Rudolf Nureyev

[Rosie]

Hi, I wonder if someone knows some good sites about Rudolf Nureyev?

I would be thankfull if someone knows how to pronounce is last name.

in advance

[dirac]

Rosie, there's a thread on our other board, Ballet Talk for Dancers, that has something of what you need (link here) in addition to a wonderful essay by Ballet Talk's founder, Alexandra Tomalonis, on Nureyev and his importance to ballet and dance.

Nureyev has been the subject of many books, by John Percival, Otis Stuart, and Diane Solway, among others, and he is mentioned in many biographies and autobiographies of other dancers, so a trip to the library may be beneficial, as well. Hope this helps.

Also -- it's Noo-RAY-ev, if my information is correct.

[Brioche]

I always wonder about the pronunciation of his last name as well. The Russian dancers in our company pronounce it Nour-eev (long e)

[canbelto]

I always thought it was pronounced NYU-reyev. Kind of like VISHneva.

But the first place to find out about Nureyev is through videos! Luckily, there are lots of them.

Romeo and Juliet with Margot Fonteyn is probably the most essential video, but there are lots. His graduation video with Alla Sizova can now be seen in its entirety on 'Glory of the Kirov.' 'An Evening with the Royal Ballet' features him in Les Sylphides and Le Corsaire. On VAI there's his Bell Telephone Hour performances, juxtaposed with Erik Bruhn's Bell Telephone Hour performances. Some good stuff on that video, including a pdd with the criminally under-recorded Svetlana Beriosova.

I hesitate to recommend his Swan Lake, as it's an odd production, and it's not Fonteyn's finest hour. There's a documentary with Patricia Foy, which is nice if a tad fluffy. I haven't seen his Giselle with Carla Fracci, but there's his Giselle with Lynn Seymour, and his Albrecht is truly peerless. 'Fonteyn and Nureyev: The Perfect Partnership' just came out on dvd -- well worth watching, if only for the rehearsal footage. Just watching Margot's smile when she mentions their partnership is magical. The Dancer's Dream series about his productions at the POB don't feature a lot of Nureyev, but his presence is certainly felt. There's a Cinderella from the POB with a very young Sylvie Guillem in which Nureyev is the 'Fairy Godmother.' He's pretty funny. There's a Sleeping Beauty with Victoria Tennant that I've never seen.

But ... and this is a huge but ... my FAVORITE Nureyev on video has to be his appearance on The Muppets Show, especially his "pdd" with Miss Piggy. Priceless.

[Marga]

In Russian Nureyev is indeed pronounced as Brioche says. Dirac's pronounciation is what is most often heard in North America. Some folks, especially newscasters, have put the emphasis on the first syllable, saying NU-ray-ev. (And Russians pronounce Diana Vishneva's last name Vish-NYO-va, with the emphasis on the second syllable.)

Here is an interesting website about Nureyev (it's the official umbrella site of his foundation for medical research). It has links to lists of all the videos and DVDs made of his dancing:

Nureyev website

[canbelto]

I forgot that there are several coffee table books about the Fonteyn/Nureyev partnership.

One is Keith Money's Fonteyn and Nureyev: The Great Years. That one contains a lot of behind-the-scenes photos, along with Money's quite colorful commentary. One of my favorites is a series of photos in which Margot is frowning as she's knitting her shoes. You can tell she's upset. Money supplies the background: Nureyev was threatening to cancel.

Another is Alexander Bland (Maude and Lloyd Gosling's) Fonteyn and Nureyev: The Story of a Partnership. This one mostly focuses on the roles they did together, along with newspaper reviews and beautiful photos of rehearsals.

I have both books, and would not be without either.

[sandik]

But ... and this is a huge but ... my FAVORITE Nureyev on video has to be his appearance on The Muppets Show, especially his "pdd" with Miss Piggy. Priceless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mine as well -- two larger than life characters!

[Mel Johnson]

Not to mention him SINGING with the redoubtable Miss P. in the sauna - "Baby, It's Cold Outside!"

[canbelto]

Oh, I forgot to add: there's also a Nutcracker with Nureyev and Merle Park. His Nutcracker (like his La Bayadere) is heavily influenced by his Kirov background -- traces of Vainonen abound. For instance, his omittance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, his use of an adult Clara, and the emphasis on a romantic awakening for Clara, and his omittance of mime. There's some eccentric touches as well -- in Act 2 Clara is terrified by some bats and the Prince comforts her. In Nureyev's production, Drosselmeyer and the Prince are danced by the same dancer. An odd choice, but I suppose a lot better than Baryshnikov's decision to make Drosselmeyer, Clara, and Prince into a love triangle. However, I hesitate to recommend this Nutcracker, mostly because Merle Park is about as girlish as Ninette de Valois. I'm not dissing Park -- her dancing I remember is pretty impressive, but in the end, she just stretches ALL credibility as a girl.

Also, there's a film of him and Lucette Aldous in Don Quixote. Robert Helpmann is the Don Q. It's a very standard production, differing little from the Kirov's. It's a very nice film, although Aldous is only so-so as Kitri IMO.

So, basically, I'll rank the Nureyev videos (and keep in mind this is just my opinion):

Essential:

- Romeo and Juliet - with Fonteyn. It really doesn't get any better than this

- Evening with the Royal Ballet - Nureyev and Fonteyn in Les Sylphides and Le Corsaire. All well worth watching.

- Giselle - Lynn Seymour is out of shape, but Nureyev's Albrecht was legendary, and deservedly so.

- The Muppet Show - ok, maybe this isnt essential but it's so much fun you sort of owe it to yourself to find a used copy.

- Bruhn/Nureyev Bell Telephone Hour performances - captures Nureyev in his prime with a variety of partners, including Maria Tallchief and Svetlana Beriosova. If you're an Erik Bruhn fan this is a must too.

- Glory of the Kirov- Nureyev and Sizova are both dynamite in their graduation performance. Nureyev also dances with Kurgapkina in a clip from Laurencia. But mostly this video just has an abundance of riches and belongs in any balletomane's collection.

Nice to have:

- Don Quixoite - Nureyev is a charming Basil, the film is nice eye candy. Aldous is a bit pale. Don Quixote is a bit of a fluffy ballet anyway so that's why it's not in the 'essential' column.

- Fonteyn and Nureyev: The Perfect Partnership. Much of the dancing clips (save an extended one from Marguerite and Armand) is available elsewhere, but there are some behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage as well as a dress rehearsal of Birthday Offering. I always cringe when I see that -- Margot dances perfectly (or it seems to me) and the rehearsal coach sternly says, "Margot, you want to do that again???" That's ballet for you I guess.

- Nureyev - the doc by Patricia Foy. Not much new material, a bit fluffy, but some nice interviews with Rudi.

- Cinderella - Guillem and Jude star. It's a cute production, moved to the 1920's, and Cinderella in this case is a starlet and Nureyev the 'Fairy Godmother' is a movie producer. Nureyev barely does any dancing, but this is worth it for Jude, Guillem, Maurin, Guerin, and Loudieres, all future POB etoiles.

For the completists:

- Swan Lake - with Fonteyn. A missed opportunity, in my opinion. For one, the Vienna State corps are pretty awful, the whole thing was filmed on a tiny soundstage and thus there's an incredible sense of claustrophobia, the makeup artist for Nureyev should have been shot, it's not Fonteyn's finest hour, and Nureyev made some really odd choices, especially with the musical arrangement. Perhaps the oddest being an abrupt cut of the Odette/Siegfried adagio into a solo for Siegfried.

- Nutcracker - for the reasons stated above. Plus, it's not really that great of a production, to tell you the truth. At least I don't think so.

Out there, but I haven't seen, and therefore can't comment:

Giselle - with Carla Fracci.

Sleeping Beauty - with Veronica Tennant.

Nureyev: Dancing in Darkness. A doc of some sort about his final years.

[drb]

Great list, canbelto.

There is also a lot of Nureyev in the Fonteyn documentary "Margot." Ovation is re-running it

Saturday, January 21 from about 1-4:30 PM EST, and again

Saturday, February 4 from about 1-5 PM EST. After the latter telecast, they will show the tragically sad Nureyev "Dancing Through Darkness" documentary, where, as I recall, you get to see his private island home.

[canbelto]

The 'Margot Fonteyn' and 'Nureyev' documentaries, both by Patricia Foy, are kind of necessary because they contain different parts of what must have been a complete telecast of the act 2 Giselle pdd. It's kind of frustrating -- I'd like to have a dvd where the complete pdd is available, but oh well.

Has anyone, by the way, seen the Fracci/Nureyev Giselle, Dancing Through Darkness, and the Tennant/Nureyev Sleeping Beauty?

[Brioche]

It's a very nice film, although Aldous is only so-so as Kitri IMO.

I would've loved to have been that so-so.

[Cygnet]

The 'Margot Fonteyn' and 'Nureyev' documentaries, both by Patricia Foy, are kind of necessary because they contain different parts of what must have been a complete telecast of the act 2 Giselle pdd. It's kind of frustrating -- I'd like to have a dvd where the complete pdd is available, but oh well.

Has anyone, by the way, seen the Fracci/Nureyev Giselle, Dancing Through Darkness, and the Tennant/Nureyev Sleeping Beauty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Canbelto, this may not count, but I have a large chunk of the bench scene, galop and mad scene with Fracci and Nureyev, from the documentary DVD "A Portrait of Giselle." It's done in snippets with voiceovers by Anton Dolin. There's other

sections from Act 1 with other great Giselles that are cobbled together to complete the entire first act. Act 2 of the DVD is produced the same way. Nureyev played Albrecht like a cad. I mean really, like a total jerk. Too bad there weren't any scenes from their Act 2: I'm sure they were divine.

I have the Tennant/Nureyev SB. I don't care for his version of SB. In this performance, he was earthbound. The famous Ballerino solo he choreographed for himself in Act 2 to the Entracte, takes the focus off Aurora, which IMO, was a huge mistake. He didn't get that idea from the Kirov. The uninitiated would think he was The Sleeping Beauty. From that moment he dominates and monopolizes the ballet to the end. Veronica's Aurora, although quite excellent, becomes a footnote. Also, Act 3 starts somberly with the Sarabande. It's supposed to be a joyous wedding but it starts like a funeral. He ended the ballet with the Mazurka, and this is anti-climax for me. He shouldn't have cut the Apotheosis - that's the real finale. I think genius casting would have been Vishneva and Nureyev. He was born too early, and she was born too late. That would've been Divo vs. Diva - a real preening contest. IMO they would've had the same theatrical impulses, personas and temperament.

[bart]

I think genius casting would have been Vishneva and Nureyev.  He was born too early, and she was born too late.  That would've been Divo vs. Diva - a real preening contest.  IMO they would've had the same theatrical impulses, personas and temperament.

Great idea, cygnet!

Anyone have any other current candidates for a patnership with Nureyev?

[canbelto]

Irina Dvorovenko. She would eat him for lunch She's about the right height for him too.

Historically, Maya Plisetskaya. The war of the nostrils. Let the games begin.

But then again, Nureyev's most famous partner was Margot Fonteyn, so I'm thinking a tender, ethereal, ballerina like Alina Cojocaru (or, recently retired, like Altynai Asylmuratova) could have been magic with him.

About Nureyev's Albrecht, I think he played him as a cad in Act 1, but I haven't ever seen an Albrecht who was as heartrending in Act 2. That's why I say his Albrecht is peerless.

[sandik]

Canbelto, this may not count, but I have a large chunk of the bench scene, galop and mad scene with Fracci and Nureyev, from the documentary DVD  "A Portrait of Giselle."  It's done in snippets with voiceovers by Anton Dolin.  There's other

sections from Act 1 with other great Giselles that are cobbled together to complete the entire first act.  Act 2 of the DVD is produced the same way.   Nureyev played Albrecht like a cad.  I mean really, like a total jerk.  Too bad there weren't any scenes from their Act 2:  I'm sure they were divine. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know we're discussing Nureyev here, but I just wanted to mention that Fracci is/was very compelling in this excerpt, and that the whole program is very, very interesting. Could you tell me please, where you found your copy?

[Rosie]

I always thought it was pronounced NYU-reyev. Kind of like VISHneva.

But the first place to find out about Nureyev is through videos! Luckily, there are lots of them.

Romeo and Juliet with Margot Fonteyn is probably the most essential video, but there are lots. His graduation video with Alla Sizova can now be seen in its entirety on 'Glory of the Kirov.' 'An Evening with the Royal Ballet' features him in Les Sylphides and Le Corsaire. On VAI there's his Bell Telephone Hour performances, juxtaposed with Erik Bruhn's Bell Telephone Hour performances. Some good stuff on that video, including a pdd with the criminally under-recorded Svetlana Beriosova.

I hesitate to recommend his Swan Lake, as it's an odd production, and it's not Fonteyn's finest hour. There's a documentary with Patricia Foy, which is nice if a tad fluffy. I haven't seen his Giselle with Carla Fracci, but there's his Giselle with Lynn Seymour, and his Albrecht is truly peerless. 'Fonteyn and Nureyev: The Perfect Partnership' just came out on dvd -- well worth watching, if only for the rehearsal footage. Just watching Margot's smile when she mentions their partnership is magical. The Dancer's Dream series about his productions at the POB don't feature a lot of Nureyev, but his presence is certainly felt. There's a Cinderella from the POB with a very young Sylvie Guillem in which Nureyev is the 'Fairy Godmother.' He's pretty funny. There's a Sleeping Beauty with Victoria Tennant that I've never seen.

But ... and this is a huge but ... my FAVORITE Nureyev on video has to be his appearance on The Muppets Show, especially his "pdd" with Miss Piggy. Priceless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I´m afraid i´d miss the muppet show when rudolf apperad in it

I don´t know why but i feel sorry for him, i just don´t think it´s fair that he died in the way he died. Why did he have to die

he was a legend the world´s greatest dancer

Hope that he is dancing in heaven togheter with other dancers

I have signed up to rent the documentary by Patricia Foy i can´t wait to see it

[dirac]

Rosie, Nureyev is certainly in heaven. If he isn’t, he’d be outside the Pearly Gates throwing things.

In “Dancing on My Grave” Gelsey Kirkland said she loved dancing with him (they did “Le Corsaire” at an ABT gala). Had he been a little younger and she a little older, they might have danced together more, and that would have been a most interesting partnership, assuming they didn’t kill each other.

Mel wrote:

Not to mention him SINGING with the redoubtable Miss P. in the sauna - "Baby, It's Cold Outside!"

I seem to recall Miss Piggy going after his towel with her snout, and her intentions were all too clear.

[canbelto]

Rosie, I too am sure Nureyev is in heaven, along with Margot. In fact, I'm sure they're dancing together and giggling as we speak.

Seriously, Nureyev is one of the rare dancers for whom I feel a strong personal affection. I don't always love his productions of ballets (in fact, sometimes I hate them), and I know he wasn't the most polished of dancers, and I'm sure sometimes he could be hell on wheels, but every time I watch that tape of him honking Miss Piggy's nose, or see those pictures of him with Margot in Giselle, all reservations are washed away, and I just thank the lucky stars that he was born.

(I apologize if this post causes an insulin attack in anyone )

[carbro]

I think he possessed rare beauty. I could look at him forever.

I didn't like his productions, often didn't like his dancing, am not attracted to volatile personalities like him, but I cannot deny he focused public attention on ballet and advanced male dancing in the West after his defection. His illness and early death drive home the message that life is unfair.

[Dr. Coppelius]

I´m afraid i´d miss the muppet show when rudolf apperad in it 

You can watch Miss Piggy and Mr Nureyev here

[Rosie]

I´m afraid i´d miss the muppet show when rudolf apperad in it 

You can watch Miss Piggy and Mr Nureyev here

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dr. Coppelius!!!

The show has very hillarius

[Cygnet]

Hi Sandik! Sorry for the late reply! New Year's caught up with me! I have the

video of "Portrait of Giselle." I bought it in the early 90s.

I presume it's on dvd, but the tape itself may be out of print. Maybe it can

be Googled or Ebay'd? Watching it is like stepping into a time warp.

So many great ballerinas . . . Ulanova, Karsavina, Spessivtzeva,

(each now deceased); and Makarova, Fracci, Alonso and Chauvire.

All of them candidly discussed their views on the role with Dolin.

All of their performances were preserved on this tape. There's a

priceless snippet of Spessivteva's Act 1 and mad scene. Makarova

and the late Alexander Godunov are in studio rehearsing the Act 2 ppd.

The cherry on top is the added bonus of none other than Patty McBride

being coached in the role by Dolin with Helgi Tomasson as Albrecht.

[dirac]

Thank you for the link, Dr. Coppelius. I enjoyed seeing that again.

[Gina Ness]

Me, too! I haven't seen that in a long time...