Natalia Bessmertnova(1941-2008)
- Actress
Natalia Bessmertnova was a legendary ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet
company at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. She was known for regality on
stage, and remarkable modesty off-stage.
She was born Natalia Igorevna Bessmertnova on July 19, 1941, in Moscow,
Russia, Soviet Union. Her father, Igor Bessmertnov, was a medical
doctor, her mother, Antonina Peshkova, was a homemaker. Young
Bessmertnova was fond of music and dance. From 1952 to 1961 she studied
classical ballet under M. Kozhukhova and S. Golovkina, and later under
M. Semyonova at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow, graduating in 1961
as ballerina.
From 1961 to 1995, Bessmertnova was prima ballerina of the Bolshoi
Ballet. Her first stage partner was
Mikhail Lavrovsky. In 1961 she made
her Bolshoi debut in "Chopeniana" - a remake of Les Sylphides - the
classic ballet by Mikhail Fokin, set to
the music of 'Frederic Chopin'.
Bessmertnova shone as Giselle in the 1963 Bolshoi production staged by
Lavrovsky. Her beauty and innate lyricism made her especially notable
as Giselle. In 1974 the ballet was adapted to film
Giselle (1974) starring Bessmertnova in
the title role.
During the 60s, 70s, and 80s Bessmertnova starred in several Bolshoi
productions choreographed by Grigorovich. She gave memorable
performances as Masha in the 1968 staging of the Nutcracker ballet by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. That
same year she shone as Frigia in Spartacus by
Aram Khachaturyan.
Bessmertnova shot to international fame with her stellar performances
in the Paris Opera productions of two ballets by
Sergei Prokofiev, Ivan the
Terrible (1976), and Romeo and Juliet (1978). Bessmertnova gave
memorable performances as Rita in the 1982 production of "The Golden
Age" ballet by Dmitri Shostakovich,
and as Raymonda in Grigorovich's 1984 version of Raymonda by
Aleksandr Glazunov.
In the course of her stage career lasting 35 years, Natalia
Bessmertnova gave over three thousand stage performances, and won
critical acclaim for her great sense of style and authority. In 1970
she was awarded Anna Pavlova Prize
in Paris. She was designated Peoples Actress of the USSR (1976), and
also received numerous decorations and awards from the Soviet State
including State Prize of the USSR (1977), and Lenin Prize (1986).
Natalia Bessmertnova was married to choreographer
Yuri Grigorovich, and the couple served
on the juries of international ballet competitions. In 1995 the couple
left the Bolshoi Theatre after a strike, and formed Grigorovich Ballet
troupe based in Krasnodar, Russia. From 1995 to 2005 she was touring
with Grigorovich Ballet, and also taught a ballet class. Bessmertnova
died of cancer on February 19, 2008, in a Moscow clinic, and was laid
to rest in Moscow, Russia.
company at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. She was known for regality on
stage, and remarkable modesty off-stage.
She was born Natalia Igorevna Bessmertnova on July 19, 1941, in Moscow,
Russia, Soviet Union. Her father, Igor Bessmertnov, was a medical
doctor, her mother, Antonina Peshkova, was a homemaker. Young
Bessmertnova was fond of music and dance. From 1952 to 1961 she studied
classical ballet under M. Kozhukhova and S. Golovkina, and later under
M. Semyonova at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow, graduating in 1961
as ballerina.
From 1961 to 1995, Bessmertnova was prima ballerina of the Bolshoi
Ballet. Her first stage partner was
Mikhail Lavrovsky. In 1961 she made
her Bolshoi debut in "Chopeniana" - a remake of Les Sylphides - the
classic ballet by Mikhail Fokin, set to
the music of 'Frederic Chopin'.
Bessmertnova shone as Giselle in the 1963 Bolshoi production staged by
Lavrovsky. Her beauty and innate lyricism made her especially notable
as Giselle. In 1974 the ballet was adapted to film
Giselle (1974) starring Bessmertnova in
the title role.
During the 60s, 70s, and 80s Bessmertnova starred in several Bolshoi
productions choreographed by Grigorovich. She gave memorable
performances as Masha in the 1968 staging of the Nutcracker ballet by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. That
same year she shone as Frigia in Spartacus by
Aram Khachaturyan.
Bessmertnova shot to international fame with her stellar performances
in the Paris Opera productions of two ballets by
Sergei Prokofiev, Ivan the
Terrible (1976), and Romeo and Juliet (1978). Bessmertnova gave
memorable performances as Rita in the 1982 production of "The Golden
Age" ballet by Dmitri Shostakovich,
and as Raymonda in Grigorovich's 1984 version of Raymonda by
Aleksandr Glazunov.
In the course of her stage career lasting 35 years, Natalia
Bessmertnova gave over three thousand stage performances, and won
critical acclaim for her great sense of style and authority. In 1970
she was awarded Anna Pavlova Prize
in Paris. She was designated Peoples Actress of the USSR (1976), and
also received numerous decorations and awards from the Soviet State
including State Prize of the USSR (1977), and Lenin Prize (1986).
Natalia Bessmertnova was married to choreographer
Yuri Grigorovich, and the couple served
on the juries of international ballet competitions. In 1995 the couple
left the Bolshoi Theatre after a strike, and formed Grigorovich Ballet
troupe based in Krasnodar, Russia. From 1995 to 2005 she was touring
with Grigorovich Ballet, and also taught a ballet class. Bessmertnova
died of cancer on February 19, 2008, in a Moscow clinic, and was laid
to rest in Moscow, Russia.