Russian ballet says goodbye to two icons in one day
(MENAFN) Two monumental figures in Russian ballet, renowned choreographer Yury Grigorovich and esteemed Bolshoi dancer and teacher Yury Vladimirov, have passed away on the same day.
Grigorovich, 98, passed away in Moscow on Monday, confirmed his assistant to the media. The Bolshoi Theater released a tribute, calling him “one of the key figures in the world of ballet in the second half of the 20th century.” Grigorovich began his career in 1946 as a soloist with the Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky Theater) and served as the Bolshoi Theater’s chief choreographer from 1964 to 1988, followed by a tenure as artistic director from 1988 to 1995. His famous works include The Stone Flower and Ivan the Terrible by Prokofiev and The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. He also choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Grigorovich held prestigious positions, including president of the Benois de la Danse award and senior member of UNESCO’s International Dance Council. He was also named People’s Artist of the USSR.
Valery Gergiev, head of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres, described Grigorovich as “a legendary figure who will continue to command respect and admiration for decades to come.”
On the same day, the Bolshoi announced the death of Yury Vladimirov, 83, a principal dancer renowned for his performances in Spartacus and Ivan the Terrible—both works choreographed by Grigorovich. His portrayal of Ivan in the 1975 premiere of Ivan the Terrible became one of his career’s defining moments. Vladimirov was also celebrated for his performances alongside his wife, prima ballerina Nina Sorokina, as one of the most admired partnerships in Soviet ballet.
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