"Cult person". Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev. Vladimir Vasiliev and his film "Bolshoi Ballet"

Today, the soloist of the Bolshoi and Mikhailovsky theaters, Ivan Vladimirovich Vasiliev, despite his youth, is known throughout the world. Every day there is a new achievement, and all thanks to hard work and determination. However, 2015 was truly a landmark year for him. He married his stage partner, the incredibly beautiful ballerina Maria Vinogradova, and also made his debut as a choreographer, staging his first performance “Ballet No. 1” in the Barvikha Luxury Village hall. In this article we will tell you about early period life, about becoming a ballet dancer and about what kind of person the talented dancer and choreographer Ivan Vasiliev is off the stage.

Biography

The future star of the Bolshoi and St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theaters was born in the village of Tavrichanka (Primorsky Territory), in a family that had nothing to do with art. His father, Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev, by the way, is the full namesake of the famous prime minister Bolshoi Theater 60-70, was a military officer, and his mother did not work anywhere, remaining his faithful companion, who followed him everywhere, from one republic to another, from military unit to unit, ran the household and raised their sons. When Vanya was 4 years old, the family moved to Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk. Soon after this, the mother decided to send her eldest son to kindergarten folk ensemble. Vanya was still very young, but he liked it so much dance hall, and he began to do such things there that the leader of the ensemble became interested in the musical and plastic little one, and decided to make an exception for him, accepting him and his older brother into the group.

Introduction to ballet

It so happened in the life of a dancer that no matter where Ivan Vasiliev studied, he always found himself a couple of years younger than his classmates. At the age of 7, the boy and his mother went to ballet for the first time. Throughout the entire performance, he did not utter a word and only his enthusiastically sparkling eyes spoke better than any words about what was going on in his soul. He left the theater completely in love with this view. high art. At home, he began to ask his parents to send him to ballet school. It was not easy for the military man to get used to the idea that his son wanted to connect his life with such a “non-male” occupation. However, the mother managed to convince the father that their son was probably born just for this, and the father gave in. Soon on the list of those admitted to first grade in Dnepropetrovsk choreographic school Ivan Vasiliev was listed. From that moment on, ballet became an integral part of his life. The boy did not particularly stand out for his physical characteristics; on the contrary, some choreographers thought that with this type of figure, not at all slender and short legs (the main “tool” of a dancer), he would not be able to achieve great heights in this type of dance art, but time has shown that they were wrong. In the meantime, the boy surprised everyone with his efficiency, incredible energy and determination.

Education

Then fate brought the family of the future soloist the best theaters countries to the Republic of Belarus, and here Ivan Vladimirovich Vasiliev enters the Belarusian State Choreographic College, where he begins to study classical ballet under the guidance of the Honored Worker of the Republic of Belarus, choreographer A. Kolyadenko. By the way, despite his young age (12 years old), Vanya was immediately accepted into the 3rd year, since during the entrance exam he began to perform the following complex elements, which began to be taught in college only towards the end of the second year. Soon he was sent to a competition, where he performed variations that were included in the program of older dancers and, naturally, surprised the jury members.

External data

The dancer says that some teachers did not want to see the obvious and did not believe that something good would come of him, based on his physical parameters. They could not even imagine that Ivan Vasiliev would bring so many new things. Ballet, the height for which has great importance, quite conservative art. Ivan’s height, of course, was far from tall, and the choreographers doubted whether he could look beautiful on stage, and his legs were a bit short, and, as some teachers said, they betrayed his plebeian roots. But, as you can see, they were wrong. Ivan Vasiliev proved that to achieve heights in a dancer’s career, appearance is not the most important thing, although the young man worked on his body to the point of exhaustion, as a result of training, he, the word sculptor, sculpted something perfect out of it. It is impossible not to admire his torso; it is worthy of admiration, resembling an isosceles triangle with its apex turned towards the waist.

To Moscow

Having not yet graduated from college, Ivan Vasiliev, in whose life ballet played the most important role at that time, had an internship at the Belarusian Bolshoi Theater and performed solo parts in productions of Don Quixote and Corsair. However, all his thoughts were connected with Moscow - this is where he saw himself in the future. And so, having received his diploma, he took a train ticket and, at his own peril and risk, went to the capital of the country, which he considered his homeland. He was, of course, dissuaded, but in Moscow, no matter what you say, true talent is valued.

Premier of the country's main theater

In 2006, the talented dancer was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater, where he made his debut in the play “Don Quixote” in the role of Basil. After 4 years, he already became the premiere of the ballet troupe, bypassing the title of leading soloist, which happened extremely rarely. Here he performed the main roles in the legendary performances: “Giselle”, “Spartacus”, “The Nutcracker”, “Don Quixote”, “Petrushka”. His director and choreographer was Yuri Vladimirov. Before becoming the prime minister, Ivan Vasiliev successfully took part in a magnificent international project. Kings of Dance" (2009). Here he danced on the same stage with such famous dancers as David Hallberg, Jose Manuel Carreno, Joaquin De Luz, and compatriots Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Denis Matvienko and others.

Ivan Vasiliev: Mikhailovsky Theater

It's no secret that being the premier of the Bolshoi Theater is cherished dream everyone ballet dancers, career pinnacle. And imagine the surprise of all the initiates when they learned that Ivan Vasiliev and Natalya Osipova (his partner in many performances and his girlfriend) refused to rehearse “Don Quixote” and decided to leave for St. Petersburg, and not to the Mariinsky, and the Mikhailovsky Theater. Of course, this sounded like a bolt from the blue. The Bolshoi management was at a loss. Contains such strange information professional biography. Ivan Vasiliev later explained his decision by saying that he needed a new incentive, a new tough motivation. However, the Bolshoi did not want to completely part with his favorite, and today he is a “guest star” for the theater. By the way, in the same capacity he performs at La Scala, in the Roman opera house, Bavarian Ballet, Mariinsky and Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theaters, and also regularly appears on stage American Theater ballet He managed to raise the Mikhailovsky Theater to an incredible level. Here he is the performer of leading parts in ballet performances"Don Quixote", "Sleeping Beauty", "La Bayadère", "Giselle", "Flames of Paris", "Corsair", " Swan Lake", "Laurencia", "Halt of the Cavalry", "La Sylphide", " A futile precaution" and others. Ivan Vasiliev, of course, managed to reach the very top in his career as a dancer. He is among the highest paid ballet dancers in the whole world. Isn't that all he strived for?

Choreographer

No. I. Vasiliev says that already at the age of 12, analyzing the work of his choreographers, and in his heart disagreeing with them, he dreamed that the time would come when he himself would be able to create his own production. In 2015, at the end of spring, he managed to fulfill his dream. His debut performance was Ballet No. 1, where he used incredible tricks and elements, as if wanting to show where the possibilities could go human body, both in solo and duet parts. The premiere took place on the stage of the Barvikha Luxury Village hall and had incredible success. The main thing is that the choreographer himself was pleased with himself, and he said that this was just the beginning, new incredible productions awaited everyone.

Ivan Vasiliev: personal life

After Vasiliev arrived in Moscow and got a job at the Bolshoi Theater, he began a relationship with his colleague, Natalya Osipova. In tandem with her, over the course of 4 years they went to the title of premier and prima of the country's main theater. After this, all the acquaintances expected that the couple would legalize their relationship and have a grand wedding, but suddenly it broke up, and soon Ivan began to be noticed in the company of another Bolshoi Theater ballerina, Maria Vinogradova. They danced in a duet in the ballet “Spartacus”. After this, the young people started dating after rehearsals, and for the first date, I. Vasiliev invited his girlfriend to the Bolshoi Theater, but not to the ballet, but to the opera. Probably, it was funny for them to find themselves, although in a familiar environment, not on their own stage, but in front of it, in the audience hall.

Wedding

Vanya made his marriage proposal to Maria in a very romantic atmosphere. He covered the entire room with rose petals and decorated it balloons. He got down on one knee, like a medieval knight, and handed his beloved a box with an incredibly expensive ring. It turned out that it was a designer’s work from the famous jewelry brand “Graff”, which cost the artist $50,000. Well, what girl could resist such a confession? Maria, naturally, gave her consent, and they began to prepare for the wedding, which took place in the summer of 2015. The wedding ceremony was very beautiful, and the couple looked more than happy. Exactly a year after this, Maria and Ivan had their first child, daughter Anna.

Choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev became commander of the Order of the Star of Italy (Ordine della Stella d’Italia). State award of the Italian Republic is awarded for contribution to friendship and cooperation with Italy, it is received by Italian residents of other countries and foreigners by decision of the President of the Italian Republic. In a solemn ceremony at the Italian Embassy, ​​the award was presented to Vladimir Vasiliev by Ambassador Cesare Maria Ragaglini.

“Vladimir Vasiliev has a special relationship with Italy,” said Ch.M. Ragaglini at the ceremony of presenting the Order. The Ambassador recalled that V. Vasiliev first danced “Giselle” in Italy in 1968, with his wife, ballerina Ekaterina Maksimova. 50 years have passed since then.

Later, Vasiliev had the opportunity to work a lot in Italy, including in tandem with the great Italian dancer Carla Fracci. “Vladimir Vasiliev is the finest, most gallant partner and friend,” she said about the dancer.

Ch.M. was also impressed by the professionalism of Vladimir Vasiliev. Ragaglini. “Next to me is a dance legend,” said the Ambassador. – For 30 years he was not just the premier soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, but also an innovator of dance. F. Nietzsche said that a person must have chaos within himself in order to reproduce the dance. This inner chaos allowed Vasiliev to add freshness to the dance.” The head of the Italian embassy recalled the sparkling pirouettes, impeccable jumps and vivid stage images of the Order Bearer of the Star of Italy.

“I love Rome more than all other cities in the world,” choreographer Vasiliev once said in an interview. In his opinion, the capital of Italy is “the most great city" But he also admits that he could never live outside Russia for a long time.

Biography of Vladimir Vasiliev

Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev was born in Moscow in 1940, on the eve of the Great Patriotic War, in strong loving family driver and administrative worker. The Vasilievs went through the war, endured the hardships of post-war reconstruction and contributed to the development of the child. Vladimir Vasiliev recalled that the piano was bought for his son by his father with his last money. “If I had another mother, everything would be different for me,” said the choreographer and claimed that he inherited his love of music from his mother, and his love of life from his father.

In 1947, Vasiliev began dancing, and teacher E.R. Rosse noticed the child's outstanding abilities. At the age of eight, as part of the choreographic circle of the House of Pioneers, the boy first appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, performing Russian and Ukrainian folk dances. Then he felt the Bolshoi stage as native home and was fired up with a desire to work here.
At the age of nine, Vladimir Vasiliev made a conscious choice and went to the Moscow Choreographic School (today it is called the Moscow State Academy of Choreography), to the class of M.M. Gabovich. The teacher is still in early time noted that the young dancer dissolves in movements, “every cell” of the body participates in them.

After completing his studies at the Choreographic School, in 1958 Vladimir Vasiliev was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater troupe. Here he attracted the attention of the great Galina Ulanova, who became the dancer’s partner in the ballet Chopiniana. “I gave you everything that was in me,” Ulanova wrote on one of the gifts for Vasiliev and his wife. And this, he said, was true. As a sign of respect and gratitude, Vladimir Vasiliev is the President of the Galina Ulanova Foundation.

For 30 years, the dancer performed leading roles at the Bolshoi Theater, often in the first productions. During his time working here, Vladimir Vasiliev had the opportunity to dance almost all the main roles in ballets. He is the Prince in Prokofiev’s “Cinderella,” and Basil in “Don Quixote,” and Spartacus in the ballet of the same name to the music of A. Khachaturian, etc. The dancer himself, by the way, does not consider himself a genius; none of his own dances satisfied him.

Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev is familiar to viewers in many countries around the world. He toured the Italian theaters La Scala, Arena or Verona, San Carlo, and also performed in the USA, France, Brazil and other countries.

In 1982, Vladimir Vasiliev received training as a choreographer and choreographer, having graduated from the specialized department of the institute theatrical arts(Today Russian Academy theatrical art). He later admitted that the choreography attracted the ballet dancer from school years, but for a long time hands did not reach her. Since 1990, Vladimir Vasiliev became a professor at the choreography department.

In 1995-2000, choreographer Vasiliev was artistic director Bolshoi Theater. According to his own assurances, at this time he “served the theater, and did not direct it.”

In addition to professional activities, Vasiliev has a passion for drawing. “I try to paint every day, in any weather,” he says. This love arose in childhood almost simultaneously with the love for dance, even a little earlier. But the family did not have enough money for drawing classes.

The personal life of choreographer Vasiliev fits into one phrase - he was happily married to his dance partner Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova. Married in 1961, they became inseparable until the ballerina died in 2008. The couple had no children.

Choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev

The first production made by choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev in 1971 for Kremlin Palace congresses, there was a ballet based on Slonimsky's libretto ancient Greek myth about Icarus. The idea of ​​the ballet belongs to Yuri Grigorovich.

This ballet was followed by others in the capital, regions and other countries. Among the productions of choreographer Vladimir Vasiliev is “Macbeth” based on the plot of W. Shakespeare to the music of Kirill Molchanov. The composer wrote this ballet for his wife, ballerina Nina Timofeeva, and died of a heart attack during the premiere. "Macbeth" opened the repertoire of the Kremlin Ballet Theater.

Vladimir Vasiliev translated the Soviet rock opera “Juno and Avos” into dance and made a number of musical and dance numbers to the music of Russian and European composers.

For his work, Vladimir Vasiliev received the title of People's Artist of Russia in 1973, the Lenin Prize for Spartacus, Russian and foreign orders.

“I have never worn them - there are many, many of them. Probably, all my awards can be seen when I’m already carried,” Vladimir Vasiliev said in an interview. The choreographer advocates not so much for awards as for true creativity.

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VLADIMIR VASILIEV. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CREATIVE PERSONALITY.

The second (expanded and expanded) edition of the unique book “Vladimir Vasiliev. Encyclopedia creative personality" The first edition was published in 2000 - on the occasion of the anniversary of Vasiliev, who became the first and only living person to whom a personal encyclopedia was dedicated. – a huge work about the life and work of the great ballet dancer, choreographer, director, set designer, artist, poet: 326 pages of the encyclopedia contain more than 900 articles. The author of the book, Elena Fetisova, a psychologist by training (she is also the author of scientific publications on the psychology of personality and creativity) and a photographer by vocation (which was noted by awarding her the “Soul of Dance” prize in 2015), has been photographing Vasiliev at performances for more than 40 years, rehearsals, concerts, filming, creative evenings, etc. She has collected, systematized and compiled into articles a huge amount of information about all Vladimir Vasiliev’s roles in ballets, all performances with his participation and performances staged by him with full description stage stories; all his roles in television ballets, feature films; about the films in which Vasiliev starred and directed; about the performances and gala concerts that he directed; about international ballet competitions, where he was the chairman of the jury; about his awards, prizes, prizes, honorary titles; photo albums, books, exhibitions dedicated to him; personal exhibitions of Vasilyev the artist, publications of his poetry and much, much more. Among the people presented in the encyclopedia: artists - the first performers of Vasiliev’s productions; his partners in plays and films; choreographers who choreographed specifically for him; composers, conductors, artists, choirmasters, accompanists - participants creative projects Vasiliev, directors and cameramen who made films about Vasiliev or together with him; Vasiliev’s teachers at the Moscow Art University and teachers at the Bolshoi Theater, his students at GITIS; ballet researchers and photographers, especially interested in Vasiliev’s work, etc.

Rich illustrative material (more than 450 photographs, almost half of which were taken by the author of the book) includes rare photographs from the personal archive of Vladimir Vasiliev, the Bolshoi Theater Museum, the State Central Theater Museum. A.A. Bakhrushin, the New Birth of Art Charitable Foundation, private collections, works of famous domestic and foreign photographers, many of which are published for the first time. Articles are located in alphabetical order, and each of the letters opens with a photograph of Vasiliev’s production, which begins with this letter: A – “Anyuta”, I – “Icarus”, M – “Macbeth”, etc. In addition to scenes from the performances, articles about the productions are illustrated with posters, performance programs, and photographs from rehearsals.

The encyclopedia includes an Appendix - “About creativity and not only” - containing information about Vasiliev’s performances (including comic ones) at various festivals, congratulations from colleagues and friends on his anniversaries, Original gifts and dedications to Vladimir Vasiliev, as well as friendly cartoons, epigrams, mosaics geographical names related to his stay and many others. other. Appendix articles are also illustrated rare photographs, mostly unknown to the general public.

The book presents the works of Vasiliev the artist and set designer, his poetic works, and also publishes for the first time small fragments of the memoirs of Vladimir Vasiliev, exclusively provided by him for this publication.

You can purchase the book:
In the Bolshoi Theater store.
Address: Moscow, st. theatre square, 1. 9th entrance of the main building.

In a bookstore Moscow
Address: st. Tverskaya 8 building 1
They also have an online store www.moscowbooks.ru

In the Mariinsky Theater store
Address: St. Petersburg, st. Theater Square, 1

On the publishing house website http://www.bookmusic.ru/

One of the most outstanding dancers in the world, People's Artist of the USSR, ballet soloist (1958 - 1988) and artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater (1995 - 2000), choreographer, director. Participant in performances of Maurice Bejart's troupe "Ballet of the 20th Century", Marseille Ballet, Naples San Carlo Theater, Arena di Verona Theater, etc. Teacher, professor, head of the department of choreography at GITIS. He acted in films and on television. Laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes of the USSR, two State Prizes of Russia, the V. Nijinsky Prize for “Best Dancer” (1964) and Marius Petipa (1972), laureate international competitions and others. Member of the Board of Trustees Creative Center UNESCO. Artist, author of the poetry collection “Chain of Days”. Awarded the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, Friendship of Peoples, "For Services to the Fatherland" III degree, St., St. Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow, the French Order of Merit.

The life of ballet dancers was called “hard labor in flowers” great actress Faina Ranevskaya. And this definition fully suits the life of People’s Artist of the USSR Vladimir Vasiliev. His many years of work, without rest, without respite for soul and body, are deservedly strewn with flowers, and the echo of thunderous applause has not died down to this day. Dancers of such a level as Vasiliev can be listed on one hand. Perhaps this is why the words of his fellow artist Serge Lifar are so valuable, who said: “I knew Nijinsky well, he was considered the best dancer in the world. But now I can full responsibility assert that Vasiliev surpassed his famous predecessor in everything. He's great".

The future “god of ballet” was born on April 18, 1940 in Moscow, into a family of ordinary workers at a technical felt factory. His father, Viktor Ivanovich Vasiliev, worked as the director’s driver, and his mother, Tatyana Yakovlevna Kuzmicheva, worked as the head of the sales department. Post-war Moscow lived with its own problems, and the boys had one task - not to get bored. So Volodya and a friend came to the choreographic circle of the Kirov House of Pioneers in 1947. And it turned out that the world of dance is his element. Teacher Elena Romanovna Rosse, noting the boy’s special talent, immediately invited him to move to the senior group. Vasiliev quickly “promoted”: a year later, while studying at the Palace of Pioneers, he, together with the ensemble, performed for the first time on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater with Russians and Ukrainian dances, and in 1949 he was admitted to the Moscow Academic Choreographic School in the class of E. Lapchinskaya. Then the gifted young man studied with the famous Bolshoi Theater premier M.M. Gabovich, who accurately noted characteristic feature student: “Volodya Vasiliev dances not only with his whole body, but with every cell of it, with pulsating rhythm, dance fire and explosive force.”

Already during his studies, Vasiliev amazed with his rare combination of expression, virtuosic technique with undoubted acting talent and the ability to transform. At the graduation concert of graduates in 1958, he not only showed traditional variations and pas de deux, but also created a deeply tragic image of the 60-year-old jealous Giotto from the ballet Francesca da Rimini. It was about this role that the prophetic words of MAHU teacher Tamara Stepanovna Tkachenko were spoken: “We are present at the birth of a genius!”

Immediately after graduating from college, Vasiliev was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater, where at first he had character roles: gypsy dance in the opera “Rusalka”, Lezginka in the opera “Demon”, Pan in the choreographic scene “Walpurgis Night” - the first big solo part. But the great potential still dormant in the young dancer did not escape the soulful gaze of the great Galina Ulanova, and she invited him to become her partner in the classical ballet Chopiniana. The then-beginning choreographer Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich also believed in his talent. He offered the 18-year-old college graduate the central role in his production of S. Prokofiev’s ballet “ Stone Flower", in which Vasiliev immediately won the love and recognition of viewers and critics. Other main roles of the modern and classical repertoire followed: Prince (Cinderella, 1959), Andrei (Pages of Life, 1961), Basil (Don Quixote, 1962), Paganini (Paganini, 1962), Frondoso (Laurencia, 1963), Albert (Giselle, 1964), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet, 1973).

So, almost immediately, Vasiliev became the leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, and choreographers choreographed the main roles based on his amazing skill. But the real triumph for Vladimir was the role of Spartacus in the ballet of the same name, staged by Grigorovich to the music of Khachaturian (1968). “At the age of 28, he danced a role,” the great dancer Asaf Messerer will write about him, “which immediately stood in that select row, which has general cultural and timeless significance, including Anna Pavlova’s Swan, Galina Ulanova’s Juliet, Maya Plisetskaya’s Carmen. And at the same time, everyone who wrote about Vasiliev agreed on one thing: there is nothing “divine” in the “god of dance” - neither in his face nor in his figure. In Yesenin's style, fair-haired, dark-eyed; the face is well sculpted, but tired, it is not attractive. In a word, he is not one of those people who is looked back after.” And yet, in dance, Vasiliev turned into a god. In each new work, he refuted the established opinion about his capabilities as an artist and dancer, proving that he is truly a “brilliant exception to the rule” (M. Liepa), a person capable of embodying any image on stage: both a classical ballet Prince and a hot Spaniard Basil, and the Russian Ivanushka, and the madly in love eastern youth, and the powerful people's leader, and the bloody despot king.

Vladimir had phenomenal technique and subtle acting skills, he knew how to transform and had an amazingly keen sense of music. The choreographers called Vasiliev “the living embodiment of the composer’s plan.” He “accentuated” and placed “intonations” with his movements, like a real musician. “In terms of diversity, he cannot be compared with anyone,” said the patriarch of the Russian ballet F. Lopukhov, “he is a tenor, a baritone, and, if you want, a bass.”

Almost all best performances and the images created by the dancer in the first period of creativity are associated with the name of Yu. Grigorovich. This is the Nutcracker (1966), and the Blue Bird (1963), and Prince Désiré (1973) in the ballets of P.I. Tchaikovsky, and the already mentioned famous Spartacus, for whose role Vasiliev was awarded the Lenin Prize and the Lenin Komsomol Prize, Ivan the Terrible in the ballet of the same name to the music of S.S. Prokofiev (1975), Sergei in “The Hangar” by A. Eshpai (1976, State Prize). However, gradually a serious difference emerged between the choreographer and the dancer. creative positions, which developed into a protracted confrontation, as a result of which in 1988 Vasiliev, and after him his partner and wife Ekaterina Maksimova and a number of other leading soloists, left without roles, were forced to part with the Bolshoi Theater.

But the Vasiliev phenomenon has always attracted outstanding figures of foreign theater. Vladimir attracted attention back in 1959, winning the first prize and gold medal on VII International festival youth and students in Vienna, and then the Grand Prix and gold medal at the I International Ballet Competition in Varna (1964). The “Golden Duo” - Vasiliev and Maksimova - was considered by officials to be “exiting” and adequately represented Soviet ballet art on the best stages of the world, despite the fact that Vladimir always had own opinion and expressed it openly. So, one day, before another trip, at a reception with the then Minister of Culture E. Furtseva, he responded to her dubious compliment: “You are ours, real soviet people. You are not Nuriev, who took it and stayed,” he said: “You know, Ekaterina Alekseevna, maybe the time will come when we will call one of the streets “Nuriev Street”,” which plunged the minister into shock.

After leaving Bolshoi Vasiliev He performed a lot and with great success abroad: the Grand Opera, the Roman Opera, the Teatro Colon, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, etc. Maurice Bejart staged a version of the ballet I . Stravinsky "Petrushka". 1987 was the year he played the role of Professor Unrath in Roland Petit's production of The Blue Angel to the music of M. Constant (Marseille Ballet). 1988 brought the artist the first performance of the role of Zorba in Lorca Massine's production of "Zorba the Greek" to the music of M. Theodorakis (Arena di Verona), as well as the first performance of the main roles in Lorca Massine's revival of Leonid Massine's one-act ballets "Pulcinella" by I. Stravinsky ( Pulcinella) and “Parisian Fun” to the music of J. Offenbach (Baron) at the San Carlo Theater (Naples). In 1989, Beppo Menegatti staged the play “Nijinsky” with Vasiliev in the title role (San Carlo Theater).

Vasiliev’s performances (and later his ballets) always aroused special attention from the public - the French called him “God of Dance”, the Italians, recognizing him on the streets, tried to carry him in their arms, in Argentina (after the premiere of his production to the music of Argentine composers “Fragments of a Biography” ) he became simple national hero, in America he was elected an honorary citizen of the city of Tucson.

In addition to Ekaterina Maksimova, whom he always called his Muse, Vasiliev danced with such famous ballerinas as Olga Lepeshinskaya, Raisa Struchkova, Marina Kondratieva, Nina Timofeeva, Natalya Bessmertnova, Irina Kolpakova, Lyudmila Semenyaka, Alicia Alonso and Josefina Mendez (Cuba), Dominique Calfuni and Noel Pontois (France), Liliana Cosi and Carla Fracci (Italy), Rita Pulvoord (Belgium), Zsuzsa Kun (Hungary), etc.

The dancer's incredible virtuosity, plastic expressiveness, exceptional sense of music, dramatic talent, depth of thought and enormous power of emotional impact demonstrated new type modern ballet dancer. The standards of performing skills declared by Vasiliev, for whom there are no technical difficulties, no restrictions on role or plot, in many ways remain unattainable to this day - for example, the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition, which he won in 1964, at subsequent competitions it was never awarded to anyone else. Therefore, it is natural that at the end of the last century, according to a survey of leading experts in the world, it was Vladimir Vasiliev who was recognized as the “Dancer of the 20th century”.

Vladimir Viktorovich’s enormous creative potential was also realized in choreography. His choreographer debut was “Icarus” by S. Slonimsky on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (1971, second edition - 1976). Along with this and subsequent original works (“These enchanting sounds.”, “I want to dance,” “Macbeth,” “Anyuta”), the master offers the viewer his vision classical ballets(“Romeo and Juliet”, “Cinderella”, “Don Quixote”,

"Swan Lake", "Giselle"). Vasiliev turns to staging concert numbers and choreographic miniatures - “Two”, “Classical pas de deux”, “Russian”, “Two German Dances” and “Six German Dances”, “Aria”, “Minuet”, “Waltz” , “Caruso”, “Jester”, “Petrushka”, “Elegy”, “Overture on Jewish Themes”, “Syncopations” - as well as large choreographic compositions to the music of the Sixth Symphony by P.I. Tchaikovsky and Overture to the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by M.I. Glinka. And Vasiliev’s productions are often enthusiastically received by the public, especially those where he and Ekaterina Maksimova perform the central roles. Currently, ballets staged by Vladimir Viktorovich are performed not only on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, but also in 19 other theaters in Russia and the world.

Vasiliev's creative interests led him to cinema. As a dramatic actor, he starred in the feature films “Gigolo and Gigolette” (1980), “Fouette” (1986), and in the oratorio film “The Gospel for the Evil One” (1992). In them, as well as in the original television ballets “Anyuta” (1982) and “Road House” (1983), he acted not only as a performer, but also as a choreographer and stage director. He revealed a rare gift in constructing a frame, and in feeling the structure of the whole, and, most importantly, in editing a musical video sequence. Vasiliev invented the term “montage choreography” and implemented it in his screen works. Experts note that at the same time he “keeps in his head his only fairway - music.” And his taste in music is impeccable. Vasiliev’s works on the dramatic stage became interesting experiments: choreography of the fairy tale-comedy “The Princess and the Woodcutter” at the Sovremennik Theater (1969) and the rock opera “Juno and Avos” at the Lenkom Theater (1981), directing and choreography musically -dramatic compositions “The Tale of the Pope and his worker Balda” (1989), “The Artist Reads the Bible” (1994).

Vasiliev also revealed himself as a teacher. In 1982, he graduated from the choreographic department of GITIS with a degree in choreography and immediately began teaching there. From 1985 to 1995, Vladimir Viktorovich headed the department of choreography at GITIS, and in 1989 he was awarded the title of professor. It seemed that there was simply nowhere to develop further. But Vasilyev, not without reason, is considered not only a super-gifted artist, but also a super-gifted person. This man reads a lot and writes like a professional writer, and many look forward to him sitting down at his desk and creating serious sketches about his creative path and about ballet in general. After all, so far only his first poetry collection, “Chain of Days” (1999), has seen the light of day. In addition, Vasiliev is an excellent painter of sketches, landscapes, and still lifes. He paints in oils, and is getting better and more interesting. At different periods of his life he was interested in various types sports: played football, volleyball, fencing, boxing, diving, swimming. Currently prefers tennis. Sometimes from the outside it seems that the artist is very “sprayed”, does not devote himself entirely to one thing, the most significant. But in the understanding of the dancer himself, these are inextricable links of one chain. And when he is asked the question “why?”, in response they hear Vladimir Viktorovich’s favorite phrase: “I’ve wanted it for a long time.”

So after his appointment (by the way, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation) in 1995 as artistic director - director of the Bolshoi Theater, Vasiliev gave his word to deal only with organizational issues. He managed to bring the theater out of the severe crisis state in which it was in those years: new director approved modern contract system, revived the traditions of benefit performances of the corps de ballet, choir and orchestra, organized the theater’s own video studio and prepared a regular series of programs on the Kultura TV channel. But as soon as the work got better, Vasiliev again returned to choreography and staging performances (although he swore not to do this again), organized the Academy classical dance in Brazil, held many charity events in support of the reconstruction of the Bolshoi Theater. But this is only a drop in the bucket. And in September 2000 Vasiliev. was relieved of his position “due to staff reduction.” But he completed his task in full: the Bolshoi triumphantly returned to the world stage.

Currently, Vladimir Viktorovich actively cooperates with many theaters in the country and the world, participates (and heads) in the work of the jury of various international ballet competitions, gives master classes, rehearses, and prepares new performances and roles. At the end of 2000, the premiere of the play “The Long Journey on Christmas Night,” dedicated to P.I., was a triumphant success at the Rome Opera. Tchaikovsky, main role in which the 60-year-old Vasiliev performed, and in 2001 the premieres of his productions “Don Quixote” in the Tokyo Ballet troupe (Japan) and “Cinderella” at the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theater. Vladimir Viktorovich continues and social activities for the benefit of ballet and the development of art. He is an honorary professor at Moscow State University, a full member of the International Academy of Creativity and the Academy Russian art, Secretary of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee Russian Center International Dance Council of UNESCO. Vasiliev has also been the permanent artistic director of the Arabesque competition for 15 years.

One can only be surprised when he still finds time to engage in his constant and long-standing hobby - painting. And Vasiliev has a lot of works. They were presented at three solo exhibitions of his work. He writes, as a rule, at his dacha in Snegiri or in the village of Ryzhevka near Kostroma, where he and his wife always spend their vacations. Ekaterina Maksimova is a special page in the biography of Vladimir Viktorovich. Even in the Encyclopedia of Russian Ballet, along with his numerous titles, it is written: “Husband of E.S. Maximova." Vasiliev recalls: “At the beginning of our life together Katya and I had one room measuring eight meters. To get to the window, I had to climb over the bed. Now I have a lot of worries: an apartment, a dacha, two cars, tours and social responsibilities. Am I happier than when we had nothing? No". Friends admit that he is a very kind, responsible person, but always busy, and because of this workload he is afraid of seeming arrogant or unattainable to someone, but it is precisely such ascetics that keep him going Russian art. So the poet Andrei Voznesensky believes that “Vladimir Vasiliev is the Order of Vladimir for our art.”

Valentina Sklyarenko

From the book “100 Famous Muscovites”, 2006

Vladimir Vasiliev was born on April 18, 1940 in Moscow. After graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School in 1958, Volodya was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. Already during his studies, he impressed with his virtuoso performance technique and undoubted acting talent and ability to impersonate. He made his debut on the Bolshoi stage in the ballet “The Stone Flower” by Yu. Grigorovich in 1959.

Soon Vasiliev, having won the love and recognition of audiences and critics, became one of the leading soloists ballet troupe this theater for more than 30 years. He danced the main roles of the modern and classical repertoire in ballets: “Cinderella”, “Pages of Life”, “Don Quixote”, “Paganini”, “Giselle”, “Romeo and Juliet” and others. The choreographers not only offered Vasiliev the main roles, but also staged them especially for him. He was the first performer of the solo part in “Dance Suite”, in R. Shchedrin’s ballet “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, in “Spartacus” by A. Khachaturian, in “Forest Song” by G. Zhukovsky, in “Petrushka” by I. Stravinsky... Also Vasiliev He performed a lot and with great success abroad with such directors as R. Petit, M. Bejar, L. Myasin.

He created vivid, memorable images, often offering a new interpretation of them. In addition to Ekaterina Maksimova - Vasiliev’s constant partner and wife, whom he always called his Muse - such famous ballerinas as G. Ulanova (she would become Vasiliev’s friend, teacher and tutor for many years), M. Plisetskaya, O. Lepeshinskaya danced with him , R. Struchkova, N. Bessmertnova, I. Kolpakova, A. Alonso, J. Mendes, L. Cosi, C. Fracci and others. Being in the prime of his performing skills, Vasiliev even then felt the need for a more complete realization of his creative potential- craving for choreography. His choreographer debut was the ballet “Icarus” in 1971. As a choreographer, Vasiliev also staged: “These enchanting sounds...”, “Macbeth”, “Fragments of a Biography”, “Anyuta”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Cinderella”, “Don Quixote”, “Giselle”, "Swan Lake" and others.

Vasiliev's productions were enthusiastically received by the public, especially those where he and Ekaterina Maksimova performed the central roles. Currently, ballets staged by him are performed not only on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, but also in many other theaters in Russia and the world. Vasiliev’s creative interests extend to other areas of art - he acted as a dramatic actor in feature films, in original television ballets, where he acted not only as a performer, but also as a choreographer and stage director. Vasilyev’s teaching activities are also of great interest.

In 1982, he graduated from the choreography department of GITIS and from the same year began teaching there, was the head of the choreography department (1985-1995), and in 1989 he was awarded the academic title of professor.

In 1995-2000, Vasiliev was the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theater. Currently, Vladimir Viktorovich actively collaborates with many theaters across the country and the world, heads and participates in the work of the jury of various international ballet competitions, gives master classes, and prepares new performances and roles. Heading the G. Ulanova Foundation, Vasiliev stages and conducts annual gala concerts “Dedicated to Galina Ulanova.”

Vasiliev – National artist USSR, laureate of various Russian and international awards, awarded orders and medals. He is an honorary professor at Moscow State University, a full member of the International Academy of Creativity and the Academy of Russian Art, etc. Films and books are dedicated to Vasiliev’s work. Free time Vladimir Viktorovich mainly devotes himself to painting. The main theme of Vasiliev’s paintings is landscapes, in which he tries to convey the beauty of Russian nature (six personal exhibitions of his works were held). He also writes poetry; he is the author of the poetry collection “Chain of Days.”