Vasiliev choreographer biography. "Cult Person"

Since 1948, Vladimir Vasiliev has been studying at the city Palace of Pioneers, with the choreographic ensemble of which he first performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in the same year.

In 1949, after graduating from the second grade of a comprehensive school, on the advice of his teacher, he passed the exams at the Moscow Academic Choreographic School, which he graduated in 1958 and was immediately accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater.

Initially, he had characteristic roles in the theater: a gypsy dance in the opera "Mermaid", a lezginka in the opera "Demon", etc. The first big solo part was the part of Pan in the choreographic scene "Walpurgis Night".

The young dancer was noticed by Galina Ulanova, who invited him to be her partner in the classical ballet "Chopiniana". Ulanova had a huge impact on the professional and spiritual formation of Vladimir Vasilyev for many years, becoming his friend, teacher and tutor.

Choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, who had just joined the theater then, believed in the talent of the 18-year-old graduate of the school and entrusted him with the central part in his production of Sergei Prokofiev's ballet "Stone Flower".

In 1958-1988. Vladimir Vasiliev was the leading soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre. His constant partner was his wife, the ballerina Ekaterina Maksimova, whom he always called his Muse.

Among the best roles of Vladimir Vasiliev, it is customary to consider the roles of the Prince ("Cinderella"), Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet"), Ivan the Terrible ("Ivan the Terrible") - all the ballets of Sergei Prokofiev, Basil ("Don Quixote" by Minkus), Albert (" Giselle "Adana", Desiree ("Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky).

The choreographers not only offered Vasiliev the main roles, but also staged them especially for him.

He was the first performer of the parts: Ivanushka ("The Little Humpbacked Horse" by Rodion Shchedrin), Kais-Majnun ("Leyli and Majnun" by Sergei Balasanyan), The Nutcracker ("The Nutcracker" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky), Spartak ("Spartak" by Aram Khachaturian), Sergei ( "Angara" by Andrey Eshpay).

Being in the prime of his performing arts, Vasiliev turns to choreography.

Since 1971 he has been staging ballet performances in the Soviet Union and abroad.

His ballet debut was the ballet "Icarus" by Sergei Slonimsky on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Later he staged the ballets These Charming Sounds (1978), Macbeth (1980), the original TV ballets Anyuta (1982) and Road House (1984) by Valery Gavrilin. For these works he was awarded many prizes. For the television ballet "Anyuta" - the prize of "Intervision" at the International Festival of Television Films "Golden Prague" (1982), the Grand Prize in the competition of musical films at the X All-Union Television Film Festival in Alma-Ata (1983), the prize for the best performance of the season at the theater "San Carlo" (Naples, 1986), a prize for the best Chekhov performance at the Chekhov Festival in Taganrog (1986).

For the TV ballet "House by the Road" at the International Film Festival "Golden Prague" (Prague, 1985), Vasilyev was awarded the Intervision Prize and the prize for the best performance of a male role.
On television, Vladimir Vasiliev also directed the TV movie "The Gospel from the Evil One". In Argentina he staged the ballet "Fragments of a Biography", in the USA - "Don Quixote".

He also stages operas: in the Tashkent Theater named after A. Navoi Vasilyev staged the opera-ballet "Takhir and Zukhra" to the music of Jalilov (1977), in the Moscow theater "New Opera" - the requiem "Oh, Mozart! Mozart ..." to music . Mozart, Salieri, Rimsky Korsakov (1995), on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater "La Traviata" by Verdi (1996) and choreographic scenes in Mussorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina", as well as in the operas "Aida" by Verdi on the stage of the Rome Opera (1993) and Arena di Verona (2002).

Vasiliev's creative interests extended to other areas of art - he acted as a dramatic actor in the feature films "Gigolo and Gigoletta", "Fuete", in the oratorio film "The Gospel for the Evil One", acting not only as a performer, but also as a choreographer and stage director.

Vasiliev starred in film adaptations of the ballets The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse (1961), Lieutenant Kizhe (1969), Spartacus (1976), I Want to Dance and Fragments of a Biography (1985); original TV ballets: Trapeze (1970), Anyuta (1982), Road House (1984); concert films and documentaries: "The Way to the Bolshoi Ballet" (1960), "USSR with an Open Heart" (1961); "Moscow in Notes" (1969), "Choreographic Novels" (1973), "Classical Duets" (1976), "Pages of Modern Choreography" (1982), "Grand Pas on a White Night" (1987), "Glory to the Bolshoi Ballet" (1995) and others.

Interesting experiments were his work on the dramatic stage: the 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), etc.

Vladimir Vasiliev is also engaged in teaching activities. In 1982, he graduated from the choreographic faculty of GITIS with a degree in choreography and began teaching there from the same year.

From 1985 to 1995, Vasiliev was the head of the department of choreography at GITIS (RATI). In 1989 he was awarded the academic title of professor.

During his creative career, Vasilyev performed a lot abroad - at the Grand Opera, La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Roman Opera, the Colon Theater, etc. For some time Vladimir Vasiliev worked as artistic director of the Rome Opera Ballet.

In 1977, the French choreographer Maurice Béjart staged his own version of Igor Stravinsky's ballet Petrushka especially for him. In 1982, Franco Zeffirelli invited him and Ekaterina Maksimova to take part in the filming of the film-opera "La Traviata" (Spanish dance - staging and performance).

In 1987, Vasilyev played the role of Professor Unrat in Roland Petit's production of The Blue Angel to the music of Constant (Marseilles Ballet). In 1988, he performed the title role of Zorba in Lorca Massine's production of Zorba the Greek to music by Mikis Theodorakis (Arena di Verona). In 1989, Beppe Menegatti staged the play "Nijinsky" with Vladimir Vasilyev in the title role (theatre "San Carlo").

In 1988, as a result of a conflict that arose between Vladimir Vasiliev and Yuri Grigorovich due to serious differences in creative positions, Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maksimova left the Bolshoi Theater.

Vladimir Vasiliev worked as a ballet master of the Kremlin Ballet troupe of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, where he staged several performances, including Cinderella.

From March 1995 to September 2000, Vladimir Vasiliev was Artistic Director-Director of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia.

Under him, a modern contract system was approved in the theater; the traditions of benefit performances were revived: corps de ballet, choir and orchestra; the theater's own video studio and the release of a permanent series of programs on the Kultura TV channel were organized; a press service was created and the Bolshoi Theater's official website was opened on the Internet; expanded publishing activities (including the appearance of a periodical edition of the glossy magazine "Bolshoi Theater"); preparations have begun for the reconstruction of the theater, incl. construction of its branch; the School of Classical Dance of the Bolshoi Theater in Brazil was organized and much more.

In September 2000, Vasiliev was relieved of his post "in connection with its abolition."

After leaving the post of head of the Bolshoi Theater in December 2000, Vasiliev performed at the Rome Opera in the premiere of a specially prepared for him performance "Long Journey to Christmas Night" as a dancer and dramatic actor. In 2001, Vasiliev's productions of Don Quixote by the Tokyo Ballet Company (Japan) and Cinderella by the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater premiered; in 2002, the ballet Romeo and Juliet by the Rio de Municipal Theater - Janeiro.

At present, Vladimir Vasilyev actively cooperates with many theaters of the country and the world, leads and participates in the work of the jury of various international ballet competitions, gives master classes, rehearses, prepares new performances and roles. He heads the Galina Ulanova Foundation, stages and conducts the annual gala concerts "Dedicated to Galina Ulanova".

Vladimir Vasiliev is an honorary professor at Moscow State University, a full member of the International Academy of Creativity and the Academy of Russian Art, 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.

The activities of Vladimir Vasilyev are marked by many state and professional awards. He is a People's Artist of Russia, People's Artist of the USSR; laureate of the Lenin Prize (1970), State Prize of the USSR (1977), State Prize of the RSFSR (1984), State Prize of Russia (1991), Lenin Komsomol Prize (1968), S.P. Diaghilev (1990), the Moscow Mayor's Prize (1997), the Crystal Turandot theater award in 1991 (together with Ekaterina Maksimova) and in 2001 - "For Honor and Dignity".

Awarded the Orders of Lenin (1976), the Red Banner of Labor (1986), Friendship of Peoples (1981), "For Services to the Fatherland" IV (2000) and III (2008) degrees, St. Constantine the Great (1998), St. Blessed Prince Daniel Moscow (1999).

Vladimir Vasiliev has received numerous international awards and honorary medals. He is the winner of the first prize and gold medal of the VII International Festival of Youth and Students in Vienna (1959), the Grand Prix and Gold Medal of the I International Ballet Competition in Varna (Bulgaria, 1964); V. Nijinsky Prize - "The Best Dancer of the World" (1964, Paris Academy of Dance), Prizes of the Vaslav Nijinsky Competition (1964, Paris), Marius Petipa Prize "The Best Duet of the World" (together with Ekaterina Maksimova, 1972, Paris Academy of Dance) , awards of the Roman municipality "Europe 1972" (Italy).

He was awarded the medal of the Academy of Arts of Argentina (1983), the Simba Academy Prize (1984, Italy), the Together for Peace Prize (1989, Italy), the J. Tani Prize - "Best Choreographer" and "Best Duet" (together with Ekaterina Maksimova , 1989, Italy), UNESCO Prizes and P. Picasso Medals (1990, 2000), Terracina Prizes (1997, Italy).

Vladimir Vasiliev was awarded the Karina Ari Foundation Medal of Honor (1998, Sweden), the French Order of Merit (1999), the Princess Dona Francesca Medal of Merit (2000, Brazil), the Prize for the Highest Achievement in Choreography (USA, 2003, Italy 2005), Prize "For Life in Dance" (Italy, 2001), Brazilian Order of Rio Branco (2004).

At the end of the 20th century, according to a survey of the world's leading experts, Vladimir Vasiliev was recognized as the "Dancer of the 20th century."

The TV films "Duet" (1973), "And there was, as always, something left unsaid ..." (1990), the French video film "Katya and Volodya" (1989), "Reflections" (2000) are dedicated to the work of Vasiliev and Maximova.

In honor of Vasiliev, in 1993, the Ballet Festival was held in Moscow.

In 1995, Vladimir Vasiliev was granted Lithuanian citizenship.

Wife - Maksimova Ekaterina Sergeevna, an outstanding ballerina, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR and Russia, laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR and Russia (died in April 2009).

In his spare time, Vladimir Vasilyev mainly devotes himself to painting (six solo exhibitions of his works took place). The main theme of Vasiliev's canvases is landscapes. In 2000, his first poetry collection "The Chain of Days" was published.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

Biography

Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev - Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, choreographer, choreographer, actor, theater director, teacher. People's Artist of the USSR (1973).
Wife - Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova, an outstanding ballerina, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR and Russia, laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR and Russia (passed away in April 2009). In 1958 he graduated from the Moscow Art Academy in the class of M. M. Gabovich, on August 26, 1958 he became a soloist of the ballet group of the Bolshoi Theater, where he worked for more than 30 years.

early years

Born April 18, 1940 in Moscow. Father - Viktor Ivanovich Vasiliev (1912-1963), worked as a driver at a technical felt factory. Mother - Kuzmicheva Tatyana Yakovlevna (born 1920), worked as the head of the sales department at the same factory, is currently retired.
In 1947, young Volodya Vasiliev happened to be in the classes of the choreographic circle of the Kirov House of Pioneers. The teacher Elena Romanovna Rosse immediately noted the boy's special giftedness 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 performed for the first time 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 premiere of the Bolshoi Theatre. Already in the years of study, Vasiliev impressed with a rare combination of expression, virtuoso technique with an undoubted acting talent, the ability to transform. At the graduation concert, he not only danced the 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 MCU teacher Tamara Stepanovna Tkachenko were spoken: “We are present at the birth of a genius!”

big theater

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: a gypsy dance in the opera "Mermaid", a lezginka in the opera "Demon", Pan in the choreographic scene "Walpurgis Night" - the first big solo part. However, there was something in the young dancer that drew the attention of the great Galina Ulanova to him, and she invited him to be her partner in the classical ballet Chopiniana. Galina Sergeevna will become a friend, teacher and tutor of Vasiliev for many years and will have a huge impact on the professional and spiritual formation of the artist.

I believed in his talent and choreographer Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich, who then just came to the theater. He offered the 18-year-old graduate of the school the central part 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. Other major roles in the modern and classical repertoire followed: Prince (Cinderella, 1959), Andrey (Pages of Life, 1961), Basil (Don Quixote, 1962), Paganini (Paganini, 1962), Frondoso ( Laurencia", 1963), Albert ("Giselle", 1964), Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet", 1973).

The choreographers not only offered Vasiliev the main roles, but also staged 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 "The Little Humpbacked Horse" by R.K. Spartacus e” by A.I. Khachaturian (staged by L.V. Yakobson, 1960, 1962), Lukash in “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 I.F. Stravinsky's "Petrushka" (staged by K.F. Boyarsky after M.M. Fokin, 1964), performed by Batyr in "Shural" F.Z. Yarullin. In each new work, Vasiliev refuted the established opinion about his abilities as an artist and dancer, proving that he really is an “exception to the rule”, a person who can embody any image on stage - the classical ballet Prince, and the hot Spaniard Basil, and the Russian Ivanushka, and a madly in love eastern youth, and a powerful people's leader, and a bloody despot king.

Almost all 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 parts in his productions: The Nutcracker (1966), The Blue Bird (1963) and Prince Desire (1973) in P.I. Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" and "Sleeping Beauty"; the famous Spartacus in the ballet of the same name by A.I. Khachaturian (1968; for this role Vasiliev was awarded the Lenin Prize and the Prize of the Lenin Komsomol), Ivan the Terrible in the ballet of the same name to the music of S.S. Prokofiev (1975, second premiere), Sergei in A.Ya. Eshpay (1976; State Prize). However, gradually between V. Vasilyev and Y. Grigorovich there was a serious difference in creative positions, which grew into a conflict, as a result of which in 1988 V. Vasiliev, E. Maksimova, like a number of other leading soloists, were forced to part with the Bolshoi Theater.

International recognition

During his creative career, Vasilyev performed many and with great success abroad - at the Grand Opera, La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Roman Opera, the Colon Theater, etc. e. The phenomenon of Vladimir Vasilyev has always attracted prominent figures of the foreign theater: Maurice Bejart staged his own version of the ballet by I.F. Stravinsky's "Petrushka" ("Ballet of the XX century", Brussels, 1977). Later, at concerts, Vasiliev, together with Maximova, repeatedly performed a fragment from his ballet Romeo and Julia to the music of G. Berlioz.

In 1982, Franco Zeffirelli invited him and Ekaterina Maksimova to take part in the filming of the film-opera La Traviata (Spanish dance - staging and performance). In 1987, Vasilyev performed the role of Professor Unrat in Roland Petit's production of The Blue Angel to the music of M. Constant (Marseilles Ballet). The year 1988 was marked by the first performance of the main role of Zorba in Lorca Myasin's production of Zorba the Greek to music by M. Theodorakis (Arena di Verona), as well as the first performance of the main parts of Leonid Myasin's one-act ballets Pulcinella by I.F. Stravinsky (Pulcinella) and "Parisian Joy" to music by J. Offenbach (Baron) in the revival of Lorca Massine at the San Carlo Theater (Naples).

In 1989, Beppe Menegatti staged the play "Nijinsky" with Vasilyev in the title role (San Carlo Theatre). Vasiliev's performances (and later his ballets) have always aroused a special attitude of 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 a national hero and honorary a citizen of Buenos Aires, the Americans named him an honorary citizen of the city of Tucson, etc.

In addition to Ekaterina Maksimova, Vladimir Vasiliev's constant partner, whom he always called his Muse, such famous ballerinas as Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Raisa Struchkova, Marina Kondratieva, Nina Timofeeva, Natalya Bessmertnova, Irina Kolpakova, Lyudmila danced with him Semenyaka, Alicia Alonso and Josefina Mendez (Cuba), Dominique Calfuni and Noel Pontois (France), Liliana Cosi and Carla Fracci (Italy), Rita Pulward (Belgium), Zhuzha Kun (Hungary) and others.

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 restrictions on role or plot. The standards of performance declared by Vasiliev remain largely unattainable to this day - for example, the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition, which he won in 1964, was never awarded to anyone at subsequent competitions. It is natural that at the end of the 20th century, according to a survey of the world's leading experts, it was Vladimir Vasilyev who was recognized as the "Dancer of the 20th century."

Ballet Master's Talent

While still in the prime of his performing arts, Vasiliev feels the need to more fully realize his creative potential and turns to choreography. His ballet debut was the ballet "Icarus" by S.M. Slonimsky on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (1971 - 1st edition; 1976 - 2nd). Already in the first work, the distinctive features of Vasiliev's choreographic style are manifested - extraordinary musicality and the ability to reveal the subtlest shades of human feelings in plastic. Not limiting himself to only 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 W. 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 the music of Argentinean composers (Concert Hall "Russia", 1983; filmed on TV in 1985); embodies literary works on the stage: "Macbeth" (K.V. Molchanov, Bolshoi Theater, 1980; in 1984, a television recording of the performance was made); "Anyuta" (based on the story of A.P. Chekhov "Anna on the neck" to music by V.A. Gavrilin; theater "San Carlo", Bolshoi Theater, 1986), "Romeo and Juliet" (S.S. Prokofiev, Musical Academic Theater named after K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, 1990, Lithuanian Opera, 1993, Latvian Opera, 1999), Cinderella (S. S. Prokofiev, Kremlin Ballet Theatre, 1991), Balda ( based on the fairy tale by A. S. Pushkin to music by 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 (Rome Opera, 1994; SABT, 1997 ), Paganini (Teatro San Carlo, 1988, Bolshoi Theater, 1995, Teatro Argentino, 2002).

At different times he puts on concert numbers and choreographic miniatures: "Two", "Classical pas de deux", "Russian", "Two German dances" and "Six German dances", "Aria", "Minuet", "Waltz ”, “Caruso”, “Jester”, “Petrushka”, “Elegy”, “Overture on Jewish Themes”, “Syncopes”, etc .; large choreographic compositions to the music of 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 music, to make the dance tangible, to achieve a fusion of thought and feeling that can emotionally capture and captivate the viewer. Vasiliev's performances are enthusiastically received by the public, especially those where he and Ekaterina Maksimova perform the central parts - Icarus and Eola, Macbeth, Soloist in Charming Sounds, Anyuta and Peter Leontievich, Cinderella and Stepmother, heroes of Nostalgia and Fragments of a Biography ". Currently, ballets staged by Vladimir Vasilyev are performed not only on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, but also in 19 other theaters in Russia and around the world.

Work in film, opera and drama theater

Vasiliev's creative interests extend to other areas of art - he acts as a dramatic actor in the feature films "Gigolo and Gigoletta" (Sid, 1980), "Fuete" (Andrey Novikov, Master, 1986), in the oratorio film "The Gospel for the Evil One" (central roles, 1992); here, just like in the original TV ballets Anyuta (Pyotr Leontyevich, 1982) and Road House (Andrey, 1983), he acts not only as a performer, but also as a choreographer and director.

Vasiliev staged operas: the opera-ballet "Takhir and Zukhra" to the music of T.D. Jalilova (A. Navoi Theatre, 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 (GABT, 1996) and choreographic scenes in the operas Aida by G. Verdi (Rimskaya Opera, 1993, Arena di Verona, 2002) and "Khovanshchina" M.P. Mussorgsky (GABT, 1995).

Interesting experiments will be his work on the dramatic stage: the 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 musically - dramatic compositions "The Tale of the Pope and his worker Balda" (Concert Hall named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, 1989), "The Artist Reads the Bible" (Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin, 1994).

Pedagogical activity. Big Again

Vasiliev is also interested in pedagogical activity. In 1982, he graduated from the choreographic faculty of GITIS with a degree in choreography and began teaching there from the same year. From 1985 to 1995 Vasiliev was the head of the department of choreography at 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-Director of the Bolshoi Theatre. Vasiliev managed to bring the theater out of the difficult crisis state in which it was in those years. Every year, the theater hosted premieres that made it possible to rally the creative potential of the troupe, including with the participation of prominent foreign masters: Peter Ustinov, Pierre Lacotte, John Taras, Susan Farrell, Hubert de Givenchy, and others. theater. In September 2000, Vasiliev was relieved of his post "in connection with its abolition."

last decade

Vladimir Vasilyev actively cooperates with many theaters of the country and the world, heads and participates in the work of the jury of various international ballet competitions, gives master classes, rehearses, prepares new performances and roles. At the end of 2000, the premiere of the play "Long Journey to Christmas Night" about P.I. Tchaikovsky (director B. Menegatti), in which the main role was played by Vladimir Vasiliev, and in 2001 - the premieres of Vasiliev's productions of Don Quixote in the Tokyo Ballet troupe (Japan) and Cinderella in the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater, in 2002 - production of the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro.
Heading the Galina Ulanova Foundation, Vasiliev stages and conducts the annual gala concerts "Dedicated to Galina Ulanova" (Novaya Opera, 2003, Bolshoi Theater, 2004 and 2005).

The following films are dedicated to V. Vasiliev’s work: “Duet" (1973), "Katya and Volodya" (USSR-France, 1989), "And there was, 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" (Moscow: Tsentrpoligraf, 1998); encyclopedia compiled by E.V. Fetisova "Vladimir Vasiliev: Encyclopedia of a Creative Personality" (Moscow: Teatralis, 2000), V. Golovitser photo album "Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasiliev (Moscow-New York, Ballet, 2001).

Honorary Professor of Moscow State University, full member of the International Academy of Creativity and the Academy of Russian Art, 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.

Personal life

Vasiliev devotes his free time mainly to painting - his most serious and long-standing hobby (six solo exhibitions of his works took place). His favorite artists are Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Bosch, Durer, Serov, Levitan, Korovin, Vrubel, Fonvizin, Zverev, Maslov. The main theme of Vasiliev's paintings is landscapes, in which he tries to convey the beauty of Russian nature. He writes, as a rule, at his dacha in Snegiry or in the village of Ryzhevka, Kostroma Region, where he always spends his holidays.

At different periods of his life he was fond of various sports: he played football, volleyball, fencing, boxing, diving, swimming. Currently prefers tennis. He reads a lot - memoirs, historical literature, books on art. Favorite writers - Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Bulgakov, Astafiev; poets - Pushkin, Bunin, Akhmatova. Favorite composers - Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev.

Vasiliev had a new hobby - he began to write poetry, and in 2000 his first poetry collection "The Chain of Days" was published.
In 1995, Vladimir Vasiliev was granted Lithuanian citizenship.
Lives and works in Moscow.

Filmography

2011 Iya Savvina. An explosive mixture with a bell (documentary)
2009 Lifelong Fuete... (documentary)
2009 Blue sea... white ship... Valery Gavrilina (documentary)
2009 Savely Yamschikov. I am registered in Russia (documentary)
2005 Vladimir Vasiliev. Bolshoi Ballet (documentary)
2005 The rise and fall of Maris Liepa (documentary)
2000 Reflections (documentary)
2000 Maya / Maïa (documentary)
1993 Comme les oiseaux
1990 Katya and Volodya (documentary)
1988

Vladimir Vasiliev has become a truly man-epoch in Russian ballet. Meanwhile, the beginning of the life of the future dancer, it would seem, did not portend a ballet career.

The future famous dancer was born in 1940 in Moscow. His parents were not connected with art in general and with ballet in particular: his father was a driver, his mother was a sales manager. The family was happy, despite ideological differences (the father was a staunch atheist, and the mother was an Orthodox Christian). Vladimir's early childhood fell on the difficult years of the war - the boy's father was at the front, his mother worked in three shifts at the factory.

As a child, Vladimir had many friends, and one of them invited him to a choreographic circle at the House of Pioneers, where he studied himself. The teacher E. R. Rosse saw his talent, and the seven-year-old Vladimir began to learn the art of dance. In the circle, he quickly became the best student - so much so that other guys learned the movements by his example. In 1948, the children's choreographic ensemble performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, Vladimir participated in the performance of Ukrainian and Russian dances - and it was then that he fully realized his desire to connect life with ballet.

In 1949, Vladimir Vasiliev entered the Moscow Choreographic School, where he also became one of the best. Already in his student years, those qualities are manifested that will later be the hallmarks of a dancer: expression, ease of jumping, strength and masculinity of dance, acting data. He studies with Mikhail Gabovich, who characterized his student as follows: "Volodya Vasiliev dances not only with his whole body, but with every cell of it, with a pulsating rhythm." T. Tkachenko spoke even more definitely about him after his performance in the ballet Francesca da Rimini, where the young man convincingly revealed the deeply tragic image of the heroine’s old husband: “We are present at the birth of a genius!”

In 1958, having completed his studies, Vladimir Vasilyev became an artist at the Bolshoi Theatre. He performs in characteristic images in operatic choreographic scenes - a gypsy dance in "Mermaid" by A. Dargomyzhsky, a lezginka in "Demon" by N. Rubinshtein. His performance of the role of Pan in "Walpurgis Night" in "Faust" by C. Gounod attracted attention to him, and with her he performed his first classical part at the Bolshoi Theater - a soloist in the ballet "".

The performance of Vladimir Vasiliev in the ballet "" in 1959 in a production turned out to be truly triumphant. The choreographer entrusted him with the main role - Danila. This success opened the way for the young dancer to various central roles: the Prince in "", Batyr in "Shural", Frondoso in "", title roles in the ballets "Paganini" and "" and others.

For some parts, Vladimir Vasilyev became the first performer: soloist in A. Varlamov's "Dance Suite" to music, Lukash in the ballet by O. Tarasova and A. Lapauri to the music of M. Skorulsky's "Forest Song", Ivanushka in "" R. Shchedrin directed by A Radunsky. The dancer participated in the first performance of two choreographic versions of A. Khachaturian's ballet "": in the production he played the role of a slave, and in the production he played the title role. He took part in the first performance and other ballets staged: the main role in "", Prince Desire in "The Sleeping Beauty", in the ballet of the same name to music, Sergei in "Angara" to the music of A. Eshpay. He was the first dancer who performed the role of Romeo in the USSR in M. Bejart's ballet to the music of G. Berlioz "". The dancer was also appreciated by another choreographer - K. Goleizovsky, who created for him the miniature "Narcissus" and the part of Majnun in the ballet "Leyli and Majnun" to the music of S. Balasanyan.

An outstanding domestic dancer called V. Vasiliev "a brilliant exception to the rule", referring to his exceptional ability to transform. He was equally convincing in the image of the lyrical Nutcracker Prince, the heroic Spartacus, the passionate Basil in "". Choreographer F. Lopukhov, comparing ballet images with operatic voices, said that V. Vasiliev is “both tenor, and baritone, and bass.” V. Vasiliev's performances abroad were as successful as at home: he was called the "god of dance" in France, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of the American city of Tucson and Buenos Aires. His talent was appreciated by such a famous Italian director as Franco Zefirelli - in his film-opera "" V. Vasilyev staged and performed a Spanish dance.

Even in his student years, a feeling arose between Vladimir Vasilyev and the ballerina. In 1961, they became spouses, and became not only a wife for the dancer, but also a constant partner, whom he called his muse. to the music of V. Gavrilin based on the story by A.P. Chekhov "Anna on the neck", "Macbeth" to the music of K. Molchanov. He also staged plotless ballets, in which the main “characters” were music and the dance that reveals it: “These enchanting sounds” to the music of A. Corelli, J. F. Rameau and V. A. Mozart, “Nostalgia” to Russian piano music composites, "Fragments of one biography" to the music of Argentine composers. In 2015, V. Vasiliev created a unique production to the music of the Mass in B minor "Give Us Peace", which combines elements of oratorio, ballet and dramatic action.

Ballet is the main, but not the only area of ​​creativity of Vladimir Vasiliev: he is engaged in painting and writing poetry.

Music Seasons

Ivan Vasiliev is changing his profession. Ivan Vasilyev got married. Ivan Vasilyev is ready to say "no" to the President of Russia for the sake of homemade meatballs... Famed ballet dancer, star of the Mikhailovsky and Bolshoi theaters Ivan Vasiliev told the editor-in-chief of HELLO! Svetlana Bondarchuk about the recent wedding with Maria Vinogradova, which took place on June 6 in Moscow, a new round in his career - in May, Ivan made his debut as a choreographer, presenting his first performance "Ballet No. 1" at the Barvikha Luxury Village concert hall - and also remembered interesting stories from his ballet past.

Ivan Vasiliev and Svetlana Bondarchuk during an interview at the Vanil restaurant

Svetlana. I think that even those who are not so familiar with ballet and have not seen Ivan Vasiliev on stage remember him at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Sochi, in that part of the show where the scene of the first ball of Natasha Rostova was played out. A handsome young man with romantic curls in a spectacular hussar tunic performed several jumps - incredible flight jumps that were simply breathtaking.

I happened to see Ivan Vasiliev's duet with ballerina Natalya Osipova more than once on the stage of the Bolshoi - it always made a huge impression. And once it turned out that I was at the epicenter ... I don’t want to say a scandal, but Natasha and Ivan then really shocked us. Imagine HELLO! conducts photography at the Mikhailovsky Theater and suddenly we learn that Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev have signed a contract with the Mikhailovsky Theater. Unbelievable: the stars of the country's main stage "escaped" to St. Petersburg. And not even to the Mariinsky. Literally half an hour later, the information spread to all news agencies, in the evening they talked about it in the news on central channels. But we were the first to know!

Today, fortunately, nothing prevents Ivan from dancing both at the Mikhailovsky Theater and at the Bolshoi (now he is a guest star here). Ivan recently made his debut with his own choreography: he presented his first project, Ballet No. 1, at Barvikha Luxury Village. I'm sure it wasn't the last show. The stars of the Bolshoi participated in the performance, but I can say for sure that on that evening the most intent glances were directed at the ballerina Maria Vinogradova. Many already then knew that they were engaged to Ivan Vasiliev. And now I am pleased to inform the readers of HELLO! that Ivan and Maria got married last Saturday, on which I sincerely congratulate them.

Svetlana. Ivan, we met you, if I'm not mistaken, about seven years ago. It was in the Chapurin bar. It was a lot of fun. We even drank, I remember.

Ivan.(Laughs.)

Svetlana. At that time I didn’t have many acquaintances from the world of ballet, and it was a discovery for me that you, ballet people, are so completely earthly and nothing human is alien to you. You can have fun and dance. You, in my opinion, have a great sense of humor, and, in fact, what I'm talking about: I would like you to repeat for readers HELLO! that amazing story related to the Olympics, which he once already told me.

Ivan. Yes, it was really funny. The fact is that while preparing for this ceremony, I spent a week and a half in Sochi. I was not allowed to go to Moscow even for one day, although I tried with all my might to go there. It is clear that after the opening ceremony, the first thing I rushed to the hotel, grabbed a suitcase, got into a taxi to get to the airport as soon as possible, and from there to Moscow. Because in Moscow Masha was already waiting for me with turkey cutlets with pepper, which she cooked and even sent me pictures via Viber. And here I am in the car driving, and suddenly - bam! - a call: "Vanya, Vladimir Vladimirovich is gathering everyone tomorrow. You should be there." I say: "No, I can't, I have a plane!" - "But this is Vladimir Vladimirovich ..." And then I give out: "Well, maybe he will be able to meet me in Moscow?" - "Vanya, it will be rather embarrassing for me to tell Putin about this." Well, embarrassing, so oops! And I hung up. Let's go further. Ten seconds pass, and suddenly it starts: I got a call from everyone who could. Masha finally called me: "Vanya, okay, the cutlets will wait, well, stay there already." In general, I asked to turn the car around and stayed another day.

Svetlana. So love is the most important thing for you. Love for homemade meatballs. (Laughs.)

Ivan. Yes, Masha jokes about me: "That's why you love me - for cutlets."

Svetlana. Is she really that good at cooking?

Ivan. My wife cooks everything perfectly: from elementary buckwheat with mushrooms to Tom Yum soup. In general, she pampers me terribly. I'm so spoiled thanks to her and terribly fastidious. I want only the most delicious. (Laughs.)

Svetlana. The other day you and Masha got married, congratulations again!

Ivan. Thank you.

Svetlana. But a month earlier, another important event happened for you: you made your debut as a choreographer. Was it really such an old dream?

Ivan. We can say that the dream of childhood. Because, as a 12-year-old teenager, I already knew that I would definitely bet. Now I have such a stage in my career: I danced a lot of what I thought, and now I need to move on. I want to not just dance, I want to create something new, interesting. In this project "Ballet No. 1" I brought together the best artists of the Bolshoi: Denis Savin, Kristina Kretova, Anna Okuneva, Alexander Smolyaninov ... I saw at rehearsals that they are really passionate about the process, that they want to work, are open to any of my craziest ideas. (Laughs.)

Svetlana. If this was your old dream, surely there was someone who pushed you to this decision, helped you take a step?

Ivan. Masha, for which I am very grateful to her. I am such a person, I always have a lot of plans in my head. I can hurt them endlessly. Walking around the apartment until three in the morning, inventing something, thinking, saying: "I want, I want, I want." And at some point, Masha simply said to me: "Do you want? Come on!" So, you see, I needed to hear these words from a loved one: "Come on." I needed this shot "to start" so that I ran. And now I will run until I reach the red flag on a high mountain.

Svetlana. Masha must be warned so that she still takes care of you. (Laughs.)

Ivan. Now she herself is tormented by the fact that I sometimes jump up in the middle of the night: I have inspiration. I start to come up with new choreography, wander around the apartment, suddenly find myself in the kitchen. I don’t understand myself how I ended up there ... (Laughs.) Masha comes to the kitchen. The light is off, I'm standing in the dark, somehow twitching there ... (Laughs.) She looks: "Vanya ..."

Svetlana. It seems, Ivan, that you are not looking for easy ways. You have a wonderful career as a dancer, and suddenly you are embarking on a path unknown to you - choreography. You dance in the Bolshoi - suddenly you go to the Mikhailovsky Theater.

Ivan. You're right. When I get too comfortable, I want to change everything and start over. To leave the Bolshoi, where I could dance Spartacus, Don Quixote and so on for years, and go to the theater, which did not sound the same as it does now, and grow in it in a new way.

Svetlana. Your dad, a military man, apparently also did not look for easy ways when he sent you to ballet. For a man to send his son to ballet is, you see, a little unusual. Especially if he himself is not associated with this art. How did it happen?

Ivan. It was difficult not to give me away, because, in fact, from the age of four I danced in a folk ensemble in Dnepropetrovsk, where we moved from the Primorsky Territory, where I was born. And then, when I saw ballet for the first time, I said that I only wanted to do ballet.

Svetlana. How old were you?

Ivan. Seven years.

Svetlana. How did you know it was yours?

Ivan. I don't know, it's like something is guiding me through life. As if something inside sits and pushes me in the right direction. And I think that I went in the right direction: I'm doing what I love. I go to work not under duress, but with pleasure. Only if you don’t have to get up for her at seven in the morning. (Laughs.)

Svetlana. So do you like to sleep?

Ivan. For me, sleep is essential. I love to sleep a lot. All theaters suffer from this. But my current status in ballet allows me to ask for late rehearsals.

Svetlana. Did you immediately stand out in the choreographic school?

Ivan. I have always stood out in character. I have the character of a leader: I strive to be the best in everything I undertake. But my teachers, on the contrary, doubted. The teacher from the folk dance ensemble said: "Well, where does he go to ballet? Look, he has short legs, small, plump ..." Time showed that he was wrong.

Svetlana. Absolutely. Fundamentally. But still there are certain physical standards. It turns out that you are destroying stereotypes?

Ivan. Standards are all relative. If you compare me to today's long-legged princes, then yes, I am beyond the standards. But if you look a little wider or a little further, into the past, then no. Vladimir Vasiliev is not tall, Rudolf Nureyev's legs were not the longest.

Svetlana. You remind me most of all of Nureyev.

Ivan. Thank you. This is my favorite dancer.

Svetlana. But, when you started, everyone, probably, rather compared you with Vasiliev? Maybe even thought you were his relative?

Ivan. Yes, there were a lot of questions. Moreover, my dad is the full namesake of Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev. Once I got a call from some competition and asked: "Ivan, can you take part in our gala concert?" I replied, "Unfortunately, I can't." - "Will your dad be able to come to us, sit on the jury?" I replied: "Of course, he can. But he will only evaluate the front step."

Svetlana. You got, one might say, by inheritance the crown party of Vasilyev - Spartak. Are your Spartacus similar?

Ivan. No, we are completely different Spartacus. He is the Spartacus that was needed at that time: the greatest and noblest hero.

Svetlana. What heroes are needed now?

Ivan. My Spartacus, in my opinion, is more down to earth, more humane. As they say, life. But, of course, Vladimir Viktorovich always made a colossal impression on me in this game. It is impossible to repeat it. In general, it is impossible to copy artists of such a scale as Vasilyev, Lavrovsky, Vladimirov, Nureyev. And the one who strives for this is mistaken. You need to create your own.

Svetlana. But here I can say for sure what unites you with Vasiliev - a pronounced male charisma. Although, in the view of the layman, a ballet dancer is, frankly, not a very masculine profession. Well, are there certain stereotypes? They also exist for actors. But you don't have it at all.

Ivan. In fact, there are a lot of real men in the ballet world. (Laughs.) And sometimes we laugh at ourselves: what kind of profession we have chosen - we paint eyelashes, put on tights. We love to tease this. Because there are ballets - the so-called blue classics like "Giselle", "La Sylphide", where the whole dramaturgy fits into a simple scheme: fell in love - swore - got married. Or fell in love - swore - everyone died. It's just a pleasure to neigh over pantyhose. Although at the same time it is art, it is a fairy tale. And we are inside this fairy tale.

Svetlana. Ivan, do you and Masha dance a lot together now?

Ivan. Yes, we dance in many places: in Giselle, La Sylphide, Spartak and Ivan the Terrible.

Svetlana. Tell me, are you the owner? Jealous man?

Ivan. Yes.

Svetlana. For example, if your wife will dance with another partner?

Ivan. This is absolutely normal. This is a theatre. And if I dance with another partner, I have no doubt that Masha will survive this calmly. I dance in all the theaters of the world, with different ballerinas of different nationalities. It's just our profession.

Svetlana. But what about these close contacts in ballet? All these support...

Ivan. Well, that's how we were brought up. We have been dancing a duet dance since childhood. We take the girls by the legs to lift them up. They don't take it as an insult. (Laughs.)

Svetlana. Explain to me: what is it like to dance with the woman you love? On the one hand, this is probably easier, but on the other ...

Ivan. More responsible. This is a double burden on the nerves. I will never forgive myself if I drop my soul mate. (Laughs.) Although, thank God, I haven't dropped anyone yet.

Svetlana. I know that you are one of the highest paid ballet dancers in the world. But now, when you have a family, your financial requirements, probably, should increase even more? To what extent is the money side of the issue decisive for you?

Ivan. I never started from the number of zeros in the fees. And I'm not going to do it in the future. Creativity is my priority. If I'm interested in a job, it doesn't matter how much I get paid for it. Speaking specifically about choreography, the main thing for me as a choreographer is to create something new. That's my goal now.

Svetlana. Do you want children?

Ivan. Yes very.

Svetlana. What about Maria's career? She's ready?

Ivan. Of course. Everything has its time.

Svetlana. Will you have a honeymoon trip?

Ivan. Unfortunately, we only have a two-week holiday. We are going to Dubai in August.

Svetlana. No, it's terrible. It is very hot there at this time.

Ivan. Late, everyone. We are going there already. Because we spent the last vacation in Mauritius and it was cold there. This summer I decided to go to a place where one hundred percent will be very hot.

Svetlana Bondarchuk and Ivan VasilievSvetlana. Ivan, I want to ask you: what is the most important thing in life for you? What comes first?

Ivan. My favorite. Basically I live for my family. If I didn't have a family, my beloved woman, mother, brother, grandmother, I don't know what I would do... Live for myself? I don't understand this at all. I am not doing art for myself and I am not dancing for myself. I have a family, I have a rear, I have somewhere to return, there are those for whom I go to the ends of the world, twitch in pantyhose, sweat, then I don’t sleep on the plane. Everything is just for them.

Svetlana. Thank you Ivan. You know what I thought: invite me to your rehearsal sometime?

Ivan. With pleasure.

Svetlana. When you will bet. I'm very interested in how this happens, honestly.

Ivan. With pleasure. Although in these moments I'm a little like a madman. But I like it.

Facts about Ivan Vasiliev:

Dancer Ivan Vasiliev was born in the village of Tavrichanka in the Primorsky Territory into a military family. In 2006 he graduated from the Belarusian Choreographic College and in the same year became a soloist of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. A year after entering, he was already entrusted with the main role in the ballet "Spartacus" by Yuri Grigorovich.

In 2009, Ivan participated in the program "Kings of Dance" along with five other best dancers in the world. In 2012, he became a guest soloist with the American Ballet Theatre, and a year earlier he moved from the Bolshoi Theater to the Mikhailovsky troupe in St. Petersburg.

Now Ivan Vasiliev dances both at the Mikhailovsky Theater and at the Bolshoi as a guest soloist. This year, at the Bolshoi, he performed for the first time in the title role in the ballet Ivan the Terrible.

The duet of Ivan Vasiliev and ballerina Natalia Osipova has been one of the loudest in the ballet world for several years. Despite the fact that fate separated the artists in different directions, they often continue to perform together.

Ivan Vasiliev and soloist of the Bolshoi Theater Maria Vinogradova got married on June 6 this year. Two and a half years ago, they first danced together in the ballet "Spartacus" and since then they have been dancing together: on stage and in life.

Ivan Vasiliev's schedule is scheduled for months ahead, today we can already say where he can be seen on stage next season. On September 26, the dancer will take part in the Kremlin Gala "Stars of the Ballet of the 21st Century" at the State Kremlin Palace, an annual event held by the V. Vinokur Foundation in support of culture and art. Ivan will present a fragment from the ballet "Scheherazade" in a duet with Maria Vinogradova, as well as his own choreographic number to the music of Max Richter, which he will perform together with the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater Denis Savin.