Famous Russian ballerina, world celebrity Natalya Osipova. Ballerina Natalia Osipova: step into modern dance Natalia Osipova personal life

In 2003 she won the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Competition “Prix of Luxembourg”.
In 2005, she won the 3rd prize at the International Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers in Moscow (in the “Duets” category in the senior group).
In 2007, she was awarded the “Soul of Dance” prize from “Ballet” magazine (in the “Rising Star” category).
In 2008 she received the annual English award (National Dance Awards Critics' Circle) - the National Dance Critics' Circle Award (best ballerina in the "Classical Ballet" section) and the National Theater Award "Golden Mask" for her performance in the ballet "In the Room Above" F. Glass directed by Twyla Tharp (season 2006/07) and the Leonide Massine Prize, awarded annually in Positano (Italy), in the category “For the significance of talent.”
In 2009 (together with Vyacheslav Lopatin) she was awarded the Special Jury Prize "Golden Mask" - for the best duet in the ballet "La Sylphide" (season 2007/08) and the prize of the International Association of Choreographers "Benois de la Danse" for the performance of the parts of La Sylphide, Giselle, Medora in The Corsair and Joan in The Flames of Paris.
In 2010 she was awarded the International Ballet Dance Open Prize in the Miss Virtuosity category.
In 2011, she again received the annual English award (National Dance Awards Critics’ Circle) - the National Dance Critics’ Circle Award (best ballerina); was awarded the Grand Prix of the Dance Open Prize and the Leonid Massine Prize (Positano) in the category “Best Dancer of the Year”.
In 2015, she was again awarded the National Dance Critics Circle Award, and received the award in two categories at once (“Best Ballerina” and “Outstanding Performance” / for her performance of the role of Giselle in the Royal Ballet production).

Biography

Born in Moscow. In 2004 she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (rector's class) and was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. The debut took place on September 24, 2004. She began rehearsing under the direction of. Then her permanent teacher-tutor was.
She left the Bolshoi Theater in 2011. She performs with many of the world's leading ballet companies, including the American Ballet Theater (ABT), the Bavarian Ballet, and La Scala Ballet.
Since 2011 - prima ballerina of the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg, since 2013 - of the Royal Ballet Covent Garden.

Repertoire

AT THE BOLSH THEATER

2004
Insert pas de deux
Nancy(“La Sylphide” by H. Levenschell, choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by E. M. von Rosen)
Eleventh Waltz(“Chopiniana” to music by F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine)
Spanish doll(“The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by Yu. Grigorovich)
mustard seed(“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to music by F. Mendelssohn-Barthold and D. Ligeti, staged by J. Neumeier) -

2005
Spanish bride(“Swan Lake” by P. Tchaikovsky in the second edition by Yu. Grigorovich, fragments of choreography by M. Petipa, L. Ivanov, A. Gorsky were used)
Part in the ballet “Passacaglia”, soloist in the ballet “Passacaglia”(to music by A. von Webern, choreography by R. Petit)
Typists(“Bolt” by D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Ratmansky) -
First variation in grand pas(Don Quixote by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, A. Gorsky, revised by A. Fadeechev)
Cinderella(“Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
frivolity(“Omens” to music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by L. Massine)
Cancan soloist(“Parisian Fun” to music by J. Offenbach, arranged by M. Rosenthal, choreography by L. Massine) - first performer in Russia
Four Dryads, Kitri("Don Quixote")
Soloist of the III part(“Symphony in C major” to music by J. Bizet, choreography by J. Balanchine)
Second variation in the painting “Shadows”(“La Bayadère” by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, revised by Yu. Grigorovich)
Soloist(“Playing Cards” by I. Stravinsky, choreographed by A. Ratmansky) - was among the first performers of this ballet

2006
Waltz soloists(was among the first performers)
Autumn(“Cinderella” by S. Prokofiev, choreography by Y. Posokhov, director Y. Borisov)
Ramsey, Aspiccia(“The Pharaoh’s Daughter” by Ts. Puni, staged by P. Lacotte after M. Petipa)
Manka Fart(“Bolt” by D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Ratmansky)
Gamzatti(“La Bayadère”) - the debut took place on tour of the theater in Monte Carlo

2007
Soloist(“Serenade” to music by P. Tchaikovsky. choreography by J. Balanchine) -
Soloist(“In the Room Upstairs” by F. Glass, choreography by T. Tharp) - was among the first performers of this ballet at the Bolshoi Theater
Classical dancer(“Bright Stream” by D. Shostakovich, staged by A. Ratmansky)
Soloist(“Middle Duet” to music by Y. Khanon, choreography by A. Ratmansky)
Soloist(“Class-concert” to music by A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Rubinstein, D. Shostakovich, choreography by A. Messerer)
Third Odalisque(“Corsair” by A. Adam, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreography by A. Ratmansky and Y. Burlaki)
Giselle(“Giselle” by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, revised by Y. Grigorovich)

2008
Sylphide(La Sylphide by H.S. Levenskold, choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by J. Kobborg) - first performer at the Bolshoi Theater
Medora("Corsair")
Zhanna(“Flames of Paris” by B. Asafiev, staged by A. Ratmansky using choreography by V. Vainonen)
Couple in red(“Russian Seasons” to music by L. Desyatnikov, staged by A. Ratmansky) - was among the first ballet performers at the Bolshoi Theater
Variation(Great classical pas from the ballet “Paquita” by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreographic version by Y. Burlaki)

2009
Swanilda(“Coppelia” by L. Delibes, choreography by M. Petipa and E. Cecchetti, production and new choreographic version by S. Vikharev)
Nikia("La Bayadère")
Esmeralda(“Esmeralda” by C. Pugni, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreography by Y. Burlaki, V. Medvedev)

2010
Main role in the ballet “Rubies” to music by I. Stravinsky (choreography by J. Balanchine) - participant in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theater
Pas de deux(Herman Schmerman by T. Willems, choreography by W. Forsyth)

2011
Coralie(“Lost Illusions” by L. Desyatnikov, staged by A. Ratmansky) - first performer

Participated in the Bolshoi Theater project
“Workshop of New Choreography” (2004), performing in the ballet “Bolero” to the music of M. Ravel (choreography by A. Ratmansky) In 2007, she performed in the ballet “Old Women Falling Out” to the music of L. Desyatnikov (choreography by A. Ratmansky) , shown first at the Territory festival, and then as part of the “Workshop of New Choreography” In 2011, she was a participant in the joint project of the Bolshoi Theater and the Californian Segerstrom Center for the Arts (“Remansos” to the music of E. Granados, staged by N. Duato; “Serenade” to music by A. Ciervo, staged by M. Bigonzetti; Pas de trois to music by M. Glinka, choreography by J. Balanchine; “Cinque” to music by A. Vivaldi, staged by M. Bigonzetti).

Tour

DURING WORK AT THE BOLSH THEATER

December 2005 - performed as Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote (choreography by M. Petipa, A. Gorsky, revised by S. Bobrov) at the Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theater.

2006- participated in the XX International Ballet Festival in Havana, performing with Ivan Vasiliev (Bolshoi Ballet) a pas de deux from the ballet “The Flames of Paris” by B. Asafiev (choreography by V. Vainonen) and a pas de deux from the ballet “Don Quixote”.

2007- at the VII International Mariinsky Ballet Festival she performed the role of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote (partner - soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Leonid Sarafanov) and the pas de deux from the ballet Corsair in the gala concert that concluded the festival (same partner);
- at the international festival “Dance Salad” (Wortham Theater Center, Houston, USA) she performed “Middle Duet” staged by A. Ratmansky with the leading soloist of the Bolshoi Ballet Andrei Merkuriev;
- at a gala concert in honor of Maya Plisetskaya, held on the stage of the Royal Theater of Madrid, she performed a pas de deux from the ballet “Don Quixote” (partner - Bolshoi Ballet premier Dmitry Belogolovtsev).

2008- with Ivan Vasiliev took part in the gala concert “Today’s Stars and Tomorrow’s Stars” (pas de deux from the ballet “Flames of Paris”), which concluded the IX International Competition for Ballet School Students of the Youth America Grand Prix, in 1999 founded by former Bolshoi Ballet dancers Gennady and Larisa Savelyev;
performed the title role in the ballet “Giselle” in Kazan with the ballet troupe of the Tatar Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Musa Jalil as part of the International Festival of Classical Ballet named after Rudolf Nureyev (Count Albert - Andrey Merkuryev) and performed in the gala concerts that concluded this festival, performing pas de deux from the ballet “Flames of Paris” (partner - Bolshoi Ballet soloist Ivan Vasiliev);
as part of the First Siberian Ballet Festival, she performed in the performance of the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater “Don Quixote”, performing the part of Kitri (Bazil - Ivan Vasiliev);
took part in the gala concert “An Tribute to Maya Plisetskaya”, held as part of the Cap Roig Gardens festival (Girona province, Spain), performing with Ivan Vasiliev a pas de deux from the ballet “Flames of Paris” and a pas de deux from the ballet “Corsair” ";
took part in a gala concert of ballet dancers, held on the stage of the Lyon Amphitheater (variations and coda from the ballet Don Quixote, pas de deux from the ballet Flames of Paris, partner Ivan Vasiliev).
performed in the title role of the ballet La Sylphide (choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by J. Kobborg) in Zurich with the ballet company of the Zurich Opera;
performed in the title role in the performance of the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater “Giselle” (Count Albert Ivan Vasiliev);

2009- performed the part of Nikiya in the ballet “La Bayadère” (choreography by M. Petipa, revised by V. Ponomarev, V. Chabukiani, with separate dances by K. Sergeev, N. Zubkovsky; production by I. Zelensky) in Novosibirsk with the ballet troupe of the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera Theater and ballet (Solor - Ivan Vasiliev);
performed in the title role of the ballet “Giselle” (edited by N. Dolgushin) with the troupe of the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg (partner Ivan Vasiliev).
As a guest soloist of the American Ballet Theater (ABT), she took part in the performances of this troupe on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Performed in the title role of the ballet "Giselle" (choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa; Count Albert - David Hallberg) and the title role of the ballet "La Sylphide" (choreography by A. Bournonville, revised by E. Brun; James - Herman Cornejo );
performed the role of Ballerina in the ballet “Petrushka” by I. Stravinsky (choreography by M. Fokine) in a performance at the Paris National Opera.

2010- performed as Clara in the ballet “The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by R. Nureyev) in a performance at the Paris National Opera (partner Matthias Eymann).
performed the role of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote (version by R. Nureyev) at Milan's La Scala Theater (partner Leonid Sarafanov);
participated in the X International Ballet Festival "Mariinsky" - performed the title role in the ballet "Giselle" (Count Albert - Leonid Sarafanov);
again took part in ABT performances on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera: she performed the roles of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote (choreography by M. Petpa, A. Gorsky, production by K. McKenzie and S. Jones; partner Jose Manuel Carreno), Juliet in the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev (choreography by K. MacMillan; partner David Hallberg), Princess Aurora (“The Sleeping Beauty” by P. Tchaikovsky; choreography by M. Petipa, K. McKenzie, G. Kirkland, M. Chernov, production by K. McKenzie ; partner David Hallberg).

2011- performed the role of Katharina in the ballet “The Taming of the Shrew” to the music of D. Scarlatti (choreography by J. Cranko) in Munich with the ballet troupe of the Bavarian State Opera (Petruchio - Lukasz Slawicki);
participated in the ABT season on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera - performed the role of the Classical dancer in the ballet “Bright Stream” (choreography by A. Ratmansky, Classical dancer - Daniil Simkin), the role of Swanilda in the ballet “Coppelia” (edited by F. Franklin, Franz - Daniil Simkin ); performed the title role in the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” (choreography by F. Ashton, revival by P. Schaufus) in London (Coliseum Theater) with the English National Ballet (Romeo - Ivan Vasiliev).

Ballerina Date of birth May 18 (Taurus) 1986 (33) Place of birth Moscow Instagram @nataliaosipova86

Natalya Osipova is a famous ballet dancer whose repertoire includes the roles of Giselle, Juliet, Cinderella, Aurora and La Sylphide. The famous ballerina shone on the stages of the Mikhailovsky Ballet Theater, as well as the London Royal Opera, the American Opera, the New York Metropolitan Opera, the Bavarian State Opera and Covent Garden.

Biography of Natalia Osipova

The future prima ballerina was born in Moscow. The little girl was going to connect her life with sports and from the age of five she went to gymnastics. Her career was derailed by a spinal injury she received at the age of seven. After rehabilitation, the coach suggested that the girl’s parents enroll her in a ballet studio.

After graduating from the large Moscow Choreographic Academy, Natalya joined the working troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. Even before her debut in 2004, Osipova was awarded the Grand Prix at the International Ballet Competition in Luxembourg. Connoisseurs described her performances as something special, deeply individual and not always inherent in classical ballet performance. The calling card of the ballerina Natalia Osipova was high “flying” jumps and a special lyrical style of dance.

Osipova's mentors were brilliant choreographers Marina Leonova, Marina Kondratieva, Kenneth McMillian, Wayne McGregor. According to Prima, the mentorship and wise guidance of the Bolshoi Theater director Alexei Ratmansky played a big role in her successful career. Touring with the troupe in the USA and Europe, the prima won the love and recognition of the foreign ballet community.

In the “classical ballet” category, Natalya Osipova was recognized as the best ballerina in 2007. In 2008 she received the Golden Mask for her role in the ballet Room at the Top (F. Glass), and in 2009 she received a special prize for the role of La Sylphide from the Golden Mask jury. Over 8 years of ballet training, Natalya received 12 awards and prizes from international choreographic associations.

In 2009, the ballerina began collaborating with the New York Ballet Theater. She worked as a guest actress for a year before her former director A. Ratmansky got a job there. Over the next year, Osipova made her debut at La Scala (Don Quixote), the Grand Opera (The Nutcracker) and the London Royal Opera (Le Corsair).

In 2010, Natalya starred in the autobiographical documentary film “I am a ballerina.” A few months later she joined the Mikhailovsky Theater team, becoming a prima ballerina. In 2012, Osipova danced three times at London's Royal Theater Swan Lake. Osipova had the honor of being the only foreign star to take part in the performance on the occasion of the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II of England.

After a season on the road in 2013, the ballerina decided to devote herself entirely to working at the London theater and moved to England. According to her, Covent Garden is a delightful place for creativity and self-realization. After an injury sustained on stage (2015), the dancer devoted two months to rehabilitation. In 2016, Osipova, together with Sergei Polunin, participated in productions at Sadler's Wells Theater.

The main Russian superstars of world ballet

Sergei Polunin: “Internally, I feel like the main character of the film “Drunk” - crazy, free and destructive”

Personal life of Natalia Osipova

While working at the Bolshoi Theater, Natalya began an affair with colleague Ivan Vasiliev. It was short-lived. In 2010, after a high-profile breakup, Osipova left Russia and did not start a serious relationship for a long time.

Natalya met the notorious dancer, informal Sergei Polunin, while working at the Royal Theater in London. Imbued with his craving for modern dance, the prima decided to change the direction of her creativity. The couple participated in four joint productions. According to reviews from international critics, the performances looked faded, pitiful and lacking in temperament, but this did not cool Natalia’s persistence.

Ballerina Natalya Petrovna Osipova is famous not only in her homeland, Russia, but also far beyond its borders. She performs as a prima dancer at the London Royal Ballet and the Mikhailovsky Theatre. Fans line up for concerts with her participation.

A talented girl was born in the capital itself - Moscow on May 18, 1986. Initially, she was not attracted to ballet, but to gymnastics, but due to an injury she had to stop classes. According to the recommendations of experts, the parents sent the girl to ballet, because she showed quite a lot of promise and her talent needed to be developed. After school, Natalya became a student at the Moscow Academy of Choreography, and upon graduation she joined the Bolshoi Theater troupe.

Further, Natalya Osipova’s career developed at an enviable speed. In 2007, she already received an award as the best ballerina of classical ballet, and in 2009 she was invited to play the main roles as a ballerina at the American Ballet Theater. Not everyone has such luck; many talented ballerinas never bother to get on such stages.

But Natalia’s achievements did not end there. She continued to improve and develop, she conquered new heights of both domestic and foreign ballet. Now Natalya Osipova holds the honorary title of prima of the American ballet theater. Since 2013, a permanent contract has been concluded between her and the Royal Ballet (London).

Despite the fact that Natalya reached incredible heights in her profession, many critics wondered how she managed it. After all, her figure is far from ballet standards and ideals, her mannerisms are also far from refined, and her movements sometimes reveal a lack of proper staging. However, everything is covered by Natasha’s charisma and ability to make jumps in a way that no one else can do. Many people look at her hovering in the air, at how she sometimes just floats above the stage and wonder how this girl can do it all. But the famous ballerina does not reveal her professional secrets.

In Natalya Osipova’s personal life, not everything is as smooth as in her career. She had an affair with her stage colleague Ivanov Vasiliev for several years. The couple spent a lot of time together not only on stage, but also off it. However, at one point something happened in their relationship that put an end to it. The guys simply decided to break up, and at the same time stopped collaborating together. Now the press is saying that Ivan has decided to marry Maria Vinogradova. But Natalya Osipova continues to be an enviable bride. The girl tactfully avoids questions about her personal life, and if she does answer them, it is only that she now has a lot of work and there can be no talk of any personal life.
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Natalya Osipova is one of the five best ballerinas in the world who managed to conquer the famous European stages. The girl’s career developed rapidly; at the age of 24, Natasha was already a prima dancer at the Bolshoi Theater. Recently, the ballerina has been working in Europe and America, but in 2017 she decided to work in her homeland, and not just anywhere, but in provincial Perm. Her role called her there.

Childhood and youth

Natasha was born into a Muscovite family in 1986. When the girl was 5 years old, her parents took her to gymnastics, but her relationship with this area did not work out. A severe back injury put an end to his sports biography. The coaches advised me to try my hand at dancing, so Natasha ended up in ballet.

Osipova has the Moscow Academy of Choreography behind her. From the walls of the educational institution, the girl went straight to the troupe of the legendary Bolshoi Theater, where she first appeared on stage in the fall of 2004.

Ballet

The capital's public fell in love with the young ballerina. Ballet connoisseurs never ceased to admire the brilliant jumps and flights, the lyricism of the image and the perfect technique of performance. In the very first season, Natasha began to be trusted with solo parts. The actress lasted seven years at the Bolshoi.

In 2007, Natalya Osipova, as part of a grand tour, performed for the first time on the stage of the famous London Covent Garden. The audience warmly welcomed the ballerina, who also received the British National Award in the category “classical ballet”. A year later, her native theater awarded the talented girl the title of leading dancer.

Natasha tried on the images of Kitri in the production of Don Quixote, Sylphide in the ballet of the same name, and Medora in The Corsair. The role of Giselle caused a storm of admiration. However, the brilliant performance is understandable, because this is Osipova’s favorite character of all that she had the chance to embody. The girl admitted to journalists that every time she went on stage, she tried to convey the emotions and experiences of a fairy tale.

In the spring of 2010, the ballerina reached the pinnacle of her career at the Bolshoi Theater, becoming its prima. At the same time, the dancer received offers from the leaders of foreign temples of Melpomene. The American Ballet Theater turned out to be particularly persistent; at the invitation, Natalia shone several times at the New York Metropolitan Opera, dancing in Giselle and La Sylphide.

In 2011, Russian ballet fans were surprised by the news that Osipova and her partner had left the Bolshoi. The star couple went to St. Petersburg, where Natalya was appointed prima singer of the Mikhailovsky Theater.

Later, the actress told the press that in Moscow she was “kept in the youth,” her repertoire froze in one place - the girl did not want to remain the eternal Kitri. And in the St. Petersburg theater the field for unlocking potential turned out to be wider. The dancer transformed into Odette in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and the princess in Sleeping Beauty.

Every year Osipova's star burned brighter. Soon the girl was invited to the London Royal Ballet (Coven Garden), and in 2012 she already performed at a grand concert in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign. The invited soloist managed to dance three “Swan Lakes”, and Carlos Acosta became her working partner. In the future, the theater signed a permanent contract with the artist.

In a short time, Natalya managed to become a world celebrity, performing with the best troupes on the planet on the stages of Milan, Berlin, Paris, and New York. She became the prima of the American ballet theater. Plus, Natalya Osipova is the winner of numerous awards. Her collection includes the Golden Mask, the Leonid Massine Prize, the Benois de la dance prize, and the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Award “Dance Open”.

There was a time when Natalya betrayed classical ballet. The girl tried her hand at modern dance.

Personal life

Ballet fans admired the beautiful romance that flared up between Natalya Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev almost from the moment they graduated from the choreographic academy. Fans were convinced that the couple would definitely go down the aisle, but they were overtaken by disappointment. The Bolshoi Theater prima and Vasiliev broke up. The reason was the young man’s love for the dancer Maria Vinogradova, who later became his wife.

At the Italian La Scala theater, during a rehearsal for the production of Giselle, Natalya met an already famous ballet actor. Before this, the man managed to appear at social events with his colleague Yulia Stolyarchuk, but one day fans suddenly noticed a tattoo of the inscription “Natalia” on the dancer’s hand. The couple later admitted at a London press conference that they were in love.

The ballet stars first appeared on stage together in 2016, performing the roles of Blanche and Stanley in the play A Streetcar Named Desire. In May 2017, rumors spread that the ballet actors had broken up; Natalia allegedly preferred an unknown conductor to Sergei, although the couple still published joint photos on Instagram.

In every interview, journalists do not forget to take an interest in the actress’s personal life, but Osipova is not verbose on this matter. In one of her last conversations with representatives of the press, she noted:

“We communicate very well, we still have a good and even wonderful relationship.”

Natalya Osipova now

In 2017, the happy news appeared on the official website of the Perm Opera House that Natalya was becoming its prima. It was Osipova's decision. The girl told media representatives that one evening she thought that she had not danced “Romeo and Juliet” for a long time, a performance in which the actress brings great pleasure to work. Having looked through all the world's theaters, I did not find the production anywhere, only in the Russian provinces. A call from a ballerina of such magnitude surprised and incredibly pleased Alexei Miroshnichenko, director of the Perm Ballet.

Osipova’s first performance as a prima singer was the play “The Nutcracker,” or rather, its original version. In a non-trivial production, the authors tried to convey the depth and tragedy of the music. The work is also notable for the fact that, unlike the original, it has a happy ending. On February 1, 2018, the premiere of “The Nutcracker” took place at the Moscow State Kremlin Palace. Natalya dances in a play with actor Nikita Chetverikov.

In the spring, the ballet star performed at the Mariinsky Theater in the role of Queen Mekhmene Banu in the play “The Legend of Love.” Together with choreographer Vladimir Varnava, he is preparing “Cinderella” for the August premiere in America, after which the production will come to Russia.

Trailer for the film "Dancer"

On May 26, Channel One screened a documentary about Sergei Polunin, “Dancer.” Director Stephen Cantor presented a study of the dancer’s life, combining family chronicles, archival materials and interviews with friends and relatives. Natalya Osipova also took part in the creation of the film.

Parties

Spanish Bride, Swan Lake
Marie, "The Nutcracker"
Queen Mekhmene Banu, “The Legend of Love”
Anna Anderson, "Anastasia"
Giselle, "Giselle"
La Sylphide, "La Sylphide"
Medora, "Corsair"
Esmeralda, "Esmeralda"
Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty
Juliet, "Romeo and Juliet"
Laurencia, "Laurencia"
Kitri, Don Quixote
Aegina, Spartak
Firebird, "Firebird"
Carmen, "Carmen Suite"

Illustration copyright Nikolai Gulakov Image caption Natalya Osipova presented a modern ballet performance at Sadler's Wells Theater in London

On the stage of London's Sadler's Wells Theater the world premiere of a performance of three one-act ballets took place, in which the famous Russian ballerina Natalya Osipova performed in the genre of modern dance.

Between classic and modern

Classical ballet dancers embark on the path of modern dance, as a rule, when their path in the academic theater comes to an end. Despite all the temptingness of solo enterprises with your name in large letters on the posters, such a step is still considered a kind of retreat, which the star takes only if, for one reason or another, it is impossible to successfully continue his classical career.

When applied to Natalya Osipova, all these considerations seem completely inappropriate. She just turned 30 - not a young age in ballet, but in no way presuming the end of her academic career. She constantly appears in leading roles on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg, the Grand Opera in Paris, and the American Ballet Theater in New York.

In 2012 she became a guest soloist with the London Royal Ballet (Covent Garden), and in 2013 she was accepted into the company as a prima ballerina. She danced "Swan Lake", her favorite "Giselle", Tatiana in "Onegin", Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet" and many other roles.

However, as Natalya Osipova admitted in a recent interview with the Sunday Times, the injuries that plagued her, including an extremely painful hip dislocation, led to the cancellation of many performances and a long break.

The turn to modern dance became a way to escape - albeit temporarily - from the rigid, sometimes merciless rehearsal routine of classical ballet.

This turn, however, is by no means sudden or unexpected. While still at the Bolshoi, she danced in the play “In the Room Upstairs” by contemporary American choreographer Twyla Tharp; at Covent Garden, leading British choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor and Alistair Marriott created parts especially for her.

Two years ago, three modern choreographers - the Belgian Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, the Israeli Ohad Naharin and the Portuguese Arthur Pita - created for her and for her then partner both on stage and in life Ivan Vasiliev a performance of three one-act ballets "Solo for Two", which premiered on stage at the London Coliseum Theater in August 2014.

Alliance with Polunin

Illustration copyright Bill Cooper Image caption The British press, not without reason, calls Polunina the enfant terrible of classical ballet

The current performance, which Sadler's Wells Contemporary Dance Theater commissioned three choreographers specifically for the Russian ballerina, in no small sense follows the path trodden two years ago by Solo for Two. And not only because two of the three directors - Cherkaoui and Pita - working again with Osipova. In two of the three productions, she is again on stage only with her partner - both on stage and in life. This partner, however, is now different - Sergei Polunin.

The British press, not without reason, calls Polunin enfant terrible classical ballet. In 2003, a 13-year-old teenager, a native of Kherson, Ukraine, thanks to a scholarship from the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation, moved from the Kyiv Choreographic School to the Royal Ballet School. In June 2010, he became the youngest premier in the history of the London Royal Ballet.

However, already in 2012 he left the famous theater. He left in scandal, accompanied by rumors of cocaine abuse, complaining that ballet did not allow him to fully enjoy the freedom of his youth and declaring that in academic ballet “the artist inside me dies.”

The first thing he did after leaving was to open a tattoo parlor in London. Then, already as a freelancer, he disappeared a few days before the scheduled premiere of the play "Midnight Express", thus disrupting the premiere.

Since then, he has been migrating between Russian academic theaters - Stanislavsky and Nemerovich-Danchenko in Moscow and the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater and prestigious and commercially profitable engagements in the West - from La Scala to video clips shot by an American photographer and director of clips in the style of "surrealism" glamor" by David LaChapelle.

“When we teamed up, many people thought I was crazy,” admits Osipova. - They immediately began to give me a wide variety of advice. But I always did what I wanted. And if my heart tells me that this is what I should do, then that’s what I will do.”

Polunin reciprocates: “Dancing with Natalya is simply wonderful. I immerse myself in work with my head, for me this is a new full-fledged reality, and I would like to dance with her always.”

Performance at Sadler's Wells

However, in the first of three productions of the new play, Osipov is on stage not with Polunin, but with two other dancers. The play is called Qutb: translated from Arabic, this word means “axis, rod.” But it is also a spiritual symbol, which in Sufism denotes the perfect, universal person.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui was born in Antwerp. His mother is Belgian, but his father is an immigrant from Morocco. He studied at a madrasah and the culture of the East is as native to him as the culture of the West.

Illustration copyright Alastair Muir Image caption In the performance Qutb, the bodies of three dancers are woven into a single ball.

The bodies of the three dancers are woven into a single ball, in which you cannot understand where the men are, where the woman is, whose hand, leg or head is. In this interweaving of bodies, however, there is nothing erotic - according to the choreographer, Natalya Osipova personifies Venus, James O'Hara - Earth, and Jason Kittelberger - Mars. They rotate together and around each other, accompanied by Sufi music, personifying - with some, however, pretentiousness is neither more nor less than the process of the universe.

The second performance - "Silent Echo" staged by British choreographer Russell Maliphant - is the most abstract, the most avant-garde, and, paradoxically as it may sound, the most traditional. Osipova and Polunin emerge from complete darkness, one at a time, caught by the spotlight in the most unexpected places on the stage, now moving away, now approaching each other. They don't touch each other for most of the play. In this detachment, enhanced by the prickly, cold electronic music of the British musician Robin Rimbaud, known under the artistic name of Scanner, there is something otherworldly, as far removed as possible from classical ballet.

Mechanistic movements to mechanistic music evoked in me associations with the restrained expression of the classic of the choreographic avant-garde, Merce Cunningham, when suddenly, in its final part, after two solo numbers, the dance acquired an unexpected classicism.

The choreographer himself admits this: “I wanted to create a form close to the classic pas de deux - a duet, two solos, and a duet again.”

Illustration copyright Bill Cooper Image caption The ballet "Run Mary Run" has a playfulness that brings to mind the legendary "West Side Story" by Jerome Robbins

After the emotional avarice and restrained philosophical detachment of the first two parts of the performance, in the third this very emotionality goes over the edge. Even the title itself - “Run, Mary, Run!” - implies a story, a plot, which is not often found in modern dance. The characters even have names: Osipova - Mary, Polunin - Jimmy. Bright, colorful, even deliberately vulgar costumes; twist, rock and roll, sex and drugs; the nature of the dance and movements brought to mind the classic “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins.

Even the music dates back to the same era - the early 60s. The girl group The Shangri-Las is almost forgotten today, but their emotional, often staged songs inspired Amy Winehouse, and, according to choreographer Arthur Pita, Osipova, in her appearance and movements, was designed to replicate the unbridled despair of the untimely departed singer. And the harsh instrumental sound of The Shangri-Las, invented by the author of the “wall of sound” concept, Phil Spector, gives the whole show a characteristic echo of “discs of death” - that’s what the band’s music was called.

Harsh verdict from the press

Such a motley, motley and devoid of a single stylistic core performance caused very unflattering assessments from British critics.

“Russian ballerina lost in space” is how a Guardian reviewer titled her article. While giving credit to Natalya Osipova's determination to move towards modern dance, the newspaper writes that this is a long and difficult path, and Osipova has not yet achieved the freedom and looseness that, unlike the strictly regulated academic ballet, this art requires.

The Financial Times, however, places the blame for the failure not so much on the dancers themselves, but on the theater and choreographers: “The artists were trapped by the terrible inadequacy and monstrous pretentiousness of Sadler's Wells. The performance distorts and does not allow their gift and their true face to appear.

The Daily Telegraph's verdict in the title of the review sounds no less harsh: "Star couple Osipova and Polunin misfire in a non-erotic triptych."

“Where is the fire, where is the passion?” the critic asks rhetorically. “The bar is set high, but overall the performance leaves the impression of wasted talent.” However, the reviewer does not believe that the dancers have no chance in this area: “Let’s hope that Osipova and Polunin “harness for a long time”, and the best is still ahead of them.”

The play has room for improvement: after a short premiere run, it will go to the Edinburgh Theater Festival in August, then return to Sadler's Wells in September, and will be shown at the New York City Center in November. There are no plans for a tour in Russia yet.

Illustration copyright Bill Cooper Image caption According to the British press, Osipova and Polunin have not yet achieved the freedom and looseness that modern dance requires, in contrast to the strictly regulated academic ballet.