biography
| name: |
Nureyev, Rudolf (Hametovich)
|
pronunciation:
[noorayef]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1938–93)
|
| biography:
| Ballet dancer, born in Irkutsk, in southern Siberian Russia. He studied at the Leningrad Choregraphic School, and became a soloist with the Kirov Ballet. While touring with the Ballet in 1961, he obtained political asylum in Paris, and became an Austrian citizen in 1982. He made his debut at Covent Garden with the Royal Ballet in 1962, and became Fonteyn's regular partner. His virtuosity and expressiveness made him one of the greatest male dancers of the 1960s, in both classical and modern ballets. He began to choreograph and dance for many European companies, and became ballet director of the Paris Opéra Ballet (1983–9) and principal choreographer (1989–92). In his later years he also began to conduct, leading orchestras in the USA, Europe, and the former Soviet Union. His autobiography, Nureyev, appeared in 1962. |
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