisian Yvette Shovire(Yvette Chauvire, born in April 1917) began to seriously study ballet at the Grand Opera at the age of 10. Huge Talent The girl was noticed by the director, and already in 1941 she became a prima ballerina at the Opera Garnier. Having received world fame after the first debut, Chauvire was invited to the troupe of the Theater of the Champs Elysees, the Italian La Scala.

Ivette's hallmark is a sharp, pronounced drama combined with extraordinary tenderness. She fully lives and feels the story of each heroine, filigree honing every little thing. The most successful party is the main role in the ballet "Giselle" to the music of Adolphe Adam. In 1972, an award named after great ballerina Yvette Shovire.

Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya

5 . Born in 1910 in St. Petersburg Galina Ulanova (Galina Ulanova) became famous in the 40s of the 20th century, performing parts of classical productions of the Mariinsky Theater ("The Flame of Paris", "The Fountain of Bakhchisaray", " Swan Lake"). In 1951, the ballerina was awarded the title People's Artist USSR, and a little later she becomes a laureate of the Lenin Prize. Since 1960, the artist has brilliantly danced Cinderella in Prokofiev's ballet of the same name, as well as Adam's Giselle. Former apartment Ulanova is now presented as a museum, and a monument has been erected in her honor in St. Petersburg.

6 . Undoubtedly, the most famous Russian ballerina, who went down in history with a record long ballet career, is a Muscovite Maya Plisetskaya (Maya Plesetskaya, born in 1925). Aunt and uncle instilled a love for Plisetskaya's ballet, too. famous dancers. Maya, a graduate of the Moscow Choreographic School, is accepted into the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater under the direction of the great Agrippina Vaganova, where she becomes a soloist a couple of years later. In 1945, the ballerina first performed the role of the Autumn Fairy in Prokofiev's production of Cinderella. In subsequent years, she successfully participated in such productions as "Raymonda" by A. Glazunov, "The Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky, "Giselle" by Adolphe Adam, "Don Quixote" by Minkus, "The Little Humpbacked Horse" by Shchedrin.

A stunning success is brought to her by the production of "Spartacus" by A. Khachaturian, where she performs the part of Aegina, and then Phrygia. In 1959, Plisetskaya was awarded the title of People's Artist Soviet Union, later she was awarded the Order of Lenin three times, the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, the Order of Isabella the Catholic (in France). In 1985, the artist received the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.

Plisetskaya's calling card, in addition to many ballets, can be considered Shchedrin's production of Anna Karenina, which premiered in 1972. In this ballet, the artist performs not only as a ballerina, but also tries herself as a choreographer, which later becomes her main occupation. Last performance The ballerina danced "Lady with a Dog" in January 1990, then in 1994 she organized international competition"Maya", giving a chance to become famous for new talents.

Uliana Lopatkina

7 . Student of Natalia Dudinskaya and graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet Uliana Lopatkina (Uliyana Lopatkina) already in 1995 she became the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre. This artist has become one of the few who received such a large number of awards and prizes: "Golden Soffit" in 1995, " golden mask" in 1997, "Vaganova-Prix", "Evening Standard" of London critics, "Baltika" in St. Petersburg in 1997, 2001. In 2000, Ulyana became an honored artist of Russia, and in 2006 - a people's artist.

Among the most striking roles of the ballerina, one can single out her incomparable Mirta and Giselle in the production of the same name, Medora in the ballet Le Corsaire, Odette-Odile from Swan Lake, Raimonda in the ballet of the same name. In addition, she brilliantly performed in separate productions of "Where the Golden Cherries Hang", "Kiss of the Fairy", as well as "The Poem of Ecstasy". Distinctive feature Ulyana - honed, complete movements, special, inherent only to her, drama, high jump and inner, genuine sincerity.

Anastasia Volochkova

8 . Petersburg native Anastasia Volochkova (Anastasia Volochkova) already at the age of five, she told her mother, in a very adult way, "I will be a ballerina." And she became, despite all the hardships, obstacles, deprivations. The countdown of the career of this talented artist can be started in 1994. The leading ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, Anastasia brilliantly performs parts from Giselle, The Firebird, Raymonda. Along with success in the theater, she is not afraid to start solo career and often performs in various theaters.

The talent of the ballerina is noticed by Vladimir Vasiliev, and already in 1998 he invites her to perform main party in his new production"Swan Lake". At the Bolshoi, Anastasia performs the main roles: Raymonda from the ballet of the same name, the Lilac Fairy from The Sleeping Beauty, Nikiya from La Bayadère and many others. The famous choreographer D. Dean creates a new part of the Fairy Carabosse in the production of "The Sleeping Beauty", especially for Anastasia.

AT recent times the artist's schedule is filled with constant concerts and tours, including a show in the Kremlin, where the greatest stars of the national stage were gathered.

The history of ballet in Russia begins in the 30s of the 18th century. In 1731, the land gentry corps was opened in St. Petersburg. Since the graduates of the corps in the future had to hold high government positions and needed knowledge of secular manners, a significant place was given to the study of fine arts, including ballroom dancing, in the corps. Jean-Baptiste Lande, who is considered the founder of Russian ballet art, became the dance master of the corps in 1734. In 1738, Jean-Baptiste Lande opened the first ballet school in Russia - Her Imperial Majesty's Dance School (now the A. Ya. Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet). Ballet in Russia gradually developed and in 1794 began productions of the first Russian choreographer Ivan Valberkh. Under Paul I, special rules for ballet were issued - it was ordered that there should not be a single man on the stage during the performance, and male roles at that time were performed by women, for example, (1780-1869). Kolosova was one of the first to perform Russian dances on the ballet stage. Another of her innovations was that she changed her puffy stylized costume for an antique chiton. Ballet dancer and choreographer Adam Glushkovsky wrote about Kolosova: “For more than forty years I have been following the art of dancing, I have seen many well-known ballet dancers coming to Russia, but I have never seen such a talent as Yevgenia Ivanovna Kolosova, a dancer of the St. Petersburg theater, possessed. Every movement her faces, every gesture were so natural and understandable that they definitely replaced speech for the viewer. Evgenia Kolosova was on stage from 1794 to 1826, after which she took up teaching.

One of the students of Evgenia Kolosova was Avdotya (Evdokia) Ilyinichna Istomina(1799-1848), sung by Pushkin in "Eugene Onegin":

The theater is already full; lodges shine;
Parterre and armchairs, everything is in full swing;
In heaven they splash impatiently,
And, having risen, the curtain rustles.
Brilliant, half-air,
obedient to the magic bow,
Surrounded by a crowd of nymphs
Worth Istomin; she is,
One foot touching the floor
Another slowly circles
And suddenly a jump, and suddenly it flies,
It flies like fluff from the mouth of Eol;
Now the camp will soviet, then it will develop,
And he beats his leg with a quick leg.

Another famous ballerina of those years was (1793-1810), whose career was cut short by death from tuberculosis at the age of 17.

Historians are still arguing which Russian ballerina was the first to dance en pointe (relying only on the tips of her toes). Some believe that it was Maria Danilova, others are of the opinion that it was Avdotya Istomina.

Another student of Evgenia Kolosova was (1804-1857). One of her contemporaries wrote about her: "With the most charming appearance, she had so many feelings and play that she captivated the most impassive spectator." The patron and lover, in fact, the common-law husband of Teleshova, was Count, Governor-General of St. Petersburg Mikhail Miloradovich.

Ekaterina Telesheva. Portrait by Orest Kiprensky

A famous Russian ballerina of the 19th century was Maria Sergeevna Surovshchikova-Petip a (1836-1882). The ballerina's husband was the ballet dancer Marius Petipa.

The fruit of the union of the artistic couple Maria Surovshchikova - Marius Petipa was a daughter (1857-1930), who, like her parents, became a famous ballet dancer. Ballet historian Mikhail Borisoglebsky wrote about her: "Happy" stage fate ", a beautiful figure, the support of her famous father made her an indispensable performer of characteristic dances, a first-rate ballerina, diverse in her repertoire."

For 17 years (from 1861 to 1878) she performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater Matilda Nikolaevna Madaeva(stage name Matryona Tikhonovna). A big scandal in St. Petersburg society was her marriage to Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn, a representative of one of the most noble Russian families, an officer who rose to the rank of Adjutant General of His Majesty's Retinue. This marriage was considered a misalliance, since the spouses came from different classes, and according to the laws of the 19th century, officers of the imperial army could not be officially married to people from the lower classes. The prince chose to retire, having made a choice in favor of the family.

A prominent representative of the Moscow ballet school of the 19th century was (1839-1917), who for 10 years was the leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater.

Another famous ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater was (1857-1920). For two decades, Gaten danced almost all the female roles, having no Big rivals on stage. In 1883, the Bolshoi Ballet Company was significantly reduced, but Gaten turned down offers to move to St. Petersburg theaters in order to preserve the traditions of Moscow ballet. After leaving the stage, Gaten taught at the Moscow Choreographic School.

For 30 years (from 1855 to 1885) she worked on the stage of the imperial theaters of St. Petersburg (1838-1917). Contemporaries wrote about her: "She had outstanding success in characteristic dances, requiring fire and passion, but she also excelled in mimic roles."

In the 60s of the 19th century she shone on the stages of St. Petersburg, Moscow and Paris (1838-1879). The Italian choreographer Carlo Blazis wrote that “diamond sparks fall from under her feet during the dances” and that her “fast and constantly changing pas can involuntarily be compared to a string of pearls pouring”.

From 1859 to 1879 she performed at the Bolshoi Theater (1842-1918). Yuri Bakhrushin in the book "History of Russian Ballet" wrote: "Being a strong dancer and a good actress, Sobeshchanskaya was the first to deviate from generally accepted rules and, speaking in ballet parts, began to use a characteristic make-up. Blazis, who observed Sobeshchenskaya at the beginning of her activity, wrote that she "delightful as a dancer and like a mime artist" and that in her dances "the soul is visible, she is expressive" and sometimes even reaches "frenzy". Later, another contemporary claimed that "it is not the difficulty of jumps and the speed of turns that makes her the best impression on the viewer, but the whole creation of a role in which the dance is the interpreter of facial expressions.

From 1877 to 1893 in the Petersburg ballet troupe danced in imperial theaters (1857-1920).

They are airy, slender, light. Their dance is unique. Who are these outstanding ballerinas of our century.

Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951)

One of the most important in history Russian ballet years is 1738. Thanks to the proposal of the French dance master Jean-Baptiste Lande and the approval of Peter I, the first ballet dance school in Russia was opened in St. Petersburg, which exists to this day and is called the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova. It was Agrippina Vaganova in Soviet time systematized the traditions of classical imperial ballet. In 1957, her name was given to the Leningrad Choreographic School.

Maya Plisetskaya (1925)

An outstanding dancer of the second half of the 20th century, who entered the history of ballet with her phenomenal creative longevity, Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya was born on November 20, 1925 in Moscow.

In June 1934, Maya entered the Moscow Choreographic School, where she successively studied with teachers E. I. Dolinskaya, E. P. Gerdt, M. M. Leontieva, but considers Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova, whom she met already at the Bolshoi Theater, to be her best teacher. , where she was admitted on April 1, 1943.

Mayai Plisetskaya is a symbol of Russian ballet. She performed one of her main parts of Odette-Odile from Swan Lake on April 27, 1947. It was this ballet by Tchaikovsky that became the core of her biography.

Matilda Kshesinskaya (1872-1971)

Born in the family of the dancer F. I. Kshesinsky, a Pole by nationality. In 1890 she graduated from the ballet department of the St. Petersburg Theater School. In 1890-1917 she danced at the Mariinsky Theatre. She became famous in the roles of Aurora ("Sleeping Beauty", 1893), Esmeralda (1899), Teresa ("Cavalry Halt"), etc. Her dance was distinguished by bright artistry and cheerfulness. In the early 1900s she was a member of M. M. Fokine’s ballets: Evnika, Chopiniana, Eros, in 1911-1912 she performed in the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe.

Anna Pavlova (1881-1931)

Born in St. Petersburg. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Theater School, in 1899 she was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater. danced the party in classical ballets The Nutcracker, The Little Humpbacked Horse, Raymonda, La Bayadère, Giselle. Natural data and constant improvement of performing skills helped Pavlova to advance in 1906 to the leading dancers of the troupe.
Collaboration with innovative ballet masters A. Gorsky and, especially, M. Fokin had a huge impact on the identification of new opportunities in Pavlova's performing style. Pavlova performed the main roles in Fokine's ballets Chopiniana, The Pavilion of Armida, Egyptian Nights, and others. "), which later became poetic symbol Russian ballet of the 20th century.

Svetlana Zakharova (1979)

Svetlana Zakharova was born in Lutsk, Ukraine on June 10, 1979. At the age of six, her mother took her to a choreographic circle, where Svetlana studied folk dances. At the age of ten, she entered the Kiev Choreographic School.

After studying for four months, Zakharova left the school, as her family moved to East Germany in accordance with the new appointment of her father, a military man. Returning six months later to Ukraine, Zakharova again passed the exams at the Kiev Choreographic School and was accepted immediately into the second grade. At the Kiev School, she studied mainly with Valeria Sulegina.

Svetlana performs in many megacities of the world. In April 2008, she was recognized as the star of Milan's famous theater La Scala.

Galina Ulanova (1909-1998)

Galina Sergeevna Ulanova was born in St. Petersburg on January 08, 1910 (December 26, 1909 according to the old style), in a family of ballet masters.

In 1928, Ulanova graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School. Pretty soon she joined the troupe of the Leningrad State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (now the Mariinsky).

Beloved Mariinsky Ulanova had to leave during the years of the siege of Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War Ulanova danced in the theaters of Perm, Alma-Ata, Sverdlovsk, performing in hospitals in front of the wounded. In 1944 Galina Sergeevna moves to the Bolshoi Theater, where she has periodically performed since 1934.

The real achievement of Galina was the image of Juliet in Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet. Her the best dances are also the role of Masha from "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, Mary from the "Fountain of Bakhchisaray" and Giselle Adam.

Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978)

Born in St. Petersburg in the family of the dancer of the Mariinsky Theater Platon Karsavin, great-niece Alexei Khomyakov, a prominent philosopher and writer of the 1st half of XIX century, sister of the philosopher Lev Karsavin.

Studied with A. Gorsky in Peturburg theater school, which she graduated in 1902. While still a pupil, she performed the solo part of Cupid at the premiere of the ballet Don Quixote directed by Gorsky.

She began her ballet activity during the crisis of academicism and the search for a way out of it. Admirers of academic ballet found many flaws in Karsavina's performance. The ballerina improved her performing skills with the best Russian and Italian teachers
The remarkable gift of Karsavina manifested itself in the work on the productions of M. Fokine. Karsavina was the ancestor of fundamentally new trends in the art of ballet at the beginning of the 20th century, later called "intellectual art".

The talented Karsavina quickly achieved the status of a prima ballerina. She performed leading roles in the ballets Carnival, Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and many others.

Ulyana Lopatkina (1973)

Ulyana Vyacheslavna Lopatkina was born in Kerch (Ukraine) on October 23, 1973. As a child, she studied at dance clubs and in the gymnastics section. At the initiative of her mother, she entered the Academy of Russian Ballet. AND I. Vaganova in Leningrad.

In 1990, as a student, Lopatkina participated in the Second All-Russian competition them. AND I. Vaganova for students of choreographic schools and received the first prize.

In 1995, Ulyana became a prima ballerina. Her track record includes the best roles in classical and modern productions.

Ekaterina Maksimova (1931-2009)

Born in Moscow on February 1, 1939. From childhood, little Katya dreamed of dancing and at the age of ten she entered the Moscow Choreographic School. In the seventh grade, she danced her first role - Masha in The Nutcracker. After college, she entered the service at the Bolshoi Theater, and immediately, practically bypassing the corps de ballet, she began to dance solo parts.

Of particular importance in the work of Maximova was participation in television ballets, which revealed a new quality of her talent - a comedic talent.

Since 1990, Maksimova has been a teacher-repetiteur of the Kremlin Ballet Theatre. Since 1998, he has been a choreographer-repetiteur of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Natalya Dudinskaya (1912-2003)

She was born on August 8, 1912 in Kharkov.
In 1923-1931 she studied at the Leningrad Choreographic School (a student of A.Ya. Vaganova).
In 1931-1962 she was the leading dancer of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theatre. CM. Kirov. She performed the main roles in the ballets Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky, Cinderella by Prokofiev, Raymonda by Glazunov, Giselle by Adam and others.

We admire the craftsmanship of these brilliant ballerinas. They made a huge contribution to the development of Russian ballet!

Publications section Theaters

Contemporary Russian ballerinas. Top 5

The proposed top five ballerinas included artists who began their careers in the main musical theaters of our country - the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi - in the 90s, when the situation in politics, and after it in culture, was rapidly changing. ballet theater became more open due to the expansion of the repertoire, the arrival of new choreographers, the emergence of additional opportunities in the West and at the same time more demanding on the performing skills.

This short list stars of the new generation are opened by Uliana Lopatkina, who came to the Mariinsky Theater in 1991 and is now almost ending her career. At the end of the list is Victoria Tereshkina, who also began working in the era of perestroika in ballet art. And right behind her goes next a generation of dancers for whom the Soviet legacy is just one of many directions. These are Ekaterina Kondaurova, Ekaterina Krysanova, Olesya Novikova, Natalya Osipova, Oksana Kardash, but about them another time.

Uliana Lopatkina

Today's media call Natalia Dudinskaya's student Ulyana Lopatkina (born in 1973) the "style icon" of Russian ballet. There is a grain of truth in this catchy definition. She is the ideal Odette-Odile, a genuine “two-faced” heroine of “Swan Lake” in Konstantin Sergeyev’s coldly refined Soviet version, who also managed to develop and convincingly embody on stage another swan image in Mikhail Fokine’s decadent miniature “The Dying Swan” by Camille Saint-Saens. According to these two works of her, recorded on video, Lopatkina is recognized on the street by thousands of fans around the world, and hundreds of young ballet students are trying to comprehend the craft and unravel the mystery of reincarnation. Refined and sensual Lebed is Uliana, and for a long time to come, even when the new generation of dancers outshine the brilliant galaxy of ballerinas of the 1990s-2000s, Odette-Lopatkina will tell fortunes. She was also unattainable, technically accurate and expressive in "Raymonda" by Alexander Glazunov, "The Legend of Love" by Arif Melikov. She would not have been called an "icon of style" without the contribution to the ballets of George Balanchine, whose American heritage, saturated with the culture of the Russian imperial ballet, the Mariinsky Theater mastered when Lopatkina was at the peak of her career (1999-2010). Her the best roles, it was roles, and not parts, since Lopatkina knows how to dramatically fill plotless compositions, solo works in "Diamonds", " piano recital No. 2", "Theme and Variations" to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, "Waltz" by Maurice Ravel. The ballerina participated in all avant-garde projects of the theater and as a result of cooperation with contemporary choreographers will give odds to many.

Uliana Lopatkina in the choreographic miniature "The Dying Swan"

Documentary"Ulyana Lopatkina, or Dances on weekdays and holidays"

Diana Vishneva

Second by birth, only three years younger than Lopatkina, student the legendary Lyudmila Kovaleva Diana Vishneva (born in 1976) in reality never “came” second, but only first. It so happened that Lopatkina, Vishneva and Zakharova, separated from each other for three years, walked side by side at the Mariinsky Theater, full of healthy rivalry and at the same time admiring each other's huge, but completely different possibilities. Where Lopatkina reigned as a languid graceful Swan, and Zakharova formed a new - urban - image of the romantic Giselle, Vishneva performed the function of the goddess of the wind. Before she graduated from the Academy of Russian Ballet, she already danced on the stage of the Mariinsky Kitri - main character in Don Quixote, a few months later she showed her achievements in Moscow on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. And at the age of 20 she became the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, although many have to wait for promotion to this status up to 30 years or more. At 18 (!) Vishneva tried on the role of Carmen in a number composed especially for her by Igor Belsky. In the late 90s, Vishneva was rightfully considered the best Juliet in the canonical version by Leonid Lavrovsky, she also became the most graceful Manon Lescaut in the ballet of the same name by Kenneth MacMillan. Since the early 2000s, in parallel with St. Petersburg, where she participated in many productions by such choreographers as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, William Forsyth, Alexei Ratmansky, Angelin Preljocaj, she began performing abroad as a guest étoile (“ballet star”). Now Vishneva often works in own projects, ordering ballets for himself from famous choreographers (John Neumeier, Alexei Ratmansky, Carolyn Carlson, Moses Pendleton, Dwight Rodin, Jean-Christophe Maillot). The ballerina regularly dances in the premieres of Moscow theaters. Huge success accompanied Vishneva in the ballet of the Bolshoi Theater in the choreography of Mats Ek's "Apartment" (2013) and John Neumeier's play "Tatyana" based on "Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Musical Theater in 2014. In 2013, she became one of the organizers of the November festival contemporary dance Context, which since 2016 has been held not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg.

Documentary "Always on the move. Diana Vishneva»

Svetlana Zakharova

The youngest in the top three of the famous chicks of the A. Vaganova Academy from the 90s, Svetlana Zakharova (born in 1979) instantly overtook her rivals and somewhat overtook them, acting like the once great Leningrad ballerinas Marina Semyonova and Galina Ulanova, "to serve" in the Moscow Bolshoi Theater in 2003. Behind her was studying with the excellent teacher of the ARB Elena Evteeva, experience working with Olga Moiseeva, the star of the Kirov Ballet of the 70s, and a gigantic track record. In any of the performances of the St. Petersburg period, Zakharova stood out clearly. Her strong point, on the one hand, was the interpretation of heroines in the old ballets by Marius Petipa, restored by Sergei Vikharev, and soloists in avant-garde productions by leading choreographers, on the other. According to natural data and technical specifications» Zakharova not only surpassed her colleagues at the Mariinsky Theater and after at the Bolshoi, she entered the cohort of the most sought-after ballerinas in the world who dance everywhere in guest status. And the most important ballet company in Italy - the ballet La Scala - offered her a permanent contract in 2008. Zakharova at some point admitted that she danced Swan Lake, La Bayadère and Sleeping Beauty in all possible stage versions from Hamburg to Paris and Milan. At the Bolshoi Theater, shortly after Zakharova moved to Moscow, John Neumeier staged his program ballet Dream in midsummer night”, and the ballerina flashed in it in the double role of Hippolyta-Titania, paired with Oberon Nikolai Tsiskaridze. She also took part in the production of Neumeier's Lady of the Camellias at the Bolshoi. Zakharova successfully collaborates with Yuri Possokhov - she danced the premiere of his Cinderella at the Bolshoi Theater in 2006 and in 2015 she performed the role of Princess Mary in A Hero of Our Time.

Documentary film “Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Svetlana Zakharova. Revelation"

Maria Alexandrova

At the same time, when the triad of St. Petersburg dancers conquered Northern Palmyra, the star of Maria Alexandrova (born in 1978) rose in Moscow. Her career developed with a slight delay: when she came to the theater, ballerinas danced their life previous generation- Nina Ananiashvili, Nadezhda Gracheva, Galina Stepanenko. In ballets with their participation, Alexandrova - bright, temperamental, even exotic - was on the sidelines, but it was she who got all the experimental premieres of the theater. Critics saw the still young ballerina in Alexei Ratmansky's Dreams of Japan, and soon she was already interpreting Catherine II in Boris Eifman's Russian Hamlet and others. ”, “Raymonda”, “Legend of Love”, she patiently waited for years.

The year 2003 became fateful, when the choreographer chose Alexandrova as Juliet new wave Radu Poklitaru. It was an important performance that opened the way for a new choreography (without pointe shoes, without classical positions) at the Bolshoi Theater, and Aleksandrova held the revolutionary banner. In 2014, she repeated her success in another Shakespearean ballet - "The Taming of the Shrew" choreographed by Mayo. In 2015, Alexandrova began working with choreographer Vyacheslav Samodurov. He staged a ballet about the theatrical backstage - "Curtain" in Yekaterinburg, and in the summer of 2016 chose the role of Ondine in the ballet of the same name at the Bolshoi Theater. The ballerina managed to use the forced waiting time to hone the dramatic side of the role. The secret source of her creative energy, aimed at acting, does not dry out, and Alexandrova is always on alert.

Documentary film “Monologues about myself. Maria Alexandrova"

Victoria Tereshkina

Like Alexandrova at the Bolshoi, Victoria Tereshkina (born in 1983) was in the shadow of the aforementioned trio of ballerinas. But she did not wait for someone to retire, she began to energetically capture parallel spaces: she experimented with novice choreographers, did not get lost in the difficult ballets of William Forsythe (Approximate Sonata, for example). Often she did what others did not undertake, or undertook, but could not cope, but Tereshkina succeeded and still does absolutely everything. Her main forte was her impeccable possession of technique, endurance and the presence of a reliable teacher nearby, Lyubov Kunakova, helped. It is curious that, unlike Alexandrova, who went into genuine drama, which is only possible on the ballet stage, Tereshkina "set" on the improvement of technique and elevated the triumphant plotlessness into a cult. Her favorite subject, which she always acts out on stage, grows out of her sense of form.

Documentary film “Royal box. Victoria Tereshkina"