Bolshoi Theatre • Yuri Grigorovich

Choreographer

Yuri
Grigorovich

People’s Artist of the USSR

Yuri Grigorovich

Born in Leningrad. In 1946 graduated from the Leningrad Academy of Choreography (class of Boris Shavrov, Alexei Pisarev). In 1946–61 was a ballet artist,

in 1961—64 was a ballet master at the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad (now the Mariinsky Theatre).

In 1964—88 was chief choreographer, in 1988—95 was artistic director of the ballet troupe at the Bolshoi Theatre.

In 1974—88 was a professor at the Department of Choreography at the Leningrad Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

In 1975—85 was president of the International Theatre Institute Committee under UNESCO.

Since 1988 has been Head of the Department of Choreography and Ballet Studies at the Moscow Academy of Choreography.

Since 1989 has been president of the Choreography Association (currently the International Union of Choreographers).

Since 1992 has been president of the programme Benоis de la danse (under the auspices of UNESCO), which annually presents the Benоis de la danse award for outstanding achievements in ballet art on behalf of the International Union of Choreographers.

In 1991—94 headed the troupe “The Bolshoi Theatre – The Yuri Grigorovich Studio”, which he founded.

In 1993—95 collaborated with the ballet troupe of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre

In 1996 became a founder of a ballet theatre in Krasnodar (now the ballet troupe of the Music Theatre Creative Association “Premiere”).

Remains a permanent chairman of the jury at the International Competition of Ballet Artists and Choreographers (Moscow), the International Competition “Young Ballet of the World” (Sochi), multiple times chaired competitions in Bulgaria, Finland, Switzerland, USA and Japan.

His first productions at the Kirov Theatre — “The Stone Flower” (1957) and “A Legend of Love” (1961) had enormous success. They played the key part in the life of Yuri Grigorovich: he gained an associate and co-author in an outstanding theatre artist, Simon Virsaladze, who he worked with until the death of the latter in 1989, entered the history of ballet and started a rapid ascent up the career ladder.

Awards

Title of People’s Artist of the USSR

1973

USSR State Prize

1985

The National Theatre Award the “Golden Mask” in the nomination “For Honour and Dignity”

2003

Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, I class

2012

Title of Honoured Artist of RSFSR (Russian Federation)

1957

Title of People’s Artist of RSFSR

1966

Sergei Diaghilev Prize of the Paris Academy of Dance

1969

Lenin Prize

1970

Honorary prize of the Paris Academy of Dance

1972

Order of Lenin

1976

USSR State Prize

1977

Order of the October Revolution Title of people’s Artist of the Uzbek SSR

1981

Uzbek SSR State Prize

1983

Hero of Socialist Labour

1986

Establishing of the ballet theatre in Krasnodar (now the ballet troupe of the Krasnodar Music Theatre Creative Association “Premiere”) the title of Honorary Citizen of the Kuban medal “Hero of Labour of the Kuban”

1996

Prize of the “Ballet” magazine “Soul of Dance” in the nomination “Dance Mage”

2001

Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, III class

2002

Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, II class

2007

Leonid Massine Prize for “Outstanding Service” (Positano, Italy)

2013

Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called

2017

Ballet productions

Transferred to the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre several of his ballets (in new versions)

“The Stone Flower” (S. Prokofiev, 1959)

“A Legend of Love” (A. Melikov, 1965)

“Romeo and Juliet” (S. Prokofiev, 1979) — the world premiere took place at the Paris National Opera (1978)

Ballet productions, staged at the Bolshoi Theatre:

Original

“The Nutcracker” (P. Tchaikovsky, 1966)

“Spartacus” (A. Khachaturian, 1968)

“Ivan the Terrible (to music by S. Prokofiev, 1975)

“Angara” (A. Eshpay, 1976)

“The Golden Age” (D. Shostakovich, 1982)

Versions of classical ballets

“The Sleeping Beauty” (P. Tchaikovsky, 1963, 1973)

“The Swan Lake” (P. Tchaikovsky, 1969, 2001)

“Raymonda” (A. Glazunov, 1984, 2003)

“Giselle” (A. Adam, 1987)

“La Bayadere” (L. Minkus, 1991)

“Le Corsaire” (A. Adam, 1994)

“Don Quixote” (L. Minkus, 1994)

Dances in operas:

“October” (V. Muradeli 1964)

“Ruslan and Lyudmila” (M. Glinka, 1972)

Films

Film versions of the following ballets were produced: “Spartacus” (1976), “Ivan the Terrible” (under the name “Groznyy vek”, 1977)

Such films as “Ballet master Yuri Grigorovich” (1970), “Life in Dance” (1978) and “Ballet in the first person” were dedicated to the art of Yuri Grigorovich.

Yuri Grigorovich transferred his own ballets and classical ballets in his edition multiple times to the stages of Russian theatres as well as theatres in other countries.

The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre—

“The Stone Flower” (1959)

“A Legend of Love” (1961)

“The Swan Lake” (1962)

“Spartacus” (1977)

Estonian National Opera — “The Stone Flower” (1961)

The Royal Swedish Ballet — “The Stone Flower” (1961)

The Akhundov Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre (Baku) — “A Legend of Love” (1962)

The National Theatre in Prague — “A Legend of Love” (1963), “The Nutcracker” (1999), “Raymonda” (2001)

Sofia Opera and Ballet — “The Stone Flower” (1965), “The Nutcracker” (1990), “Giselle” (1992)

The Vienna State Opera — “The Nutcracker” (1973)

The Paris National Opera — “Ivan the Terrible” (1976, 2004)

The State Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ankara) — “Giselle” (1980)

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma — “The Swan Lake” (1980)

The Royal Danish Ballet — “Don Quixote” (1983)

Finnish National Ballet — “The Nutcracker” (1985)

La Scala (Milan) — “Raymonda” (1989)

Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre — “La fille mal gardée” by P. Hertel (together with Andrei Melanyin (1993), “The Nutcracker” (1995), “Don Quixote” (1995), “The Swan Lake” (1998)

The Mariinsky Theatre — “Raymonda” (1994)

Teatro Carlo Felice (Genoa) — “The Sleeping Beauty” (designed E. Frigerio, 1996)

The Grand Theatre (Warsaw) — “The Sleeping Beauty” (a choreographic collaboration with Teatro Carlo Felice, 1997)

The Yuri Grigorovich Theatre of Ballet — Creative Association “Premiere” (the Krasnodar Music Theatre) — “The Golden Age” (suite, 1996), “Giselle” (1996), “The Swan Lake” (1997), “The Nutcracker” (1997), “Raymonda” (1998), “Don Quixote” (1999), “Spartacus” (2000), “Romeo and Juliet” (2000), “The Sleeping Beauty” (2000), “La fille mal gardée” (2002), “The Golden Age” (2002), “La Bayadere” (2003), “The Stone Flower” (2004), “Le Corsaire” (2005), “A Legend of Love” (2006), “Ivan the Terrible” (2006)

The National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus (Minsk) — “Raymonda” (1997 )

The Ekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre — “A Legend of Love” (1997)

The Kremlin Ballet Theatre — “Romeo and Juliet” (1999), “Ivan the Terrible” (2001), “Le Corsaire” (2007)

The State Opera and Ballet Theatre (Istanbul) — “A Legend of Love” (2000)

The Universal Ballet (Seoul)— “The Nutcracker” (2000), “Spartacus” (2001), “Romeo and Juliet” (2009), “Raymonda” (2010), “La Bayadere” (designed by L. Spinatelli, 2013)

The Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre — “The Stone Flower” (2008)

The State opera and Ballet Theatre “Astana Opera” — “The Sleeping Beauty” (designed E. Frigerio, 2013), “Spartacus” (2014), “The Nutcracker” (2014)

Liaoning Ballet Company (performances on the stage of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing) — “Spartacus” (2013), “Romeo and Juliet (2015)

The Bavarian State Ballet (Munich) — “Spartacus” (2016)

The Royal Ballet of Flanders (Belgium, Antwerp/ Ghent) — “Spartacus” (2017)

General partner of the Bolshoi Theatre — insurance company «Ingosstrakh»

Privileged sponsor of the Bolshoi Theatre — Tinkoff Bank

Privileged partner of the Bolshoi Theatre — GUM