Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev | |
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Nureyev in 1973 | |
| Born | Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev 17 March 1938 Near Lake Baikal, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 6 January 1993 (aged 54) Levallois-Perret, France |
| Cause of death | AIDS-related complications |
| Resting place | Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Cemetery, Paris, France |
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| Alma mater | Kirov Ballet School |
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| Years active | 1958–1992 |
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) |
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| Website | nureyev.org |
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev (17 March 1938 – 6 January 1993) was a Soviet-born ballet dancer and choreographer. Nureyev is widely regarded as the preeminent male ballet dancer of his generation as well as one of the greatest ballet dancers of all time.
Nureyev was born on a Trans-Siberian train near Lake Baikal, in Siberia, Soviet Union, to a Tatar family. He began his career in Leningrad with the company that in the Soviet era was called the Kirov Ballet (now called by its original name, the Mariinsky Ballet). In 1961 he defected to the West, despite KGB efforts to stop him. This was the first defection of a Soviet artist during the Cold War, and it created an international sensation.
He went on to dance with The Royal Ballet in London. From 1983 to 1989 he directed the Paris Opera Ballet and was its chief choreographer. He produced his own interpretations of numerous classical works including Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère.