Why Rudolf Nureyev’s legacy endures

A photograph of Rudolf Nureyev hangs backstage at the Royal Opera House in London, an acknowledgment of the time the Russian dancer spent with the Royal Ballet between the early 1960s and late 1970s. It is “a kind of ritual” to pass his smiling face before stepping onto the stage, says Yuhui Choe, a Korean dancer who is a first soloist with the Royal Ballet; “we carry that history with us.” The image is also a reminder of Nureyev’s enduring influence on the world of ballet, which will be celebrated this month in a series of performances. “Nureyev: Legend and Legacy” will be performed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, with a filmed version available to stream worldwide.

Nureyev’s life has been the subject of public fascination, from his birth on a train in Stalinist Siberia to his dramatic defection to the West in 1961 and his rise to international stardom in his early 20s. When Nureyev first toured France in the early 1960s, audiences and critics were exposed to a new kind of dancer, one who prioritised athleticism and executed challenging physical feats. René Sirvin, a reviewer, was stunned by Nureyev’s gravity-defying jumps and described him as a “spaceman”.

Before Nureyev, male performers tended to be seen as support acts to ballerinas, there to lift as much as dance in their own right. William Bracewell, a principal at the Royal Ballet, says that “it’s always useful to watch [footage of Nureyev’s performances] and look at the decisions he’s made” when preparing for a role. While Nureyev’s interpretation might differ from modern-day styles or tastes, there is something “fascinating about his dynamic and choices”.

The dancer would prepare by moving furiously behind the curtain while the overture was playing, leaving it to the very final moments to dash into the wings and change into costume. Nureyev “needed that kind of energy, that kind of jeopardy to get himself in the right frame of mind,” recalls Ross MacGibbon, a former dancer turned film-maker. Nureyev’s physical ambition was coupled with a charisma and emotion that charmed audiences. His partnership with prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn (pictured) burnished this reputation. Fonteyn was nearly 20 years his senior and initially reluctant to dance with the upstart, but they went on to create ballet’s most famous pairing.

“Nureyev: Legend and Legacy” was conceived by Nehemiah Kish, an American former principal of the Royal Ballet who grew up watching old films of Nureyev. The gala is a compilation of pieces that had “layers of meaning” in relation to the late dancer, Mr Kish explains; many reflect specific moments in his life and career. The selected extracts range from those famously danced by Nureyev to those choreographed by him, yet the chosen dancers may have their own connection to the work. One piece, “Gayane”, celebrates Nureyev’s folk-dance roots; in the new show it will be danced by Oleg Ivenko, who played Nureyev in a biographical film of 2018, “The White Crow”.

The ballet star eschewed nationalism, arguing that “a country is just a place to dance in.” His defection was hailed as a cold-war victory for the West, as he allegedly declared he wanted “to be free” in an airport in Paris. This may be why his talent can be celebrated at a time when many cultural establishments in Europe are turning away from Russian art and artists. The gala reflects Nureyev’s own international career, and culture’s ability to reach across borders, by bringing together dancers from seven different companies including Paris Opera Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada. It has been an organisational feat, with dancers rehearsing across the world and uniting in London only in the final few days.

After his defection, Nureyev shared his knowledge of Russian ballet with Western companies. He taught his fellow dancers new techniques, alternative choreography to well-known classics and, in some cases, new ballets—as he did by restaging Act 3 of “La Bayadère” for the Royal Ballet in 1963, a work then relatively unknown in the West, but now a staple of the ballet canon. Nureyev often reconstructed this repertoire from memory; ever the innovator, however, he frequently reworked the choreography, often adding more dazzling solos for himself. The gala continues this tradition. Natalia Osipova restages a section of “Laurencia”, partly drawing on her own memory of dancing it with the Bolshoi and partly referring to archival footage of Nureyev’s version (itself a reworking of the original by a Georgian choreographer).

As a discipline, ballet thrives on living memory. Dancers pass down steps and technique from generation to generation, often teaching their roles to those who succeed them. It is an industry where legacy is particularly keenly felt, and where Nureyev’s continues to endure thanks to his many protégés. ■

“Nureyev: Legend and Legacy” will be performed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, on September 5th, 6th and 12th