BOLSHOI BALLET

THE FAMOUS BOLSHOI THEATRE IN MOSCO

BOLSHOI THEATRE AUDITORIUM

The Bolshoi Ballet started in the late 18th century as a dancing school in a Moscow Orphanage.

The present name Bolshoi Ballet was established when the first Bolshoi, which means great, Theatre opened in 1825. It developed its own individual, spontaneous style which made it so famous and different from the other ballet companies. It is one of the oldest and most famous ballets in the world.

BOLSHOI THEATRE IN 1856

The director Alexander Gorsky, at the beginning of the 20th century, developed strikingly realistic scenes and costumes which made it so outstanding.

The Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow somehow survived the turbulent time of the Russian Revolution. As a matter of fact they prospered under the Communist regime.

On its first appearance in 1956 in the West, the Bolshoi Ballet was a sensation with its dramatic, acrobatic performance. The production was Romeo and Juliet. The Kirov Ballet toured Europe, five years later. Wherever they went, they were received with great enthusiasm. Yet again, they also made a great impact on ballet as a whole. Rudolf Nureyev refused to board the plane going back to Moscow and defected. He went from Paris to London and formed the famous partnership with Margot Fonteyn. They became world famous.

In 1974 Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the Bolshoi Ballet during a tour of North America. He and Nureyev achieved more than just perform brilliantly. They made the male dancer to a star. Therefore, the ballerina and the male dancer were now on equal level of the fame. This helped to encouraged any young boys to choose ballet as a career.

In 1976 Yuri Grigorowich became artistic director. He included modern ballets as well as the traditional Bolshoi repertoire such as Swan Lake and the Nutcracker.

With the collapse of communism the Bolshoi Ballet has great financial problems because the state funding had been cut.

RUDOLF NUREYEV AND MARGOT FONTAYN

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