Performer of leading roles in ballet performances Nutcracker/Prince ( Nutcracker), Pan ( Walpurgis Night), Poet ( Chopiniana), Danila ( Stone flower ), Prince, Stepmother (Cinderella), Batyr (Shurale), Andrey ( Page of life), Basil ( Don Quixote), Albert (Giselle), Frondoso ( Laurencia), Spartak ( Spartacus), Majnun ( Layla and Majnun), Ivanushka ( The Little Humpbacked Horse), Parsley( Parsley), Icarus ( Icarus), Macbeth ( Macbeth), Prin Desiree ( sleeping Beauty), Narcissus ( Narcissus), Lukash ( forest song), Paganini ( Paganini), Pavel the First ( Second Lieutenant Kizhe), Romeo ( Romeo and Juliet), Ivan the Terrible ( Ivan the Terrible), Sergey ( Angara), Baron ( Parisian fun), Zorba ( Greek Zorba), Nijinsky ( Nijinsky), Balda ( The Tale of the Pope and his worker Balda), Pyotr Leontievich ( Anyuta), Professor Unrath ( Blue Angel); Tchaikovsky ( A long journey on Christmas night); Nijinsky-Diaghilev ( Diaghilev-Musaget)
Vasiliev’s professional path began in the fall of 1958 on the stage of the country’s first theater, where he was accepted immediately after graduating from college.
Having entered the Bolshoi, he did not even think that he would become a classical dancer: he liked parts in which he could play a role, a character, through dance. Therefore, he decided that his destiny was in character and demi-character roles.
The first season in the theater began (even if only for a couple of months) with work in the corps de ballet, the lessons of which Vasiliev always considered very useful in his development. Even then, his solo performance of ballet scenes in operas was noted: Lezginka in “The Demon”, gypsy dance in “Rusalka”. The latter with L. Trembovelskaya and I. Khmelnitsky was such a wild success with the audience that it had to be encored. The performance of Pan in “Walpurgis Night” from Gounod’s opera “Faust” (post. L. Lavrovsky, 1958) next to his beloved ballerina Olga Lepeshinskaya amazed with its violent energy, furious, bacchanalian frenzy: a brilliant grotesque dancer danced.
To this day, Vasiliev is perplexed why Galina Sergeevna Ulanova chose him, an inexperienced young man who came to the theater just a few months ago, as her partner in the purely classical “Chopinian” (1958). He himself, as often happened to him, was dissatisfied with his debut performance, but the honor and responsibility were great, and the beginning of the “classical” path had been laid. It was Galina Sergeevna who would subsequently often direct him in the classical repertoire.
“Galina Sergeevna is a very demanding artist, very sensitive. With her creativity, with what she did in her time, she left such an indelible mark on our perception that we treat every word that Galina Sergeevna says differently than the words of some other choreographer or dancer who reprimands us. Because it passed before us creative life, and the way she worked, how, what images she created on stage, it certainly affects our creativity. …. The most important thing that distinguishes Galina Sergeevna is her unusually complex inner world with a minimum of external means of expression. This is why her work is valuable to me personally. There is some kind of secrecy in her external plasticity and, at the same time, an extraordinary internal fullness.”
After “Chopiniana” there was the exquisite Prince in “Cinderella” by R. Zakharov (1959), the colorful Ali-Batyr in “Shural” by L. Jacobson (1960) and one of the most complex, virtuosic roles - Paganini (1962) - to the music of S. Rachmaninov in the production of the same name by L. Lavrovsky.
In 1959, together with a group of talented Soviet youth, Vladimir Vasiliev took part in World Festival youth and students in Vienna, where he received 1st Prize and a Gold Medal.
IN graduating class school, fate brought Vasiliev together with wonderful person and a most interesting choreographer, outstanding personality Kasyan Yaroslavovich Goleizovsky, who became Vasiliev’s close friend and teacher, who revealed so much new and beautiful things to the inquisitive young man not only in the art of dance, but also in literature, history, painting, and sculpture. Vasiliev had previously been friends with many artists, visited their workshops, studied painting with them, began to paint his own paintings, and thanks to Goleizovsky he also became interested in sculpture.
Friendship with this most interesting choreographer and person gave Vasiliev several unforgettable works staged especially for him. With the famous “Narcissus” to the music of N. Cherepnin (1960), he performed at the first International Ballet Competition in Varna in 1964, where he and Katya were literally sent by order by the Ministry of Culture in the person of E. Furtseva (Vasiliev never again took part in ballet competitions participated), and although he pulled out number 13 during the draw at the competition, he won the Grand Prix. Since then, the Grand Prix at this most prestigious world show has not been awarded to anyone else for more than half a century.
Also in 1964, the Paris Academy of Dance awarded him the Vaslav Nijinsky Prize “Best Dancer in the World.”
And “Narcissus” was later performed by other artists to whom Vasiliev gave this number, but no one else managed to create the image of primordiality, “childhood of humanity,” the complete merging of man with nature, which the choreographer sought, with such expressive power.
Other works with Goleizovsky are the lyrical “Fantasy” (1960) to the music of S. Vasilenko, the grotesque role of the Jester in a scene from the ballet “A Tale for the Jester, who outplayed seven jesters” in documentary film about Sergei Prokofiev (1960), and, of course, the unique image of Qais/Majnun in the eastern fairy tale-legend about the extraordinary and tragic love“Leili and Majnun” by composer S. Balasanyan (1964). In this ballet, two scenes “Majnun’s Monologue in the Desert” and the adagio with Leyli became especially dear to Vasiliev. And today, many decades later, in these scenes, accidentally captured on film, one is struck by the beauty of the “singing” human body, the flow of freely flowing plastic melodies and the “oriental flavor” of Vasiliev’s dance. It contains an amazing combination of painful bliss and sophistication with sudden gusts of despair that tear through the body. The dance is performed at such a crazy pace that the viewer invariably asks the question: “Isn’t this fast filming?” Indeed, it is difficult to believe that such perfection is possible in a dancer’s comprehension of the sophisticated plastic form and complex, unique style proposed by the choreographer.
Goleizovsky often recalled the ballet idols of his time, and, above all, the legendary Nijinsky, whom he knew and loved well. Comparing Vasiliev with them, he still put him above everyone else, marveling at his originality and the scale of his talent.
In his article about K.Ya. Goleizovsky, Vasiliev noted: “ I am indebted to many people with whom creative fate brought me together. But there were two people who had a huge influence on my creative worldview. These are choreographers Kasyan Goleizovsky and Yuri Grigorovich».
The meeting in the late fifties between the outstanding choreographer Yuri Grigorovich and the unique dancer Vladimir Vasiliev is probably among the happy destinies of the fate of both Masters. Grigorovich immediately noticed what an immense range of possibilities, equal in both technique and artistic expression, this performer was endowed with. And in his first production at the Bolshoi Theater - the ballet “The Stone Flower” by S. Prokofiev (1959), the choreographer gives Vasiliev main role. His partners Danila were E. Maksimova (Katerina) and M. Plisetskaya (Mistress Copper Mountain). The Bolshoi included this performance in the program of its first tour to the USA in 1959. For the 19-year-old artist, they also became the first in life. And, although there were many of the most eminent masters on the tour, New York noted his extraordinary talent and charm from the very first performances.
Role folk craftsman and the artist Danila in “The Stone Flower,” as well as the role of Ivanushka in the subsequent ballet by R. Shchedrin “The Little Humpbacked Horse” staged by A. Radunsky (1960), of course, was close to Vasiliev in its Russian style and character. His “Yesenin” appearance and “type” perfectly matched the image of the hero of Russian fairy tales and legends. But, if in the part of Ivanushka the dancer bathed in the elements of humor, mischief, and the bright colors of the Russian popular print, then in the role of Danila Vasiliev danced with his selfless devotion, his ardent love for art. Vasiliev was surprisingly sensitive to the plastic Russian intonations in classical dance, which was especially clearly manifested in his Petrushka (1964). This “Russianness,” or rather natural breadth and unique national thoroughbredness, truly marked the performing style of the first dancer of the 20th century. But very soon it became obvious that “Russianness,” without losing the leading, fundamental place in its individual characteristics, bloodlessly and naturally came together with artistic cosmopolitanism. In each new performance, Vasiliev presented the truth on stage, which turned out to be above time and national boundaries, lived beyond the framework of the role, swept away all genre restrictions and boundaries of plastic systems. The patriarch of Russian ballet Fyodor Lopukhov wrote about this very emotionally: “ When I say the word “God” in relation to Vasiliev, I mean... a miracle in art, perfection... In terms of diversity, he cannot be compared with anyone... He is a tenor, a baritone, and, if you want, a bass." Later, Serge Lifar echoes this quote from Lopukhov, calling Vasiliev “ magician of Russian ballet».
In 1966, Grigorovich invited Vasiliev to play the main role in his production of The Nutcracker. Vasiliev’s childhood and youth and his growing up at a choreographic school were connected with this ballet by another choreographer V. Vainonen. He started in it with soldiers, then performed in all folk dances, and only at graduation he was entrusted with dancing the main role with the charming Katya Maksimova.
The joint creative life of these two young talents in the theater began to develop with the ballets of Yuri Grigorovich, an innovative choreographer, whose arrival they both so warmly welcomed at the Bolshoi, and with whom they were close friends and like-minded people for a long time. Vasiliev always felt subtly what the choreographer wanted from him, rethinking what was proposed to him by the director and constantly being with him in a creative search, constantly improvising and trying and offering new movements, shades and strokes of the role.
The impression of improvisation of Vasiliev’s dance has always been one of his most important features as a performer, one of the “secrets” of his impact on the audience.
With Grigorovich of that “golden” era of the Bolshoi, he felt a spiritual and creative community. “The Nutcracker” was probably the brightest performance in the work of both the choreographer and its main performers: the fragile and tender atmosphere of the Christmas fairy tale they created was so tangible in it. Vasiliev’s Nutcracker, according to the choreographer, is “ideal fairy tale hero- a touching doll and a poetic prince, courageous and brave, and, as befits a true prince, truly elegant.”
It was “The Nutcracker” with Maximova and Vasiliev in the main roles on tour Bolshoi Theater in 1966, the old Metropolitan Opera building in New York closed.
In The Nutcracker, Vasiliev twice received severe burns to his back: first at the Bolshoi in 1968 while performing a steam effect, and then in the same scene at the Metropolitan Opera, but with the use of chemicals. Both times Vasiliev brought the performance to the end, and no one in the auditorium suspected what it cost him!
However, in Vasiliev’s professional life there were other stories as examples of the endurance and courage of the first soloist of the Bolshoi, which he had to demonstrate more than once during his performing career. Periostitis of the bones manifested itself from his first steps in the theater, when every movement was given with incredible pain. Vasiliev overcame it only through patience and perseverance. A torn miniscule, when only thanks to his strong muscles he danced “Giselle” with A. Alonso and three “Don Quixotes”. Already on the operating table, the doctors could not believe that this was possible. And torn ligaments during the encore in France, when he fell on stage as if he had been knocked down. - these are just a few of the difficulties ballet profession, which this public favorite overcame day after day, often dancing through incredible pain that no one should have seen. Even with the most complex injuries, he went on stage and danced, not daring to deceive the audience’s expectations.
A new version of the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” was staged by Grigorovich for this duet in 1973. Again, an unexpected turn, because, it would seem, the party of the gallant French prince is far from Vasiliev’s individuality. He generally did not like the “blue” princes: the sphere of ceremonial pantomime gestures was far from his creative aspirations. In addition, he always believed that his physical characteristics were not very suitable for such roles. His figure, built rather according to Leonardo's scheme - proportional, with developed male muscles, is seen in the sculptural works of old Italian masters or in ancient images of dancing gods. Fyodor Lopukhov wrote about it this way: “ Vasiliev remains a man in his dances,...elegant like a man and graceful like a man...He is powerfully beautiful in his dance, like the creations of Michelangelo».
This was the case in this version of The Sleeping Beauty, where the joint search for choreographer and dancer led to the creation of an innovative image of the Prince - alive young man, which differed from the prim and palace cliche and at the same time organically fit into the picture of the role.
In “Giselle” (1964), Vasiliev did not immediately come to a decision on the image of the main character. His Albert did not become the scoundrel that other performers of that time saw him as - rather an unreasonable, inexperienced young man who did not think about the consequences of his actions. His interpretation of this role, shown in 1968 in Rome, created a real sensation. It was this version that later spread widely throughout the world.
Vasilyeva was persuaded by G.S. Ulanova to dance Romeo in Lavrovsky’s play (1973). The legendary Juliet of the ballet stage and Maximova’s teacher helped him prepare the performance. The nuances of acting and plastic performance of this part that they discovered together presented the viewer with not just a boy in love, but also showed the process of his spiritual growth and maturation, the versatility of his nature.
« Then there was an absolutely wonderful teacher, tutor and himself - an amazing actor, the pioneer of heroic dance on the Soviet ballet stage - Alexey Nikolaevich Ermolaev.
Alexey Nikolaevich Ermolaev was distinguished by one quality - he was not interested in whether we would do the pirouette accurately or not. Or rather, he... believed that every dancer, a professional dancer, is simply obliged to simply do two rounds or three, if necessary, from fifth position to fifth. This goes without saying. But he always paid attention during his rehearsals - and it was very interesting - to the circumstances, everyday details and the meaning of what we were doing. That was very valuable." (from the memoirs of V.V. Vasiliev)
And yet, the most revolutionary in the work of this remarkable artist was destined to be the ballet “Don Quixote” (1962), prepared together with his teacher, the famous Bolshoi Theater dancer Alexei Ermolaev. Vasiliev’s performance of the part of Basil presented the ballet world with a new, revised edition, with newly invented movements and mise-en-scène. This choreographic version of the role so successfully and firmly entered into the fabric of this already “middle-aged” performance that it began to be considered canonical throughout the world. In his article about Vladimir Vasiliev, Yuri Grigorovich described this event as follows:
« 1962... It was remembered by everyone who is in one way or another connected with ballet, with the art of choreography. In May of this year, Vladimir Vasiliev performed for the first time in the ballet Don Quixote, and I will not be mistaken if I say that he opened a new era in the history of male classical dance... He created a new standard that has become classic both in our country and throughout world. Basil Vasilyeva gave birth to completely new criteria not only in relation to Don Quixote, but also male dance at all».
A year after Vasiliev’s premiere in Don Quixote, another famous destroyer of old canons in ballet, Vakhtang Chabukiani, gave him one of his favorite roles - Frondoso in the ballet Laurencia (1963).
Of course, the revolution accomplished by Vasiliev in men’s dance in the second half of the last century cannot be called a single act: there were predecessors, comrades-in-arms, and “followers” who manifested themselves independently. But it was Vasiliev who is recorded in the history of ballet as the first and main innovator: he reinterpreted everything new that happened in the dance territory of that time in accordance with his ideas about choreographic theater; I believed everything in my own attitude towards art.
By the mid-60s, the talent given to Vasiliev by God had already acquired a magnificent facet, turning his dance into a celebration of human plasticity in all its diversity. It had everything: irresistible charm, organicity, musicality, expressiveness combined with virtuoso technique, which amazed with the incredible soaring jump with an instant takeoff and inaudible softness of landings, the beauty of pirouettes and the ease of the most complex lifts. Is it really possible to describe Vasiliev’s “boundless dance” in words?!! The most authoritative figure in the ballet world, Pavel Gusev, concluded: “ A bright and powerful master, Vladimir Vasiliev “rules the show” at the Bolshoi Theater. It’s impossible to dance better than him, it’s difficult to dance like him, and anything worse is pointless!»
The special, unique plastic expressiveness of Vasiliev’s hands will also remain unforgettable, in which there is either incredible masculine strength and power, or almost childish tenderness and timidity! It was as if there was a song about them: “like two big birds” - their flapping was such a mesmerizing sight. Vasiliev soared above the stage with his arms wide open, and it seemed that he could hug all of humanity with them. Ballet critics called these hands “Versailles,” and they are shaped like an exact copy of my father’s large working hands. But their endless cantilena created the feeling of incredibly long, boundless lines. The audience saw the artist covering the huge stage of the Bolshoi, although in life Vasiliev was not a giant. But it is precisely the illusion, in which one unconditionally believes, that creates real art, the art of theater in particular.
Vasiliev gave this illusion to his audience in many bright and unique roles. And yet the world still associates his name with the image of the rebel Roman gladiator in Yuri Grigorovich’s ballet “Spartacus” (1968), which, without exaggeration, has become a cult classic. Choosing the main character was apparently a difficult task for the choreographer. For Vasiliev himself, this proposal was unexpected: in previous productions by I. Moiseev and L. Yakobson, the role of Spartacus was performed by tall and stately actors of a heroic role, for which he himself was not very suitable. But the dancer was instantly carried away by the idea proposed by the choreographer, and this choice became truly historical. According to A. Messerer’s definition: “ at twenty-eight years old, Vasiliev made a role that immediately became part of the “selected series of general cultural and timeless significance”" For many generations of ballet lovers in Russia, Vasiliev became “our Spartacus” not only on stage: the will and desire for victory, courage and perseverance in the name of justice and happiness, embodied by him in the performance and in life, inspired people to overcome any obstacles and difficulties for the sake of cherished goal. The legendary Italian ballerina, also Vasiliev’s partner, Carla Fracci wrote about him: “ Vladimir Vasiliev is a symbol for the generation that grew up with him. The personification of a beautiful dream».
Ironically, it was “Spartak” that became the apogee in the creative collaboration of Yuri Grigorovich and Vladimir Vasiliev. As often happens, having reached their highest point, their relationship both in creativity and in life began to decline. Vasiliev has always been a principled and straightforward person. Directness was a natural state for Vasiliev. There was no hidden intent or strategy in the fact that he criticized several of Grigorovich’s “post-Spartak” works at the Theater Arts Council. He then sincerely believed that it was not only possible, but also necessary, without hiding, to openly speak the truth “in the eyes” of everyone, even the chief choreographer and especially a friend. Such criticism, in his simple-minded conviction, was supposed to help and benefit the common cause. Naturally, it really touched a nerve with Grigorovich. He perceived and assessed it differently, and after the production of Ivan the Terrible, the part of which Vasiliev had already prepared with Galina Ulanova (1975), and the ballet for Soviet theme"Angara" (1976) there was a final break, painful for both: their paths diverged forever.
Fate decreed that Vasiliev never had a “creative emptiness”. In 1977, a master appeared in his life, whom he always admired. Famous choreographer Maurice Bejart staged “Petrushka” on it in his troupe “Ballet of the 20th Century”. Working with Bejart brought a lot of new and interesting things. The original artistic vision of this unique choreographer opened new horizons for Vasiliev in the art of choreography. In 1979, Bejar gave him and Katya a duet of extraordinary beauty and plasticity from his ballet “Romeo and Julia” to the music of G. Berlioz, which they performed on the set of the film “White Nights”. The great choreographer admitted in one of his interviews that he had never before met such a dancer who “ combines everything: virtuosity, technique, dramatic talent, versatility and power».
Each performance of Vasiliev, regardless of its geographical location, was unique and unforgettable, each invariably gave birth to an increasing number of fans around the world, many of whom followed him in all his foreign trips. From role to role, from ballet to ballet, Vasiliev created the image of a world dancer, which no one will be able to repeat or re-create after his departure from the stage for a long time.
The work of Vasiliev and Maksimova with the famous Italian director, Visconti’s student, Franco Zeffirelli in 1982 in the opera film “La Traviata” was short, but interesting and fruitful. Their meeting took place thanks to an acquaintance - the English lady Saint Just, née Princess Obolenskaya. When asked by her friend Zeffirelli who he could invite as the best ballet couple in the world, she exclaimed: “What, you don’t know? Of course, Katya and Volodya!” True, Vasiliev did not like the choreography initially proposed for the film, and he decided to abandon filming. But, having received “carte blanche” from Zeffirelli, he changed the choreographic pattern of the Spanish dance, choreographing it in his own way, and together with Maximova brilliantly performed it to the pleasure of the demanding Italian master. Applause and enthusiastic exclamations of the choir and mimansa on film set after their performance - not a specially invented scene built by the director, but just a spontaneous, sincere reaction of the audience, successfully included in the film.
In 1987, Roland Petit invited Vasiliev to play the main role in The Blue Angel with the Marseille Ballet troupe. The performances in Paris were a great success.
The premiere of Lorca Massine's production of "Zorba the Greek" (1988) to the music of M. Theodorakis with Vasiliev in the title role at the grandiose Verona Arena created a sensation. The spectators who filled the area near the walls of the ancient Arena after the performance chanted “Zorba!” to him. For Italy, which for more than thirty years provided Vasiliev with its best stages and arenas, Vasiliev forever remained “Il Dio della Danza”. He was recognized everywhere, they bowed to him on the streets, organized photo exhibitions, and vying with each other they invited him to participate in a variety of events and projects.
In addition to his regular partner, Vasiliev danced with other outstanding ballerinas, such as Maya Plisetskaya, Raisa Struchkova, Marina Kondratieva, Nina Timofeeva, Irina Kolpakova, Alicia Alonso, Carla Fracci, Noella Pontois, Josephine Mendes and others. His partners found it easy and reliable on stage - they loved performing with him - his ability to “hold” a ballerina was legendary. He danced with Alicia Alonso only once at the request of the ballerina herself. It was Giselle at the Grand Theater of Havana (1980). Despite Vasiliev's injury, which, of course, was known only behind the scenes, his performance shocked the Cuban public. With the wonderful Italian ballerina Carla Fracci, Vasiliev danced Giselle a lot throughout Italy. At a gala performance at La Scala in honor of the great Charlie Chaplin, they danced a pas de deux from Giselle. Later, with Carla Fracci, they performed together in the play “Nijinsky” (1984) at the Teatro San Carlo and “Diaghilev-Musaget” at the Rome Opera (2009) directed by B. Menegatti.
Unemployed, and in 1988 completely fired from the Bolshoi Theater, Maksimova and Vasiliev toured extensively in the USA, France, Italy, Argentina with a group that choreographer V. Vasiliev organized and for which created his repertoire. As a guest star, he performed with the Kirov Theater and MALEGOT, the Perm Theater, the Polish Ballet, as well as the Kremlin Ballet, the formation of which Vasiliev significantly contributed to by staging for it, with the support of the French company Nina Ricci, the lyrical, humorous ballet “Cinderella” ( 1991), where he performed for the first time in the female role of the Stepmother (Cinderella was brilliantly performed by Ekaterina Maksimova).
Ironically, this Russian dancer, who glorified the art of his homeland, performed his last classical performance on the American stage of the Metropolitan Opera in 1990 with the troupe of the American Ballet Theater. About this last “Giselle” by Vasiliev and Maximova, the New York Times wrote: “ a heartfelt and emotional performance... Their performance, filled with deep romanticism, became a real event».
On April 18, 2000, a grand gala concert took place at the Bolshoi Theater in honor of Vasiliev’s anniversary, which brought together the entire cultural elite of Moscow and foreign guests. For this event, an exhibition of his paintings, commemorative silver and bronze medals were issued with the image of the legendary flying Spartak-Vasiliev (sculptor F. Feveysky), a collection of his poems “Chain of Days” and “Encyclopedia creative personality- Vladimir Vasiliev." The idol of many generations of ballet lovers performed for the last time on his native stage as an artist - he danced “Sirtaki” from the ballet “Zorba the Greek,” which had never been seen in Moscow. At 60 years old, he was still the same great dancer and artist, capable of captivating and captivating any audience.
But he will also appear on stage as a dancer and dramatic actor. This opportunity was given to him by the Rome Opera and director Beppe Menegatti in the performances “The Long Journey on Christmas Night” in 2000 (the role of Maestro-Tchaikovsky) and “Diaghilev-Musaget” (the double role of Nijinsky and Diaghilev) in 2009. After Katya Maximova passed away confessional and tragic will be his performance of F. Chopin’s “Ballad” dedicated to her in his own production in New York City center, and then in Perm, Voronezh and Donetsk in 2010.
Here is how the famous theater critic S. Korobkov wrote about this performance of Vasiliev’s “Ballad” (with D. Khokhlova):
“A handsome and flexible man, in whom nature has preserved both his appearance and his habits, with the power of his gift and the flight of his thoughts he expanded the space of the theater to cosmic boundlessness. Lightly supporting the young ballerina and barely touching her face, he prolonged the moments of important dialogue, as Chopin prolonged his pianisticbrio, dreaming of penetrating the secrets of the universe and accepting new souls into your world of ever-elusive beauty. The magic of Vasiliev’s confession snatched from memory the great artistic images of the century in which he was formed as an artist, and confirmed the commonality - personal and artistic - of the great artistic natures. Here, in addition to Vasiliev’s world, a parallel world was also taking shape: from the riddles of John Gielgud’s Hamlet, from the piercing glances of Laurence Olivier’s Othello, from the subtle emotional movements of Marlon Brando, from the melodic paintings of Bergman and Fellini. Everyone who sooner or later stopped hiding themselves behind a character and decided to speak for themselves, who dared to confess their era.”
Vasiliev was remembered for the same soulful performance in the second number dedicated to Maximova, “Smile” to the song by Charles Chaplin (in Spanish by M. Jackson) at a gala evening at the Bolshoi Theater “And everything that has been done by you. Dedicated to Ekaterina Maximova” in 2014.
Ballet lovers still called Vasiliev wonderful when he appeared as Natasha Rostova’s father in the short miniature “Natasha Rostova’s First Ball” at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 (choreographer R. Poklitaru).
Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev
Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev. Born on April 18, 1940 in Moscow. Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, choreographer, choreographer, theater director, actor, artist, poet, teacher. People's Artist of the USSR (1973).
Father - Viktor Ivanovich Vasiliev, driver.
Mother - Tatyana Yakovlevna Vasilyeva, worked in the sales department at a felt factory.
I ended up in choreography completely by accident. Then he went to the second grade of school. One day he was walking in the yard and his friend invited him to the Palace of Pioneers to dance. As Vasiliev recalled, he came to his first lesson barefoot. First of all, the boy was struck by the teacher: “We were children of the courtyards, after the war, and here such a thing appeared magical creature. She had an amazing hairstyle, the scent of perfume accompanied her, and it seemed to me that some kind of goddess had come out. And she started teaching us the waltz. You know, the first dance, but for me it really turned out to be simple."
He turned out to be such a capable student that after his first lesson ended, the teacher asked Vladimir to stay to... show the other group how to dance the waltz correctly! “I was simply shocked: the first lesson - and they immediately offered me this! Then there was a lot more, she called my mother, told me that I had talent...”
So, in 1947, he began dancing; this, as it turned out, determined his entire future fate.
Later he entered the Moscow Choreographic School (now the Moscow State Academy of Choreography), from which he graduated in 1958, class of the famous teacher M.M. Gabovich.
In 1958-1988 - leading soloist of the Bolshoi Theater ballet group. He made his debut in 1959 as Danila in the ballet “The Stone Flower” by Sergei Prokofiev. A year later he became the first performer of the role of Ivanushka in the ballet “The Little Humpbacked Horse”.
Over the years of his brilliant career, he danced almost all the leading roles of classical and modern ballets. Among the most significant works is Basil in the ballet “Don Quixote” by L.F. Minkus, Petrushka in the ballet of the same name by I.F. Stravinsky, The Nutcracker in the ballet by P.I. Tchaikovsky, Spartacus in the ballet by A.I. Khachaturian, Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” by Prokofiev, Prince Désiré in “The Sleeping Beauty” by P.I. Tchaikovsky and many others.
Vladimir Vasiliev in the ballet "Spartacus"
He also performed in ballets by foreign directors - R. Petit, M. Bejart, L. F. Massine. He created vivid, memorable images, often offering a new interpretation of them. The artist has the highest dance technique, the gift of plastic transformation and great acting skills.
He himself, answering a question about his best works on the ballet stage, said: “I can name only two that I strongly disliked: one is the blue bird in The Sleeping Beauty, and the second is the young man in the ballet Chopiniana. I simply hated them - there was no - something of development: well, well, a blue bird, well, flutters and flutters. These two roles just didn’t grab me at all.”
At the same time, the great master, strict with himself, was invariably overcome by a feeling of dissatisfaction: “Throughout my entire life I have danced many performances, I won’t even say how many, but none have ever satisfied me, at least not my performance. You know, there was never any left such a feeling: “God, I did it just great!” There was always something wrong in the first act, then in the second, everything seemed to work out, but there was no fusion with the music. I don’t know, perhaps an artist should always remain dissatisfied. In general, I never considered myself a genius.”
Since 1961, he acted in films, making his debut in the role of Ivanushka in the ballet film “The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse” directed by Zoya Tulubieva and Alexander Radunsky based on the fairy tale of the same name by P. Ershov.
Later he starred in the films “Abduction” (artist Vasiliev), “Romeo and Juliet” (Romeo), “Gigolo and Gigoletta” (Sid Cotman).
Vladimir Vasiliev in the film "Gigolo and Gigoletta"
As a director, he directed the film-play “Anyuta”, in which he also played the role of Pyotr Leontievich, and later the musical drama “Fouette”, in which he played the main characters - Andrei Yaroslavovich Novikov and the Master.
Vladimir Vasiliev in the film "Anyuta"
Vladimir Vasiliev in the film "Fouette"
Since 1971, he began working as a choreographer, choreographing many ballets on the Soviet and foreign stages, as well as television ballets.
In 1982 he graduated from the choreographer's department of GITIS. In 1982-1995 he taught choreography there. In 1985-1995 - head of the department of choreography (since 1989 - professor).
In 1989, there was a huge scandal at the Bolshoi Theater. Then leading theater artists, among whom were Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maksimova, wrote open letter to the newspaper Pravda. They claimed that Russian ballet was deteriorating and accused the artistic director of the troupe, Yuri Grigorovich, of dictatorship.
The scandal ended with the dismissal of Vasiliev and Maksimova. They worked abroad: the Paris Grand Opera, Milan's La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Rome Opera. Later they returned to their homeland.
“Ballet occupies my whole life, and all my work was dedicated only to it”, - said Vladimir Vasiliev.
In 1995-2000 he worked artistic director ballet troupe and director of the Bolshoi Theater.
Since 1989 - full member of the International Academy of Creativity, since 1990 - of the Academy Russian art. Also since 1990 - Secretary of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Russian Center of the International Dance Council at UNESCO.
Since 1992, he has been a member of the jury of the Russian independent award for the highest achievements of literature and art “Triumph”.
Since 1995 - honorary professor at Moscow State University.
Since 1998 - President of the G.S. Foundation. Ulanova.
In 1990-1995 - chairman of the jury, and since 1996 - artistic director of the Open Competition of Ballet Artists "Arabesque" (Perm). In 2008, "Arabesque" coincided with the fiftieth anniversary creative activity married couple and therefore the X competition was dedicated to them.
In 1999, on the initiative and direct participation of V. Vasiliev, the ballet school Bolshoi Theater in Joinville (Brazil).
In 2003, he was on the jury of the Eurovision Young Dancers 2003 competition in Amsterdam.
Since 2004 - Chairman of the jury of the annual International children's festival"Tanzolymp" in Berlin.
In 2014, he performed as Ilya Andreevich Rostov in the mini-ballet “Natasha Rostova’s First Ball” to combined music (choreography by Radu Poklitaru), shown at the opening of the Winter Festival Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi.
In 2015, in honor of the dancer’s 75th birthday, the premiere of the ballet performance “Donna nobis pasem” to the music of Bach took place. The hero of the day acted as a ballet director, the parts were performed by dancers of the Tatar Academic Theater named after Musa Jalil.
Writes poetry and paintings. “It’s immunity for me to embody myself in poetry and painting,” Vasiliev explained.
Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maksimova. More than love
Vladimir Vasiliev's height: 185 centimeters.
Personal life of Vladimir Vasiliev:
Wife - (1939-2009), ballerina, People's Artist of the USSR, his constant stage partner.
Catherine was the granddaughter of a scientist-philosopher who was executed in 1937. They met in Moscow in the late forties. Vladimir was then nine years old, and Ekaterina was ten. They both had a passion for ballet. Catherine did not pay attention to him for a long time special attention, only in the last class of ballet school did Vladimir realize that he could not live without her and confessed his love to Maximova. She reciprocated.
They have become one of the most beautiful couples world ballet, they were applauded by presidents and monarchs, the Queen of Great Britain called them “ballet geniuses.” They knew each other for 60 years, and were married for almost half a century - until Maximova’s death.
They lived in the village of Snegiri near Moscow, where they moved in the early 1970s.
We really wanted to have children, but it didn’t work out.
Filmography of Vladimir Vasiliev:
1961 - The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse - Ivanushka
1961 - USSR with an open heart (documentary)
1969 - Kidnapping - artist Vasiliev
1969 - Moscow in notes
1970 - Trapeze (film-play)
1970 - Amusement Parade (documentary)
1973 - Duet (documentary)
1974 - Romeo and Juliet - Romeo
1975 - Spartacus (film-ballet) (film-play) - Spartak
1978 - The Nutcracker (film-play) - The Nutcracker, Prince
1980 - Gigolo and Zhigoletta (short) - Sid Cotman
1980 - Bolshoi Ballet(film-concert) (film-play)
1981 - 50 years of Sergei Obraztsov’s puppet theater (film-play)
1982 - House by the Road (film-play) - Andrey
1982 - Anyuta (film-play) - Pyotr Leontyevich, Anyuta’s father
1985 - Anna Pavlova (documentary)
1986 - Fouette - Andrey Yaroslavovich Novikov / Master
1987 - Ballet in the first person (documentary)
1988 - Grand Pas on the White Night
1990 - Katya and Volodya (documentary)
1991 - Revelations of choreographer Fyodor Lopukhov (documentary)
2005 - The Rise and Fall of Maris Liepa (documentary)
2006 - 100 years of non-loneliness. Igor Moiseev (documentary)
2006 - How idols left. Aram Khachaturian (documentary)
2007 - How idols left. Maris Liepa (documentary)
2007 - Nerijus (documentary)
2009 - Lifelong Fouette... (documentary)
2009 - Blue sea... white ship... Valeria Gavrilin (documentary)
2009 - Savely Yamshchikov. I am listed in Russia (documentary)
2010 - Tatiana Vecheslova. I am a ballerina (documentary)
2011 - Iya Savvina. Explosive mixture with bell (documentary)
Director's works of Vladimir Vasiliev:
1981 - The World of Ulanova (documentary)
1982 - Anyuta (film-play)
1986 - Fouette
Ballet parts Vladimir Vasiliev:
Bolshoi Theater:
1958 - “Rusalka” by A. Dargomyzhsky, choreography by E. Dolinskaya, B. Kholfin - gypsy dance;
1958 - “Demon” by A. Rubinstein - “Lezginka” dance;
1958 - choreographic picture “Walpurgis Night” in the opera “Faust” by C. Gounod, choreography by L. Lavrovsky - Pan;
1958 - “Chopiniana” to the music of F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine - Soloist;
1959 - “The Stone Flower” by S. Prokofiev, staged by Y. Grigorovich - Danila;
1959 - “Cinderella” by S. Prokofiev, choreography by R. Zakharov - Prince;
1959 - “Dance Suite” to the music of D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Varlamov - Soloist - first performer;
1960 - choreographic miniature “Narcissus” to music by N. Cherepnin, choreography by K. Goleizovsky - Narcissus - first performer (“Evening of new choreographic miniatures”);
1960 - “Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev, choreography by L. Lavrovsky - Benvolio;
1960 - “Shurale” by F. Yarullin, staged by L. Yakobson - Batyr;
1960 - “The Little Humpbacked Horse” by R. Shchedrin, staged by A. Radunsky - Ivanushka - first performer;
1961 - “Forest Song” by M. Skorulsky, choreographers O. Tarasova, A. Lapauri - Lukash - first performer;
1961 - “Pages of Life” by A. Balanchivadze, choreography by L. Lavrovsky - Andrey;
1962 - “Paganini” by S. Rachmaninov, staged by L. Lavrovsky - Paganini;
1962 - “Spartacus” by A. Khachaturian, staged by L. Yakobson - Slave - first performer;
1962 - “Don Quixote” by L. Minkus, choreography by A. Gorsky - Basil;
1963 - “Class Concert” to the music of A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Rubinstein, D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Messerer - Soloist - was among the first performers of this ballet;
1963 - “Laurencia” by A. Crane, choreography by V. Chabukiani - Frondoso;
1963 - “The Sleeping Beauty” by P. I. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich - Blue Bird;
1964 - “Giselle” by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot and M. Petipa, revised by L. Lavrovsky - Albert;
1964 - “Petrushka” by I. Stravinsky, choreography by M. Fokin - Petrushka;
1964 - “Leyli and Majnun” by S. Balasanyan, choreography by K. Goleizovsky - Majnun - first performer;
1966 - “The Nutcracker” by P. I. Tchaikovsky, staged by Y. Grigorovich - The Nutcracker Prince - first performer;
1968 - “Spartacus” by A. Khachaturian, staged by Y. Grigorovich - Spartacus - first performer;
1971 - “Icarus” by S. Slonimsky in his own production - Icarus;
1973 - “Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev, choreography by L. Lavrovsky - Romeo;
1973 - “The Sleeping Beauty” by P. I. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa in the second edition by Yu. Grigorovich - Prince Désiré - first performer;
1975 - “Ivan the Terrible” to the music of S. Prokofiev, staged by Y. Grigorovich - Ivan the Terrible;
1976 - “Angara” by A. Eshpai, staged by Y. Grigorovich - Sergei - first performer;
1976 - “Icarus” by S. Slonimsky in his own production (second edition) - Icarus - first performer;
1979 - large adagio from the ballet “Romeo and Julia” by G. Berlioz, choreography and production by M. Bejart - Romeo - the first performer in the USSR;
1980 - “Macbeth” by K. Molchanov in his own production - Macbeth - first performer;
1986 - “Anyuta” to the music of V. Gavrilin after A. Chekhov in his own production - Pyotr Leontyevich - first performer;
1988 - concert number “Elegy” to the music of S. Rachmaninov - Soloist;
“The Golden Age” by D. Shostakovich, choreography by Yu. Grigorovich - Boris
Other theaters:
1977 - “Petrushka” by I. Stravinsky, choreography by M. Bejart - Youth (Twentieth Century Ballet Theater, Brussels);
1987 - “The Blue Angel” to the music of M. Constant, choreography by R. Petit - Professor Unrath (Marseille Ballet, France);
1988 - “Zorba the Greek” to music by M. Theodorakis, choreography by Lorca Massine - Zorba (“Arena di Verona”, Italy);
1988 - “Parisian Fun” to the music of J. Offenbach, choreography by L. Massine - Baron (Teatro San Carlo, Naples, Italy);
1988 - “Pulcinella” to the music of I. Stravinsky, choreography by L. Massine - Pulcinella (Teatro San Carlo);
1989 - “Nijinsky”, directed by B. Menegatti - Nijinsky (San Carlo Theatre);
1994 - “Cinderella” by S. Prokofiev - choreographer and role of Cinderella’s stepmother (Kremlin Ballet);
2000 - “The Long Journey into Christmas Night” to the music of P. Tchaikovsky and I. Stravinsky, director B. Menegatti - Maestro (Roman Opera);
2009 - “Diaghilev Musaget. Venice, August 1929" to composite music, directed by B. Menegatti - Diaghilev (Roman Opera on the stage of the Municipal Theater)
Productions by Vladimir Vasiliev:
1969 - “The Princess and the Woodcutter”, a fairy tale-comedy by G. Volchek and M. Mikaelyan (Sovremennik Theatre;
1971 - “Icarus”, ballet by S. Slonimsky (Bolshoi Theater, 1976 - second edition);
1977 - “Tahir and Zukhra”, opera-ballet by T. Jalilov (Bolshoi Theater named after Alisher Navoi, Tashkent);
1978 - “These enchanting sounds...”, ballet to music by A. Corelli, G. Torelli, V.-A. Mozart, J.-F. Ramo (Bolshoi Theater);
1980 - “Macbeth”, ballet by K. Molchanov (Bolshoi Theater; 1981 - Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater; 1984 - German state opera, Berlin; 1986 - Budapest Opera, Hungary; 1990 - Kremlin Ballet Theater);
1981 - “Juno and Avos”, rock opera by A. Rybnikov, director M. Zakharov (Lenkom);
1981 - memorial evening “In honor of Galina Ulanova” / Hommage d’Oulanova (director and one of the performers, Pleyel concert hall, Paris);
1981 - “I want to dance” to the music of Russian composers (State Central Concert Hall “Russia”; 1990 - Bolshoi Theater);
1981 - “Fragments of a Biography” to the music of Argentine composers (Russia Concert Hall; 1990 - Bolshoi Theater);
1983 - choreographic composition to the music of P. Tchaikovsky (Ballet of the Champs-Elysees, Paris; 1990 - Bolshoi Theater);
1986 - “Anyuta”, ballet to the music of V. Gavrilin based on the story by A. Chekhov (Bolshoi Theater, San Carlo Theater, Riga Opera and Ballet Theater; 1987 - Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater named after M. I. Glinka; 1990 - Tatar Theater Opera and Ballet named after Musa Jalil, Kazan; 1993 - Perm Opera and Ballet Theater named after P. I. Tchaikovsky; 2008 - Omsk Musical Theatre; Voronezh Opera and Ballet Theater; 2009 - Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theater; 2011 - Samara Opera and Ballet Theater);
1988 - “Elegy”, concert number to the music of S. Rachmaninov (Bolshoi Theater);
1988 - “Paganini”, a new edition of L. Lavrovsky’s ballet to the music of S. Rachmaninov (San Carlo Theater; 1995 - Bolshoi Theater);
1989 - “The Tale of the Pope and his worker Balda”, musical and dramatic composition to the music of D. Shostakovich (P.I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, staged and co-directed by Yu. Borisov; first performer of the role of Balda);
1990 - “Romeo and Juliet”, ballet by S. Prokofiev (Moscow Musical Theater named after K. S. Stanislavsky and Vl. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko; 1993 - Lithuanian National Opera, Vilnius; 1999 - Latvian National Opera, Riga; 2002 - Municipal theater of Rio de Janeiro);
1991 - Don Quixote, ballet by L. Minkus (American Ballet Theatre; 1994 - Kremlin Ballet; 1995 - Lithuanian National Opera; 2001 - Tokyo Ballet, Japan; 2007 - National Theater, Belgrade);
1993 - “Aida” by G. Verdi, choreographic scenes in the opera (director F. Zeffirelli (Roman Opera; 2004 - Arena di Verona; 2006 - La Scala Theater);
1994 - “Cinderella”, ballet by S. Prokofiev (Kremlin Ballet, director and first performer of the role of Cinderella’s stepmother; 2002 - Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater; 2006 - Voronezh Opera and Ballet Theater);
1994 - “Giselle”, ballet by A. Adam, new choreographic version based on the choreography of J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa (Roman Opera; 1997 - Bolshoi Theater);
1994 - “Nostalgia” to the music of Russian composers (Kremlin Ballet Theater, director and first performer main party);
1994 - “The Artist Reads the Bible”, musical and dramatic composition (A. S. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts);
1995 - “Oh, Mozart! Mozart...", requiem to the music of V.-A. Mozart, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Salieri (New Opera, Moscow);
1995 - “Khovanshchina” by M. Mussorgsky, choreographic scenes in the opera (director B. Pokrovsky, Bolshoi Theater);
1996 - " Swan Lake", ballet by P. I. Tchaikovsky, choreographic edition using fragments of choreography by L. Ivanov (Bolshoi Theater);
1996 - “La Traviata” by G. Verdi (Bolshoi Theater);
1997 - choreographic composition to the music of the overture to M. Glinka’s opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (Bolshoi Theater);
1999 - “Balda”, ballet to the music of D. Shostakovich (Bolshoi Theater; 2006 - Opera and Ballet Theater of the St. Petersburg Conservatory);
2009 - “The Spell of the Escher Family”, ballet to the music of G. Getty (Bolshoi Theater, new stage);
2015 - “Give us peace”, ballet to the music of the Mass in B minor by J. S. Bach (Tatar Opera and Ballet Theater named after Musa Jalil)
Bibliography of Vladimir Vasiliev:
2001 - “Chain of Days” (collection of poems)
Ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher.
Honored Artist of the RSFSR (11/11/1964).
People's Artist of the RSFSR (1969).
People's Artist of the USSR (1973).
Wife - Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova, an outstanding ballerina, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR, laureate of State Prizes of the USSR and Russia.
In 1947, young Volodya Vasiliev accidentally found himself in the classes of the choreographic circle of the Kirov House of Pioneers. Teacher Elena Romanovna Rosse immediately noted the boy’s special talent and invited him to study in the senior group. The following year he studied at the city Palace of Pioneers, with choreographic ensemble who in 1948 first performed in a concert on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater - these were Russian and Ukrainian dances.
In 1949, Vasiliev was admitted to the Moscow Academic Choreographic School in the class of E. A. Lapchinskaya. In 1958 he graduated from college in the class of M. M. Gabovich, the famous premier of the Bolshoi Theater. The professional look of Mikhail Markovich accurately noted characteristic feature dance student: “...Volodya Vasiliev dances not only with his whole body, but with every cell of it, with a pulsating rhythm, dance fire and explosive force.” Already during his studies, Vasiliev amazed with his rare combination of expression, virtuosic technique with undoubted acting talent and the ability to transform. At the graduation concert of graduates, he not only danced traditional variations and pas de deux, but also created a deeply tragic image of the 60-year-old jealous Giotto in the ballet Francesca da Rimini. It was about this role that the prophetic words of the Moscow Art University teacher Tamara Stepanovna Tkachenko were spoken: “We are present at the birth of a genius!”
On August 26, 1958, Vladimir Vasiliev was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. He graduated from the school as a demi-character dancer and did not even think about dancing the classics. And initially in the theater he really had characteristic roles: gypsy dance in the opera “Rusalka”, Lezginka in the opera “Demon”, Pan in the choreographic scene “Walpurgis Night” - the first big solo role. However, there was something about the young dancer that attracted the attention of the great Galina Ulanova, and she invited him to be her partner in classical ballet"Chopiniana". Galina Sergeevna will become Vasiliev’s friend, teacher and tutor for many years and will have a huge influence on the artist’s professional and spiritual formation.
Choreographer Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich, who had just joined the theater, also believed in his talent. He suggested
The 18-year-old college graduate played the central role in his production of S. S. Prokofiev’s ballet “The Stone Flower,” in which Vasiliev immediately won the love and recognition of audiences and critics. Other major parties of modern and classical repertoire.
The choreographers not only offered Vasiliev the main roles, but also choreographed them especially for him. He was the first performer of the solo part in “Dance Suite” (staged by A.A. Varlamov, 1959), the part of Ivanushka in the ballet by R.K. Shchedrin's "The Little Humpbacked Horse" (staged by A.I. Radunsky, 1960), Slave in "Spartacus" by A.I. Khachaturian (productions by L.V. Yakobson, 1960, 1962), Lukash in “The Forest Song” by G.L. Zhukovsky (staged by O.G. Tarasova and A.A. Lapauri, 1961), Soloist in “Class Concert” (staged by A.M. Messerer, 1963), Petrushka in the ballet by I.F. Stravinsky's "Petrushka" (staged by K.F. Boyarsky after M.M. Fokin, 1964), performed by Batyr in "Shural" by F.Z. Yarullina. In each new job Vasiliev refuted the established opinion about his capabilities as an artist and dancer, proving that he is truly an “exception to the rule”, a person capable of embodying any image on stage - the classical ballet Prince, the hot Spaniard Basil, the Russian Ivanushka, and an oriental youth madly in love , and a powerful people's leader, and a bloody despot king. Both critics and his artistic colleagues spoke about this repeatedly. To the legendary M. Liepa, People's Artist The USSR, the premier of the Bolshoi Theater, made the following statement: “Vasiliev is a brilliant exception to the rule! He has a phenomenal talent in technology and acting, and in mastery of a dance phrase, and in musicality, and in the ability to transform, etc.” Here's what F.V. said. Lopukhov, patriarch of Russian ballet: “In terms of diversity, he cannot be compared with anyone... He is a tenor, a baritone, and, if you want, a bass.” The great Russian choreographer Kasyan Yaroslavich Goleizovsky singled out Vasiliev from all the dancers he had ever seen, calling him “a real genius of dance.” Back in 1960, Goleizovsky created especially for him the concert numbers “Narcissus” and “Fantasy” (for Vasiliev and E.S. Maksimova) and in 1964 - the part of Majnun in the ballet by S.A. Balasanyan "Leyla and Majnun".
Almost all the performances of the best period of Yu.N. Grigorovich is also associated with the name of Vladimir Vasiliev, who was the first performer of the central roles in his productions. However, gradually a serious difference in creative positions emerged between V. Vasiliev and Yu. Grigorovich, which developed into a conflict, as a result of which in 1988 V. Vasiliev, E. Maksimova, as well as a number of other leading soloists, were forced to part with the Bolshoi Theater.
During my creative career Vasiliev performed abroad a lot and with great success - at the Grand Opera, La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Rome Opera, Teatro Colon, etc. The phenomenon of Vladimir Vasiliev always attracted outstanding figures of foreign theater: Maurice Bejart staged his version of I.F.’s ballet especially for him. Stravinsky "Petrushka" (20th Century Ballet, Brussels, 1977). Later, at concerts, Vasiliev, together with Maksimova, repeatedly performed a fragment from his ballet “Romeo and Julia” to the music of G. Berlioz. In 1982, Franco Zeffirelli invited him and Ekaterina Maximova to participate in the filming of the opera film La Traviata ( Spanish dance– production and performance). In 1987, Vasiliev performed as Professor Unrath in Roland Petit's production of The Blue Angel to the music of M. Constant (Marseille Ballet). 1988 was marked by the first performance of the main role of Zorba in Lorca Massine’s production of “Zorba the Greek” to the music of M. Theodorakis (“Arena di Verona”), as well as the first performance of the main roles one-act ballets Leonid Myasin "Pulcinella" I.F. Stravinsky (Pulcinella) and “Parisian Gay” to the music of J. Offenbach (Baron) in the revival of Lorca Massine at the San Carlo Theater (Naples). In 1989, Beppe Menegatti staged the play “Nijinsky” with Vasiliev in the title role (San Carlo Theater). Vasiliev’s performances (and later his ballets) always evoked a special attitude from the public - the French called him “the god of dance”, the Italians carried him in their arms, in Argentina after the premiere of his production to the music of Argentine composers “Fragments of a Biography” he simply became national hero and an honorary citizen of Buenos Aires, the Americans named him an honorary citizen of the city of Tucson.
In addition to Ekaterina Maximova, Vladimir Vasiliev’s constant partner, whom he always called his Muse, the following danced with him: famous ballerinas as Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Raisa Struchkova, Marina Kondratyeva, Nina Timofeeva, Natalya Bessmertnova, Irina Kolpakova, Lyudmila Semenyaka, Alicia Alonso and Josefina Mendez (Cuba), Dominique Calfuni and Noel Pontois (France), Liliana Causey and Carla Fracci (Italy), Rita Pulvoord (Belgium), Zsuzsa Kun (Hungary).
The dancer's incredible virtuosity, plastic expressiveness, exceptional musicality, dramatic talent, depth of thought and enormous power of emotional impact have revealed a new type of modern ballet dancer, for whom there are no technical difficulties, no limitations of role or plot. The standards of performance mastery declared by Vasiliev in many ways remain unattainable to this day - for example, the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition, which he won in 1964, was never awarded to anyone else at subsequent competitions. Fyodor Vasilyevich Lopukhov wrote: “... When I say the word “god” in relation to Vasiliev... I mean a miracle in art, perfection.” Vasiliev is rightfully considered a transformer of male dance, an innovator with whom his highest achievements are associated. It is natural that at the end of the 20th century, according to a survey of leading experts in the world, it was Vladimir Vasiliev who was recognized as the “Dancer of the 20th century”.
Still in the prime of his performing skills, Vasiliev feels the need to more fully realize his creative potential and turns to choreography. His choreographer debut was the ballet “Icarus” by S.M. Slonimsky on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (1971 - 1st edition; 1976 - 2nd edition). Already in the first work they appear distinctive features Vasiliev’s choreographic style – extraordinary musicality and ability to reveal the subtlest shades in plasticity human feelings. Not limiting himself to just one genre, in the future he staged chamber ballet evenings, in which everything is determined by music and the development of feelings, and not by a specific plot: “These enchanting sounds...” (to the music of V.A. Mozart, G. Torelli, A. Corelli and J.F. Rameau, Bolshoi Theater, 1978; filmed on TV in 1981), “I want to dance” (“Nostalgia”) to piano music by Russian composers and “Fragments of a biography” to music by Argentine composers (Concert Hall). “Russia”, 1983; filmed on TV in 1985); embodies on stage literary works: “Macbeth” (K.V. Molchanov, Bolshoi Theater, 1980; a television recording of the performance was made in 1984); “Anyuta” (based on the story “Anna on the Neck” by A.P. Chekhov, music by V.A. Gavrilin; San Carlo Theater, Bolshoi Theater, 1986), “Romeo and Juliet” (S.S. Prokofiev, Academic Musical Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, 1990, Lithuanian Opera, 1993, Latvian Opera, 1999), “Cinderella” (S.S. Prokofiev, Kremlin Ballet Theater, 1991), “Balda” ( based on the fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin to the music of S.S. Prokofiev, Bolshoi Theater, 1999); offers his vision of classical ballets: “Don Quixote” (American Ballet Theatre, 1991, Kremlin Ballet, 1994, Lithuanian Opera, 1995), “Swan Lake” (SABT, 1996), “Giselle” (Roman Opera, 1994; SABT, 1997 ), Paganini (Teatro San Carlo, 1988, Bolshoi Theater, 1995, Teatro Argentino, 2002).
IN different times he stages concert numbers and choreographic miniatures: “Two”, “Classical pas de deux”, “Russian”, “Two German Dances” and “Six German Dances”, “Aria”, “Minuet”, “Waltz”, “ Caruso”, “The Jester”, “Petrushka”, “Elegy”, “Overture on Jewish Themes”, “Sinkops”, etc.; big choreographic compositions to the music of the Sixth Symphony by P.I. Tchaikovsky and Overture to the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by M.I. Glinka. Vasiliev considers the most important thing in his work to be the desire to convey to the viewer what he feels in the music, to make the dance tangible, to achieve a fusion of thought and feeling that can emotionally capture and captivate the viewer. Vasiliev's productions are enthusiastically received by the public, especially those where he and Ekaterina Maksimova perform the central roles - Icarus and Aeolus, Macbeth, Soloist in "Enchanting Sounds", Anyuta and Pyotr Leontyevich, Cinderella and Stepmother, the heroes of "Nostalgia" and "Fragments of a Biography" " Currently, ballets staged by Vladimir Vasiliev are performed not only on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, but also in 19 other theaters in Russia and the world.
Vasiliev’s creative interests extend to other areas of art - he acts as a dramatic actor in feature films“Gigolo and Gigolette” (Sid, 1980), “Fouette” (Andrei Novikov, Master, 1986), in the oratorio film “The Gospel for the Evil One” (central roles, 1992); here, as well as in the original television ballets “Anyuta” (Petr Leontyevich, 1982) and “House on the Road” (Andrey, 1983), he acts not only as a performer, but also as a choreographer and director. Vasiliev stages operas: the opera-ballet “Tahir and Zukhra” to the music of T.D. Jalilova (Theater named after A. Navoi, Tashkent, 1977), requiem “Oh, Mozart! Mozart...” to music by V.A. Mozart, A. Salieri, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov (New Opera Theatre, Moscow, 1995), La Traviata by G. Verdi (SABT, 1996) and choreographic scenes in the operas Aida by G. Verdi (Roman Opera, 1993, Arena di Verona, 2002) and “Khovanshchina” by M.P. Mussorgsky (SABT, 1995).
His works on the dramatic stage will be interesting experiments: choreography of the fairy tale-comedy “The Princess and the Woodcutter” at the Sovremennik Theater (1969) and the rock opera “Juno” and “Avos” at the Lenkom Theater (1981), directing and choreography of the musical -dramatic compositions “The Tale of the Pope and his worker Balda” (P.I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, 1989), “The Artist Reads the Bible” (A.S. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, 1994).
Vasiliev and pedagogical activity. In 1982, he graduated from the choreographic department of GITIS with a degree in choreography and began teaching there in the same year. From 1985 to 1995, Vasiliev was the head of the choreography department of GITIS (RATI). In 1989 he was awarded the academic title of professor.
In 1995, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Vasiliev was appointed Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theater. Vasiliev managed to bring the theater out of the severe crisis state in which it was in those years. A modern contract system was adopted; the traditions of benefit performances were revived: corps de ballet, choir and orchestra; the theater’s own Video Studio and the production of a regular series of programs on the “Culture” TV channel were organized; a press service was created and opened official page Bolshoi Theater on the Internet; expanded publishing activity(including the appearance of the periodical publication of the glossy magazine “Bolshoi Theater”); preparations have begun for the reconstruction of the theater, incl. construction of its branch; the Bolshoi Theater School of Classical Dance was organized in Brazil; Many charity events were held, as well as evenings and gala concerts, directed in many cases by Vasiliev himself (a concert dedicated to the 850th anniversary of Moscow in the Kremlin, a unique New Year's ball at the Bolshoi 2000), and much more. Every year, the theater hosted premieres that brought together the creative potential of the troupe, including with the participation of outstanding foreign masters: Peter Ustinov, Pierre Lacotte, John Taras, Susan Farrell, Hubert de Givenchy, etc. Large-scale foreign tours of the theater made the world talk about the revival of the Bolshoi theater Newspapers wrote: “ Triumphant return Bolshoi" (Daily Gerald), "The Great Bolshoi Again" (Financial Times).
In September 2000, Vasiliev was relieved of his position “due to its abolition.”
Vladimir Vasiliev actively collaborates with many theaters across the country and the world, heads and participates in the work of the jury of various international ballet competitions, gives master classes, rehearses, and prepares new performances and roles. At the end of 2000, the premiere of the play “The Long Journey on Christmas Night” about P.I. was a triumphant success at the Rome Opera. Tchaikovsky (director B. Menegatti), in which the main role was played by Vladimir Vasiliev, and in 2001 - the premiere of Vasiliev’s productions “Don Quixote” in the Tokyo Ballet company (Japan) and “Cinderella” at the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater, in 2002 – production of the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro.
Having headed the Galina Ulanova Foundation since 1998, Vasiliev stages and conducts annual gala concerts “Dedicated to Galina Ulanova” (Novaya Opera, 2003, Bolshoi Theater, 2004 and 2005).
The following films are dedicated to the work of V. Vasiliev: “Duet” (1973), “Katya and Volodya” (USSR-France, 1989), “And, as always, something left unsaid...” (1990), “Reflections” ( 2000); photo albums: R. Lazzarini. Maximova & Vasiliev at the Bolshoi (London: Dance Books, 1995), E.V. Fetisova “Ekaterina Maksimova. Vladimir Vasiliev" (M.: Terra, 1999), Pedro Simon "Alicia Alonso. Vladimir Vasiliev. Giselle" (Editorial Arte Y Literatura, Ciudad de la Habana, 1981); monograph by B.A. Lvov-Anokhin “Vladimir Vasiliev” (M.: Tsentrpoligraf, 1998); encyclopedia compiled by E.V. Fetisova “Vladimir Vasiliev: Encyclopedia of a Creative Personality” (M.: Teatralis, 2000), V. Golovitser photo album “Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasiliev (Moscow-New York, Ballet, 2001).
Honorary Professor of Moscow State University (since 1995), full member of the International Academy of Creativity (since 1989) and the Academy of Russian Art (since 1990), secretary of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, deputy chairman of the executive committee of the Russian Center of the International Dance Council of UNESCO (since 1990), member of the jury of the Russian independent prize in the field of highest achievements in literature and art “Triumph” (since 1992).
In 1990-1995 was the chairman of the jury, since 1996 he became the artistic director of the Open Ballet Competition "Arabesque" (Perm), since 2004 - the chairman of the jury of the annual International Children's Festival "Tanzolymp" (Berlin).
He mainly devotes his free time to painting - his most serious and long-standing hobby (six personal exhibitions of his works have been held).
In 2000, his first poetry collection, “Chain of Days,” was published.
theatrical works
Gypsy dance (opera "Rusalka" by A. Dargomyzhsky, choreography by E. Dolinskaya, B. Kholfin, 1958)
Pan (scene "Walpurgis Night" in the opera "Faust" by C. Gounod, choreography by L. Lavrovsky, 1958)
Soloist ("Chopiniana" to music by F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine, 1958)
Soloist ("Dance Suite" to the music of D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Varlamov, 1959) - first performer
Danila ("The Stone Flower" by S. Prokofiev, staged by Y. Grigorovich, 1959)
Prince (Cinderella by S. Prokofiev, choreography by R. Zakharov, 1959)
Benvolio (Romeo and Juliet by S. Prokofiev, choreography by L. Lavrovsky, 1960)
Ivanushka ("The Little Humpbacked Horse" by R. Shchedrin, staged by A. Radunsky, 1960) - first performer
Batyr ("Shurale" by F. Yarullin, staged by L. Yakobson, 1960)
Lukash ("Forest Song", ballet by O.G. Tarasova, A.A. Lapauri, 1961) - first performer
Andrey ("Pages of Life" by A. Balanchivadze, choreography by L. Lavrovsky, 1961)
Paganini ("Paganini" to music by S. Rachmaninov, staged by L. Lavrovsky, 1962)
Slave ("Spartacus" by A. Khachaturian, staged by L. Yakobson, 1962) - first performer
Basil (Don Quixote by L. Minkus, choreography by A. Gorsky, 1962)
Soloist ("Class Concert" to the music of A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Rubinstein, D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Messerer, 1963) - was among the first performers
Frondoso ("Laurencia" by A. Crane, choreography by V.M. Chabukiani, 1963)
Blue Bird (The Sleeping Beauty by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich, 1963)
Albert ("Giselle" by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa in L. Lavrovsky, 1964)
Petrushka (Petrushka by I. Stravinsky, choreography by M. Fokin, 1964)
Majnun ("Leili and Majnun" staged by K. Goleizovsky, 1964) - first performer
The Nutcracker Prince ("The Nutcracker" staged by Yu. Grigorovich, 1966) - first performer
Spartacus ("Spartacus" staged by Yu. Grigorovich, 1968) - first performer
Icarus ("Icarus" by S. Slonimsky in his own production, 1971)
Romeo (Romeo and Juliet, 1973)
Prince Désiré ("The Sleeping Beauty" in a new version by Yu. Grigorovich, 1973) - first performer
Ivan the Terrible ("Ivan the Terrible" to music by S. Prokofiev, staged by Yu. Grigorovich, 1975)
Sergey ("Angara" by A. Eshpai, staged by Y. Grigorovich, 1976) - first performer
Icarus ("Icarus" in the second edition, 1976) - first performer
Romeo (duet from the ballet "Romeo and Julia" to the music of G. Berlioz, staged by M. Bejart, 1979) - the first performer in Russia
Macbeth ("Macbeth" by K. Molchanov in his own production, 1980) - first performer
Pyotr Leontievich ("Anyuta" to the music of V. Gavrilin in his own production, 1986) - first performer
prizes and awards
Lenin Prize (1970) - for the performance of the title role in the ballet performance “Spartacus” by A. I. Khachaturian.
USSR State Prize (1977) - for the performance of the role of Sergei in the ballet performance “Angara” by A. Ya. Eshpai.
State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasilyev brothers (1984) - for participation in the creation of the film-ballet “Anyuta” (1981).
State Prize of the RSFSR named after M. I. Glinka (1991, in the field of musical art) - for concert programs recent years.
Lenin Komsomol Prize (1968) - for high skill and creation of the image of a national hero in ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater.
Order of Lenin (1976).
Order of Friendship of Peoples (1981).
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1986).
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (April 18, 2000).
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (December 1, 2008).
Order of Merit (1999, France).
Order of Rio Branco (2004, Brazil).
Medal named after P. Picasso (2000).
Prize named after S. P. Diaghilev (1990).
Prize of the Moscow City Hall (1997).
Theater award "Crystal Turandot" in 1991 (together with E. S. Maksimova) and in 2001 - "For honor and dignity".
First Prize and gold medal at the VII International Festival of Youth and Students in Vienna (1959).
Grand Prix and gold medal at the 1st International Ballet Competition in Varna (1964).
Vaslav Nijinsky Prize - “Best Dancer of the World” (1964, Paris Academy of Dance).
Intervision Prize (for the TV ballet Anyuta) at the International Film Festival “Zlata Prague” (1982).
Big prize in the competition musical films(TV ballet “Anyuta”) at the X All-Union TV Film Festival (Alma-Ata, 1983).
Intervision Prize and Prize for best performance male role (TV ballet “Road House”) at the International Film Festival “Zlata Prague” (Prague, 1985).
Prize for best performance season - the ballet “Anyuta” at the San Carlo Theater (Naples, 1986).
Prize for the best Chekhov play at the Chekhov Festival (Taganrog, 1986).
Special prize and gold medal of the Varna city committee of the Komsomol (1964, Bulgaria)
M. Petipa Prize “Best Duet in the World” (together with E. S. Maksimova, 1972, Paris Academy of Dance).
Prize of the Municipality of Rome "Europe 1972" (Italy).
Medal of the Argentine Academy of Arts (1983).
Simba Academy Award (1984, Italy).
Prize "Together for Peace" (1989, Italy).
J. Tanya Awards - “Best Choreographer” and “Best Duet” (together with E. S. Maksimova, 1989, Italy).
UNESCO Prize (1990).
Prize of the city of Terracina (1997, Italy).
Medal of Honor from the Karina Ari Foundation (1998, Sweden).
Medal of Merit of Princess Dona Francesca (2000, Brazil).
Awards “For the highest achievements in the field of choreography” (USA, 2003, Italy 2005).
Award “For a Life in Dance” (Italy, 2001).
Prize of the magazine "Ballet" "Soul of Dance" in the category "Legend of Ballet" (2005).
Prize named after Ludwig Nobel (St. Petersburg, revived on the initiative of the Academy of Culture, Patronage and Charity, 2007).
Freedom Award, presented in New York for outstanding contributions to the development of Russian-American cultural relations (2010).
Order of St. Constantine the Great (1998).
Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow (1999).
International Stanislavsky Prize (International K.S. Stanislavsky Foundation, 2010)
Even on the Russian stage - the best ballet stage in the world - dancers with such expression, strength, courageous beauty of dance and breadth of creative range rarely appear.
In 1947, Volodya Vasiliev accidentally found himself in the classes of the choreographic circle of the Kirov House of Pioneers. Teacher Elena Rosse immediately noted the boy’s special talent and invited him to study in the senior group. The following year, he studied at the city Palace of Pioneers, with whose choreographic ensemble in 1948 he first performed in a concert on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater - these were Russian and Ukrainian dances. In 1949, Vasiliev was admitted to the Moscow Academic Choreographic School in the class of E.A. Lapchinskaya.
As many of his senior colleagues and tutors recalled, at that time he did not give the impression of a dancer capable of performing such diverse roles. At that time, the dancer looked somewhat rustic, with more developed muscles than is customary according to the classical canons, which is why he seemed a little squat. However, Vasiliev was completely transformed on stage, and his movements and face became so spiritual that the performance of any role, from heroic to lyrical-romantic, was organic for him. Excellent choreographic abilities and powerful jump-flight enhanced this impression.
In 1958 he graduated from college in the class of M.M. Gabovich, the famous premier of the Bolshoi Theater. At the graduation concert of graduates, he not only danced traditional variations and pas de deux, but also created a deeply tragic image of the sixty-year-old jealous Giotto in the ballet Francesca da Rimini.
On August 26, 1958, Vladimir Vasiliev was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. He graduated from the school as a demi-character dancer and had no intention of dancing the classics. However, there was something about the young dancer that attracted the attention of the great Galina Ulanova, and she invited him to be her partner in the classical ballet Chopiniana.
Choreographer Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich, who had just joined the theater, also believed in his talent. He offered the eighteen-year-old college graduate the central role in his production of the ballet S.S. Prokofiev's "Stone Flower", in which Vasiliev immediately won the love and recognition of viewers and critics.
The role of Danila the Master was followed by other main roles of the modern and classical repertoire: Prince (Cinderella, 1959), Andrei (Pages of Life, 1961), Basil (Don Quixote, 1962), Paganini (Paganini, 1962 ), Frondoso (Laurencia, 1963), Albert (Giselle, 1964), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet, 1973).
In 1964, he performed two diametrically opposed roles: the emotional, passionate Majnun (Leili and Majnun, staged by K. Goleizovsky), whose plasticity is filled with oriental flavor and expression, and Petrushka (ballet of the same name after M. Fokin, staged by Boyarsky), in the role of which Vasiliev managed to combine the “mechanical” nature of the doll’s plasticity, its internal and external constraint with deep drama.
All of Vladimir Vasiliev’s parts were distinguished by great diversity, requiring the artist to diversify his role. The image of the Nutcracker staged by Yuri Grigorovich that he created was very interesting. Vladimir Vasiliev was able, with his characteristic artistry, to show the transformation of the Nutcracker doll into an image filled with spirituality and nobility.
In 1968, Vladimir Vasiliev created on stage heroic image Spartacus, performing this role in Grigorovich's ballet. The part of Spartacus was very difficult technically; the dancer needed to demonstrate the highest level of choreographic technique at that time, and Vasiliev coped with this task brilliantly. Vladimir Vasiliev's artistry allowed him to create not only a choreographically perfect, but also an extremely expressive, convincing image of a hero fighting for freedom. For this role, Vasiliev was awarded the Lenin Prize and the Lenin Komsomol Prize.
His Romeo in the 1973 play “Romeo and Juliet” is not the young, tremulous hero who, as a rule, appeared in productions of this Shakespearean tragedy. Performed by Vasiliev, Romeo is no longer a boy. He is young, but has courage and tragedy.
In each new work, Vasiliev proved that he was truly an “exception to the rule,” a person capable of embodying any image on stage.
It is impossible to talk about Vladimir Vasiliev without mentioning his constant partner, faithful comrade-in-arms and life partner – Ekaterina Maksimova, with whom Vasiliev’s best parts were created in duets. Maximova’s fragility and childlike spontaneity contrasted with Vasiliev’s masculinity and strength. The Maksimov-Vasiliev duet became a symbol of the Bolshoi Theater and the entire Soviet ballet for many years.
During his creative career, Vasiliev performed abroad a lot and with great success - at the Paris Opera, La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Rome Opera, Teatro Colon. Maurice Béjart staged his version of Stravinsky’s ballet “Petrushka” (Ballet of the 20th Century, Brussels, 1977) especially for him. The standards of performance mastery declared by Vasiliev in many ways remain unattainable to this day - for example, the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition, which he won in 1964, was never awarded to anyone else at subsequent competitions.
Vasiliev was the first performer of the central roles in many productions of Yuri Grigorovich, but gradually a serious difference in creative positions emerged between them, which developed into a conflict, as a result of which in 1988 V. Vasiliev, E. Maksimova, as well as a number of other leading soloists, were forced part with the Bolshoi Theater.
His choreographer debut was the ballet “Icarus” by S.M. Slonimsky on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (1971 - first edition; 1976 - second). Already in the first work, the distinctive features of Vasiliev’s choreographic style were revealed - extraordinary musicality and the ability to reveal the subtlest shades of human feelings in plasticity. He staged chamber ballet evenings, in which everything is determined by music and the development of feelings, and not a specific plot, transferred to ballet stage Shakespeare's Macbeth (1980), Chekhov's Anna on the Neck (Anyuta, 1986), created his own versions classical performances. Having taken up production work, Vladimir Vasiliev, feeling the need for special knowledge, graduated from the ballet department of GITIS in 1982 and became a teacher there, and then the head of the department. In 1990 he received the title of professor of choreography.
In 1995, by Decree of the President of Russia, Vasiliev was appointed artistic director - director of the Bolshoi Theater. He managed to bring the theater out of a severe crisis. A modern contract system was approved, and the traditions of benefit performances were revived. Every year, the theater hosted premieres that brought together the creative potential of the troupe, including with the participation of outstanding foreign masters: Peter Ustinov, Pierre Lacotte, John Taras, Susan Farrell.
VLADIMIR VASILIEV. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CREATIVE PERSONALITY.
The second (expanded and expanded) edition of the unique book “Vladimir Vasiliev. Encyclopedia of creative personality". The first edition was published in 2000 - on the occasion of the anniversary of Vasiliev, who became the first and only living person to whom a personal encyclopedia was dedicated. – a huge work about the life and work of the great ballet dancer, choreographer, director, set designer, artist, poet: 326 pages of the encyclopedia contain more than 900 articles. The author of the book, Elena Fetisova, a psychologist by training (she is also the author of scientific publications on the psychology of personality and creativity) and a photographer by vocation (which was noted by awarding her the “Soul of Dance” prize in 2015), has been photographing Vasiliev at performances for more than 40 years, rehearsals, concerts, filming, creative evenings etc. She has collected, systematized and compiled into articles a huge amount of information about all Vladimir Vasiliev’s roles in ballets, all performances with his participation and performances staged by him with a full description of stage stories; all his roles in television ballets, feature films; about the films in which Vasiliev starred and directed; about the performances and gala concerts that he directed; O international competitions ballet, where he was chairman of the jury; about his awards, prizes, prizes, honorary titles; photo albums, books, exhibitions dedicated to him; personal exhibitions of Vasilyev the artist, publications of his poetry and much, much more. Among the people presented in the encyclopedia: artists - the first performers of Vasiliev’s productions; his partners in plays and films; choreographers who choreographed specifically for him; composers, conductors, artists, choirmasters, accompanists - participants creative projects Vasiliev, directors and cameramen who made films about Vasiliev or together with him; Vasiliev’s teachers at the Moscow Art University and teachers at the Bolshoi Theater, his students at GITIS; ballet researchers and photographers, especially interested in Vasiliev’s work, etc.
Rich illustrative material (more than 450 photographs, almost half of which were taken by the author of the book) includes rare photographs from the personal archive of Vladimir Vasiliev, the Bolshoi Theater Museum, the State Central Theater Museum. A.A. Bakhrushin, the New Birth of Art Charitable Foundation, private collections, works of famous domestic and foreign photographers, many of which are published for the first time. The articles are arranged in alphabetical order, and each letter opens with a photograph of the Vasiliev production that begins with this letter: A – “Anyuta”, I – “Icarus”, M – “Macbeth”, etc. In addition to scenes from the performances, articles about the productions are illustrated with posters, performance programs, and photographs from rehearsals.
The encyclopedia includes an Appendix - “About creativity and not only” - containing information about Vasiliev’s performances (including comic ones) at various festivals, congratulations from colleagues and friends on his anniversaries, original gifts and dedications to Vladimir Vasiliev, as well as friendly cartoons , epigrams, mosaic of geographical names associated with his stay and many others. other. Appendix articles are also illustrated rare photographs, mostly unknown to the general public.
The book presents the works of Vasiliev the artist and set designer, his poetic works, and also for the first time small fragments of Vladimir Vasiliev’s memoirs, exclusively provided by him for this publication, are published.
You can purchase the book:
In the Bolshoi Theater store.
Address: Moscow, st. Theater Square, 1. 9th entrance of the main building.
In a bookstore Moscow
Address: st. Tverskaya 8 building 1
They also have an online store www.moscowbooks.ru
In the Mariinsky Theater store
Address: St. Petersburg, st. Theater Square, 1
On the publishing house website http://www.bookmusic.ru/
