Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich is one of the most famous "defectors, " that is, people who left the Soviet Union and did not return. Nureyev became famous not only as an outstanding dancer and choreographer. For many, he is known for scandalous stories and a vibrant personal life.
Childhood
Officially, the city of Irkutsk is listed as the birthplace of Nureyev, but this does not quite correspond to the truth. Hamet, the father of the future dancer, was a political officer of the Red Army and served in Vladivostok. In March 1938, Farida, the mother of Rudolph, who was in her last month of pregnancy, went to her husband. On March 17, in a train at the Razdolnaya station (near Irkutsk), she gave birth to a healthy boy. Nureyev himself paid particular attention to the first fact of his biography, finding in it a certain omen for his whole life.
Rudolph was not the first child in the Nureyev family. He had three older sisters: Lilia, Rozida and Rosa, and Rudolph had the warmest relationship with the latter. After one and a half years of life in Vladivostok, the Nureyevs moved to Moscow. But as soon as they began to establish life in a new place, the Soviet Union opposed Nazi Germany in World War II. Hamet, being a military man, went to the front among the first. The successful advance of the Wehrmacht to Moscow led to the fact that his family was evacuated: first to Chelyabinsk, and then to the village of Shchuchye located near Ufa.
Rudolf Nureyev remembered the same thing about the war years as the other children: the darkness around, lack of food, excess of cold. This was reflected in his character: the boy grew very nervous, quickly broke down into crying, reaching hysterics.
First ballet
But not everything was so bad during the years of evacuation. At the age of five, Rudolf first appeared on ballet. They put the Crane Song. From that moment on, he got into the idea of dancing, and Farida gave her son to a kindergarten dance club. Rudolph readily studied, and even with the rest of the circle he spoke to wounded soldiers.
Father returned from the war when Nureyev was eight years old. Raising a son shocked his father: he was the exact opposite of what some call a "real man." Not only was Rudolph physically very weak, he was also engaged in dancing, which was not at all welcomed in the martyrdom environment. Hamet immediately proceeded to "re-education": he beat his son when he attended a dance club, painted him all the delights of a working life. When almost all the children from the dance group went to Leningrad to continue their education, Hamet did not let his son in, citing a lack of money.
But his father could not turn Rudolph's heart to the construction sites of the Stalin five-year plans. Weak physically, Nureyev Jr. was very strong in spirit. Together with his mother, he managed to break the stubbornness of his father. In exile in Ufa lived the former soloist of the Diaghilev ballet Anna Udaltsova. It was she who studied with Rudolph, and she insisted that the capable boy go to school in Leningrad.
In 1955, Moscow hosted the festival of art of Bashkiria, which was supposed to perform the dance troupe of Nureyev with the same "Crane Song". Rudolph was lucky: the soloist suddenly fell ill. In a short time, despite the danger to health, the young man learned the whole party and conquered the whole hall, despite the injury received during rehearsals. So on the scene appeared the future "indomitable genius" - Rudolf Nureyev.
Years of study
After a resounding success, Rudolph was determined to study. He could have entered the Moscow studio of choreography, but there was no dormitory provided. Then Nureyev goes to Leningrad, where he successfully passes the entrance examinations. But then it became clear that the seventeen-year-old Nureyev was catastrophically behind her peers in terms of skill and technique: usually children from the age of twelve were accepted into the choreography studio. The young man begins to work hard on himself, all his time absorbing rehearsals and training. At the same time, relations with other students do not add up: they laugh at him and call him a redneck. For a short period of time, Nureyev was actually on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A. Pushkin, one of the school teachers, who saw considerable potential in Rudolph and respected his desire to master all the basics of dance mastery, actually saves the young man by proposing to stay with him.
With teachers, however, it was not always smooth. Pushkin appeared in the life of Nureyev due to the fact that he, having hardly entered the school, demanded the replacement of another teacher, who was also a director. Anyone else would be expelled for such a demand, but Nureyev, because of his undoubted talent, was forgiven for this trick and his teacher was really replaced.
During his studies in Leningrad, Nureyev also cared about raising his cultural level. In addition to dancing, he took music lessons, visited museums and theaters. Despite the choking iron curtain, Rudolph managed to get foreign magazines, which he studied Western dance techniques.
In 1958, Rudolf Nureyev graduated from college. His success was closely monitored by one of the most famous Soviet ballerinas - Natalia Dudinskaya. Despite the significant difference in age (she was 49 years old, and Rudolph was 19), she invited the young talent to become her partner in the ballet Laurencia. The performance was a huge success with the public, and Nureyev’s partners will subsequently always be older than him.
Life in the USSR
At the Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov (now the Mariinsky Theater), Nureyev served for three years. Although his late admission to a specialized educational institution affected, and many critics saw a number of rather gross mistakes in Rudolph’s dance, in this short period Nureyev managed to arrange a real revolution in Soviet ballet. The previously unwritten rule was that the star on the stage is a ballerina, while the partner plays a supporting role. This was not to Rudolph's liking. He was able to make men's dance self-sufficient. All errors and deviations from the canon soon began to be considered a special manner of dance.
At a ballet competition in Moscow, Nureyev paired with Alla Sizova took first place, but refused to accept the award: Soviet reality hated him. He was particularly annoyed that the government allocated him and Alla a two-room apartment for two, citing a lack of free housing. In this act, Rudolph saw a kind of pandering: as if he wanted to marry Sizova. If the Soviet government really set itself such a goal, it would be unpleasantly surprised. Although in his youth, according to Nureyev himself, he entered into sexual relations with women, he liked men much more. Soon he left the apartment, again settling in with his teacher and his wife.
Success in the USSR allowed Nureyev to travel with tours in Europe as a member of a dance troupe. He visited Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic and even Egypt, and everywhere the performances with his participation were thwarted by the vehement applause of the audience. At the age of twenty-three, he was declared the best dancer in the world.
France
Tours in Paris became a turning point in the biography of Rudolf Nureyev. The Soviet authorities, who feared that the carefully cultivated image of “rotten capitalism” might scatter when people came into contact with the culture and life of European countries, introduced special rules for finding guest performers abroad. Among others, there was a requirement not to walk around the city alone: it was possible to move only five. There was also a list of persons with whom communication was strictly prohibited. And so that the artists did not forget, behind them were secret surveillance by KGB officers.
At first, Nureyev was not the main target of surveillance. Of great interest was Alla Osipenka, Rudolf Nureyev’s partner in Swan Lake. She had been abroad before, and in 1956 a Western impresario offered her a contract. She was quickly sent to the airport, and from there - back to the USSR. Five years later, this story was still remembered, and the eyes of the ballerina were not lost. KGB officers so zealously took up their work that every evening in the restaurant they sat down at the table to Osipenko and so tormented her with conversations that she was forced to say so directly.
But it soon became clear that Nureyev needed to pay more attention. Firstly, he walked around Paris alone. Secondly, he made acquaintances without regard to the list of banned persons. And thirdly, and this was the most dangerous, met with men. The KGB chairman was forced to report to the CPSU Central Committee that, despite many preventative discussions, Nureyev did not change his behavior.
Conversations with KGB officers clearly showed the artist that after his adventures in Paris, one should not return to a country where homosexuality was a criminal offense. In addition, the reaction of punitive organs was not long in coming. When the whole troupe was supposed to fly to continue the tour in London, Nureyev was informed that he was leaving for Moscow. In any case, this meant that the dancer’s career was over. Then he decided to take a chance. There is a legend that Nureyev jumped over the barrier and fled, but this version is disputed in numerous books about Rudolf Nureyev. It is possible that he was prompted how to deceive the special agent. Nureyev tried to catch up with the plane, but did not have time: the ladder was already moving off. Then he turned to the policemen who watched the whole scene with a request for political asylum.
Beyond the Iron Curtain
Although Nureyev was out of reach, in Moscow they decided to punish the escaped artist and arranged a trial in absentia. The dancer was accused of treason. The court very quickly turned into a farce when the friends of the “defector” managed to prove that the betrayal was “involuntary”. As a result, Nureyev was sentenced to seven years in prison. Interesting fact: this sentence has never been withdrawn from Rudolf Nureyev. Later, he managed to infiltrate the USSR at the funeral of his mother. No one punished him for this. Perestroika reigned in the country. Later, when the terminally ill Nureyev again visited the USSR in 1989, the sentence was not again brought into effect. The dancer was able to perform for the last time on the stage of the Kirov Theater, from which his career began. But, not facing a court sentence, Nureyev learned what a public sentence is. It turned out that he is known all over the world, but not at home. The Soviet authorities tried to prevent society from knowing how famous the "defector" is. Therefore, during the performance, people did not even imagine what star of magnitude appears before them.
At the time of the flight, Nureyev had only 36 francs. But for a long time he did not have to worry about food. Two months later he became a member of the ballet troupe of the Marquis de Cuevas. However, Nureyev did not have a chance to stay there for a long time. The French government, having examined the dancer’s case, decided not to grant him political asylum. Rudolph had to look for other ways to stay in the West. To this end, he goes to Denmark, more loyal to such issues. While the Danish authorities settled the issue with the documents, the public could enjoy the dance of Rudolf Nureyev at the Royal Theater of Copenhagen. After Denmark, the artist went to New York, and then to London, where an exceptional event took place: he was accepted to the Royal Ballet of London, although the regulations forbade signing contracts with persons who were not subjects of the British Crown. The talent and fame of Nureyev allowed him to make an exception. In London, Nureyev became a partner of another world-famous star: Margot Fontaine.
Eric Brun
A trip to Denmark not only allowed the runaway dancer to obtain political asylum. Although personal life is one of the most controversial and complex issues in Rudolf Nureyev’s biography, numerous researchers agree that Eric Brun, whom Rudolph met in Copenhagen, became the main love of his life.
Their pair became the personification of the thesis that opposites attract. Nureyev had a heavy character: he was rude, harsh, sometimes hysterical. Brun, in all situations, showed calm and restraint, was distinguished by an innate sense of tact. If Rudolph, despite his talent and skill, was not able to completely get rid of the mistakes associated with his late admission to the choreographic school, then Eric was famous primarily for his skill and technique.
For the first time, Nureyev heard about Eric back in 1960, when he performed on tour in the USSR. He failed to get to the play, but the enthusiastic reviews of his friends forced him to find amateur videos. The skill of the Dane sincerely delighted Rudolph.
Full-time acquaintance of two talents was arranged by the bride of Brun - Maria Tolchiff. She knew about the admiration that Rudolph felt for the Dane, and she called her fiance herself. The first meeting turned out to be laconic: Nureyev still spoke poor English. However, sympathy between them arose immediately. For some time they met at rehearsals, and then Eric invited Rudolph to dinner. Tolchiff, realizing what was happening, threw a tantrum, which was watched by the whole dance troupe.
Relations developed rapidly, despite the difference in character. Nureyev often broke down, organized real pogroms in their apartment, Brun escaped from the house, and Rudolph then rushed after him and persuaded him to return. Photos of Rudolph Nureyev and Eric Brun demonstrate a real intimacy between two men. At that time, society was rather wary of homosexuality. This did not stop Nureyev from flaunting his orientation. Emancipation did him an unkind service. So, to the ears of Eric constantly heard rumors about cheating partner. Among his lovers were Freddie Mercury, Anthony Perkins, and someone claimed that even Jean Mare had been in Nureyev’s bed. There was professional envy: in the West, the image of Nureyev - a fugitive from the depressing Soviet reality - was too hyped. Professional Brun was very vulnerable to this.
However, their relationship was put to an end for a completely different reason. Nureyev firmly determined his orientation, and Brun was bisexual. It turned out that he regularly meets with a woman from whom he even has a child. After twenty-five years of relationship, the separation was painless. Men managed to maintain friendly relations. In 1986, Brun was seriously ill. Since AIDS was perceived by society as a shameful disease, punishment from above for a homosexual lifestyle, it was officially stated that Brun was dying of cancer. Nureyev immediately went to him and was close to the very end. Rudolf Nureyev kept a photo of Eric Brun until his death on his desk.
Ballet
The growth of international popularity of Rudolph, which delivered so many difficult minutes to Eric, was facilitated by Margot Fontaine. With her filing, Rudolph becomes a regular at social events. Their creative duet has become one of the most harmonious and successful in the history of ballet. The indomitable genius Rudolf Nureyev breathed new life into the Fontaine dance, which was already considering leaving the stage. In 1964, they performed at the Vienna Opera. Then the dancer tried his hand as a choreographer: it was he who staged the play "Swan Lake". Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fontaine derailed deafening applause. The ovation lasted so long that workers were forced to raise the curtain more than eighty times. This creative union lasted ten years.
Secular life and world success did not affect the dancer's performance. With tours, he traveled the whole world, having no idea about the weekend or vacation. Within one week, Nureyev could appear in Paris, London, Montreal and Tokyo. Although he was advised to slow down, which was detrimental to his health, Rudolph did not listen to anyone. Normal sleep was also an unattainable luxury for him: Nureyev slept about four hours a day, and most often in a taxi or airplane. After 1975, Rudolph began to give more than three hundred concerts a year. Success on stage soon made Nureyev a very rich man. There was even enough money to buy a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. But the hardships affecting the Nureyev family during the Second World War left a strong imprint on the personality of the dancer. Unlike other wealthy people, Rudolph was notable for his stinginess. He could never forget that as a child he had to carry things of his sisters, and once his mother carried him to school on his back, because he could not buy shoes for his son. Of course, Nureyev did not tell anyone about this and generally dismissed questions about the past. Therefore, the stinginess of the world famous artist shocked his friends and acquaintances. According to their stories, he never paid for himself in a restaurant.
Nureyev repeatedly showed himself as an innovator. Among his productions, the one-act ballet Young Man and Death is most famous. Fortunately, in 1966, Roland Petit shot Nureyev’s performance for television, and the modern audience can appreciate the talent of the dancer and director. Innovation was manifested in the fact that Nureyev laid the basis of his ballet tense plot. The girl personifying death mocks the Boy who has fallen in love with her. When he desperately threatens to commit suicide, she graciously gives him a noose. To broadcast the play on television, Nureyev used special effects: after the shot, where he hangs himself on a hook in the room, another follows, on which the Young Man is already on the gallows.
Director and actor
Since 1983, for six years, Nureyev led the Paris Grand Opera ballet. His appointment caused a mixed reaction. The work of the director was accompanied by constant conspiracies and even open protests. But this did not stop Nureyev from defending his point of view. On his initiative, a lot of Russian classics were staged, first of all - Tchaikovsky's ballets. The Grand Opera has become a true trendsetter, and its troupe has become the most respected association of dancers. Under Nureyev, a new building was also built on Bastille Square. A feature of Rudolph, as a leader, was his desire to give way to a new generation of dancers. At the same time, he ignored the established hierarchy and could give a solo part to a little-known ballerina through the head of a universally recognized star.
The sharp nature of Nureyev did not help the troupe to treat him with love, although he recognized his merits. In the heat of the moment, he could scold the ballerina for a minor mistake. Moreover, in the expressions he was not shy. Mood swings affected unfamiliar people. Having invited the Soviet choreographer Igor Moiseyev to dinner, Nureyev, inexplicably, got into a gloomy mood, and in response to an attempt to find out the reason, he used a Russian obscenity. Dinner was ripped off.
In addition to ballet, Rudolf Nureyev was interested in the craft of the actor. Back in the USSR, he played in the film “Souls Flying”, shot specifically for the All-Union Review of Choreographic Schools. But a special game from the dancer was not required then. He began to play real dramatic roles only in the West. The greatest success among his acting work was the role in the biographical film "Valentino", dedicated to the famous actor of the silent film era. Другую крупную роль удалось получить в криминальной картине "На виду". В этом фильме Рудольф Нуреев снялся в паре с молодой, но уже очень известной Настасьей Кински. Критики обошли картину молчанием, а сейчас о ней помнят лишь те, кто интересуется творчеством великого танцора. Но вряд ли он стремился к большему. Балет подчинил себе всю жизнь Рудольфа Нуреева. Фильмы для него стали лишь любопытным экспериментом.
Хотя настроения в обществе постепенно менялись в сторону свободы, в том числе сексуальной, Нуреев продолжал эпатировать публику. Так, для многих он был не всемирно известным танцором, балетмейстером и актером, а человеком, который послужил моделью для эротической фотосессии журнала Vogue. Обнаженные фото Рудольфа Нуреева разделили общество на негодующих и сочувствующих, но до всех возможных скандалов танцору не было никакого дела. Он прекрасно понимал, что на его спектакли будут ходить в любом случае.
Чудовищные нагрузки на здоровье, а также борьба со СПИДом вынудили Нуреева отказаться от активного участия в спектаклях. Но он продолжал заниматься постановками и даже выступал в роли дирижера. Он не мыслил своей жизни без балета и присутствовал на своих спектаклях даже в очень тяжелом состоянии. Однажды, когда публика захотела увидеть своего кумира, его вынесли на сцену на носилках.
Борьба с болезнью и смерть
ВИЧ в крови Нуреева обнаружили в 1983 году. Анализ показал, что он находится там уже долгое время. Тактика замалчивания истинного масштаба эпидемии властями, отсутствие поддержки в обществе привели к крайне низкой информированности населения о болезни. По одной из версий, Нуреев заразился ВИЧ не во время полового акта. Однажды он перебегал дорогу и был сбит автомобилем. В больнице ему сделали переливание зараженной кровью.
Но причины, по которым он оказался инфицирован, Нуреева интересовали мало. Его богатство позволяло надеяться, что будет обнаружено лекарство. На лечение Нуреев тратил до двух миллионов долларов ежегодно. Однако проку с этого было мало. Врач Мишель Канези предложил известному танцору попробовать новое экспериментальное лекарство, которое вводилось внутривенно. Инъекции вызывали такую боль, что спустя четыре месяца Нуреев отказался продолжать курс. В 1988 году он вновь добровольно принял участие в апробации нового препарата - "Азидотимидина", хотя и знал о его тяжелых побочных эффектах. Лечение не принесло выздоровления. В 1992 году болезнь вступила в заключительную стадию. Нуреев отчаянно цеплялся за жизнь, так как хотел завершить свою постановку "Ромео и Джульетты". На некоторое время болезнь отступила, и мечта Рудольфа сбылась. Но уже в конце года состояние здоровья Нуреева резко ухудшилось. 20 ноября он лег в больницу. СПИД так сильно разрушил тело танцора, что он практически не мог шевелиться и есть. 6 января 1993 года он умер. По словам Канези, смерть не была мучительной.
