Natalya Osipova personal life. Famous Russian ballerina, world celebrity Natalya Osipova
Elena FEDORENKO
The marathon of Christmas fairy tales ends on February 1 at the State Kremlin Palace. The Perm Opera and Ballet Theater named after Tchaikovsky will present the premiere of “The Nutcracker,” staged on the eve of the New Year holidays by the theater’s chief choreographer Alexei Miroshnichenko. In the role of Marie is the favorite of Muscovites, world star Natalya Osipova.
She once fled from the Bolshoi Theater, stayed briefly at the Mikhailovsky Theater, four years ago became a prima ballerina at Covent Garden, and since the beginning of this season she has also been a prima ballerina at the Perm Opera. The long-awaited guest will not stay in Moscow for long - immediately after the performance she will go to St. Petersburg, where on February 16 at the Mariinsky Theater she will dance for the first time in Yuri Grigorovich’s play “The Legend of Love.” “Culture” asked the ballerina about new performances, immediate plans, partners and hobbies.
culture: You haven’t appeared in Moscow for a long time, but she loves you so much.
Osipova: Not because I don’t want to, I have a great desire, I miss you. But now my place of life and work is London, subject to the strict rehearsal schedule of the Royal Ballet. Unfortunately, almost never did the schedule coincide with the opportunity to prepare and dance a full-fledged performance in Moscow. It finally worked out - and happily: I was free in the first half of February. So I accepted the invitation to perform in my hometown with great joy.
culture: You will dance the new “Nutcracker” of the Perm Theater for the first time. The Ural viewers were a little offended that you did not participate in the premiere screenings.
Osipova: I’m sorry that I couldn’t do this, but my December plans were interrupted by a rather serious injury. After the difficult performance “Sylvia”, problems with the Achilles began, and I had to treat my leg for four weeks.
culture: What choreographic versions of The Nutcracker have you already danced?
Osipova: Ballet by Vasily Vainonen, Nureyev's version at the Paris Opera, Peter Wright's performance at the Royal Ballet. Unfortunately, it was not possible to perform at the Bolshoi Theater in Yuri Grigorovich’s “The Nutcracker”.
culture: The chief choreographer of the Perm Theater Alexey Miroshnichenko always inserts mini-quotes from famous productions into his choreographic texts - he respects the classics and loves roll calls of times. Is there stylization in his “Nutcracker” too?
Osipova: The performance was created in classical traditions, paying tribute to many predecessors. Alexey put his feelings and imagination into the ballet. He's a great dreamer, and I always admire how great his plots are and how respectful he is of detail.
At the beginning of the Perm performance, the story of Princess Pirlipat, who rejected the Nutcracker, is “told”, which makes a strong impression on Marie. She doesn’t understand how someone so good can literally be kicked away. Then, when the Prince invites Marie to stay in the fairy-tale kingdom and practically lays his heart at her feet, the heroine is overcome by doubts for a brief moment. This is what destroys love: the Nutcracker again becomes ugly and wooden. The girl is ready to run after him and ask for forgiveness, but it’s too late. He disappeared, the world was destroyed. This is how the choreographer explains Tchaikovsky’s tragic music in the duet of happiness. His idea is close to me. When I rehearse, I think about life, and, indeed, in true and full-fledged love, especially when it arises, even the smallest injustice hurts deeply and is perceived as a universal betrayal. If we relate this poignant scene to the usual theme of growing up in The Nutcracker, we can grasp the moment of transition from youthful dreams to adulthood.
culture: So the ending is sad?
Osipova: No, no, wonderful. Marie returns to reality, runs out into the winter streets of St. Petersburg in the 19th century, where she meets Drosselmeyer, meets his nephew, recognizes him as the Nutcracker whom she saw in her dream. At the rehearsal, I shouted to Lesha: “No, don’t - they will get married, then they will get divorced, and it will be the way it most often happens...” And then I thought: can’t a fairy tale exist in reality?
culture: Your Prince is Nikita Chetverikov, remembered by viewers from the Bolshoi Ballet television competition. Are you happy with the duet?
Osipova: We danced Giselle and Romeo and Juliet together. Nikita is a reliable partner and an excellent dancer - both in technique, and in the purity of performance, and in fullness. He feels me, at rehearsals he sets the right tone. They say that I am bright on stage and often adjust my partners to suit me. It’s hard for boys with me, not because I do something incredible, but because I have such a character and such emotions. Nikita and I dance in contrast, and at the same time he always understands what I want to say and immediately responds.
culture: Aren't you afraid of the stage of the Kremlin Palace - huge as a training ground?
Osipova: I don’t really like it, although I danced there many times when I worked at the Bolshoi Theater. I have a difficult impression of not hearing the audience, not feeling their reaction. As well as an incredible space that needs to be filled with your energy. But it’s a long-awaited event: I’m finally dancing a full performance in Moscow to wonderful music, one of my favorites. In general, I have somehow hardened myself and am no longer afraid of anything in terms of creativity. By and large, I don’t care what they say or write about me, who perceives me and how. I myself get great pleasure, and that means the audience does too.
culture: Why did you, a world-class star, need to become a prima ballerina of the Perm Theater?
Osipova: We have developed warm relations with the artists, with the choreographer Alexei Miroshnichenko, with the conductor Teodor Currentzis. I fell in love with the open, sincere people working in Perm. The ballet troupe is amazing, I did not expect and was even surprised at such a high professional level. It feels good and pleasant to dance here, but I don’t get to do it often yet. I sincerely love coming here, although the journey is long and inconvenient and takes a lot of time. I didn’t calculate anything, I acted as my heart told me. I can’t answer more clearly.
culture: How did you end up in Perm? Have you known Alexey Miroshnichenko for a long time?
Osipova: Once upon a time, many years ago, we saw each other at the Bolshoi Theater at the rehearsals of the first workshop (shows of the works of beginning choreographers. - "Culture"). Lesha staged his own, I was busy in another room, we just crossed paths. We met in Perm when I came to dance Romeo and Juliet on my own initiative in December 2016.
culture: How is this?
Osipova: My favorite ballet is “Romeo and Juliet” by Kenneth MacMillan, I often perform it with pleasure, for the first time at the American Ballet Theater almost eight years ago. But there was a season when the play was not on in London, and I really wanted to dance. With great surprise I found it in a Perm poster. I then dreamed of performing in a duet with David Hallberg, who, as it seemed to him, had recovered from an injury. But he was in a hurry. I came, met Alexey and the troupe, the performance took shape and left an amazing feeling. It’s good that you were active then and agreed to perform.
Don’t be surprised, I also applied to the Mariinsky Theater with a request to dance Mekhmene Banu in “The Legend of Love” by Yuri Grigorovich. I'm glad that I was given this opportunity. After Perm I’m going to St. Petersburg to rehearse.
culture: Have you always wanted to dance this ballet by Yuri Grigorovich?
Osipova: You could say since childhood. I was so delighted with the performance and the role that at the choreographic school I prepared a monologue by Mehmene Banu for the final exam in acting. Unfortunately, at the Bolshoi Theater I was never able to perform this role; I couldn’t do a lot of things there: they didn’t trust me with the responsible repertoire.
culture: Who will be your Ferkhad?
Osipova: Volodya Shklyarov. The first time we met was at the Royal Ballet during rehearsals for the play “Margarita and Armand”. He helped me a lot as a human being during the period when I was left without a partner. I like his warm energy - not like that of a brutal macho, but somehow gentle, intelligent. I think our duet in “Margarita and Arman” is one of the most successful in my career.
culture: Will we never see you at the Bolshoi?
Osipova: I plan to come to the gala in honor of Marius Petipa and take part in the Benois de la Danse concert.
culture: I know that you answer “no” to almost all proposals, but it turns out that sometimes you come up with your own initiatives.
Osipova: To be honest, I've been giving up a lot lately. I balance interest and time. I always need careful rehearsals, immersion in work - only then can I do the role well. It’s already quite awkward just to come and dance something that has long been in my repertoire. It doesn’t matter to me where I dance, the choice is determined by an unusual role, a performance I dreamed of, or a partner. There are fewer performances on the side, but each one is special for me. Of course, we, artists, work for the public, they give us a lot of energy, but it’s still a great pleasure to do what inspires you. For example, I don’t dance “Don Quixote” anymore.
culture: But “Don Quixote” brought you world fame, after which you and Ivan Vasiliev were called “child prodigies of the Bolshoi Theater.” You'll probably want to return to Kitri.
Osipova: I have no doubt. I’ll just wait for the inner impulse when, upon hearing this name, my heart will beat and my soul will respond.
culture: There are legendary duets in the history of ballet: Fontaine - Nureyev, Maksimova - Vasiliev. Many thought that the pair Osipova - Vasiliev or Osipova - Polunin would take place. It didn't happen. Why?
Osipova: Vanya Vasiliev and I did a lot together. It was a wonderful period, then our paths diverged. He needed one thing, I needed another. Everything happened naturally, and I don’t have any regrets about it. And with Sergei Polunin we continue to dance. Not much, but this season they have already performed The Taming of the Shrew and Giselle in Munich. Sergei has his own schedule, plans, interests, priorities.
culture: After Sergei’s confessions about a painful love affair with ballet in the film “Dancer,” it’s even surprising that he performs the classics.
Osipova: He's in amazing shape. A sought-after talented person who does many things besides dance: acts in films, carries out his own projects. I'm very happy for him. Limiting both yourself and him to the fact that we must dance together is stupid. The more partners and different performances, the better. It is still a great happiness for me to dance with Sergei, he is an outstanding artist.
culture: Are you used to life in London?
Osipova: Yes, I settled down in the city and in the troupe. In the team I am a little on my own, a kind of separate person. I come, do my rehearsals and performances, I don’t really know what’s going on among the artists, who communicates with whom. I am very passionate about my dramatic roles, the repertoire is interesting to me, every season gives me new works. I feel good and comfortable, but I don’t rule out the possibility that I’ll rush somewhere else.
culture: Is this season busy for you?
Osipova: Yes, like the previous ones. The world premiere of the ballet “Wind” has already taken place. Choreographer Arthur Pita staged this performance for me. She danced the technically difficult “Sylvia” by Frederick Ashton. These are two big works at the Royal Ballet. After “The Nutcracker” in Moscow and “The Legend of Love” in St. Petersburg - a wonderful cascade of performances at Covent Garden: “Giselle” and “Manon” with my beloved partner David Hallberg, “Swan Lake” with Matthew Ball - a young artist, promising, with Vladimir Shklyarov - “Margarita and Arman”. The whole palette of female characters! With David, and I was so looking forward to his recovery, at the American Ballet Theater on May 18 - our common birthday - I will dance “Giselle” again.
culture: Isn’t it sad because you fanatically devote your life only to work?
Osipova: You see, I'm pleased with this. Dancing makes me happy, gives me joy and energy. And besides him, of course, there are parents, friends and a lot of hobbies.
culture: Friends from the world of ballet?
Osipova: Among my colleagues, I would only name ballerina Lauren Cuthbertson as my friend. The rest of our close friends are non-ballet people, but they love our art very much, it once introduced us.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a husband or children, but I really hope that I will have my own family, which is missing, of course. I always tell myself: if not, then it’s not time yet, it will appear a little later, but now I need to do something else. Everything comes naturally and in due time.
culture: On stage you are flight and temperament. What about in life?
Osipova: No, in life I’m probably not temperamental and by nature I’m a maximalist. I'm difficult to be around. Especially for men, because I react to everything subtly and emotionally, and this is hard to endure. I feel like I’m changing; five years ago I was completely different. Now, it seems, I have become smarter and learned to take everything calmer. Previously, every smallest incident became a drama for me.
culture: You mentioned hobbies - what are they?
Osipova: Painting, literature, music, although I can’t say that I spend all my free time in museums and at concerts. I fell in love with communication, I wouldn’t call it social life, but now I like being around people. It’s interesting with those who are older and smarter. Until recently, I was a completely closed person.
But I have no goal to change anything in my destiny - to take up photography or modeling. I have a kind of unambiguous love and one for the rest of my life - this is dance. Not ballet, but dance. The more I look at it, the more deeply I understand how much you can express with this amazing language, how much you can give to people. I am far from politics, and in our difficult times, although they are always difficult, I am glad that the audience can come and enjoy the peace reigning on the stage. I constantly catch myself thinking: what a blessing that I am in dance and I have no plans not related to the theater. It’s just that the ideas in my head have become more global and large-scale.
culture: Which of them will be implemented in the near future?
Osipova: My busy program at Sadler's Wells is planned. Choreography by Anthony Tudor, Jerome Robbins, Alexei Ratmansky, Ohad Naharin and Ivan Perez. Five solos and duets - different styles and choreographers. In addition to the well-known ones, a number of numbers will be staged specifically for me.
I am preparing a one-woman show, Two Feet, about Olga Spesivtseva, composed by Australian choreographer Meryl Tenkard. We are waiting for confirmation from the Old Vic - a wonderful, one of the best English drama theaters. This is a serious production, new for me, where you will need to speak a lot in English, and not just dance. Two sections, one and a half hours. I will talk about the fate of Spesivtseva and my life as a ballerina.
culture: Spesivtseva is a tragic figure, her life ended in a psychiatric clinic, and you rhyme her image with your fate, which is quite successful.
Osipova: From my life - only real facts and reasoning. How I came into the profession, what I encountered, specific cases, both funny and dramatic. Many people believe that the path of a ballerina is thorny, consisting of diets and grueling exercises. I don’t agree with the idea that this is some kind of terrible life devoid of many joys. So I’m talking about what we do, what we don’t allow ourselves, how our days go. In fact, ballet is a great happiness, not only the performances, but also our everyday life is beautiful and amazing. It’s just that childhood and the beginning of a career are connected with the fact that you invest a lot of physical and emotional strength into an unknown future.
culture: Why don’t you talk about the play “Mother”?
Osipova: We named him "Mom". I cannot announce this project, but since you ask... In England there is a very big problem with the location of the show - the plans of theaters, including the one we have in mind, are scheduled in advance for a long time. I hope that they will find some free days for us, and perhaps we will show the premiere in the summer at the festival in Edinburgh.
It is based on Andersen's fairy tale "The Story of a Mother", the choreographer is Arthur Pita, the partner is the actor and wonderful contemporary dancer Jonathan Godard. He plays many roles - from Death and the Old Woman to the Lake and the Flower - everything that gets in the way of the mother.
culture: Andersen's tale is dark and heartbreaking.
Osipova: A very sad story - terrible, tragic. She made an indelible impression on me.
culture: Did you find it yourself?
Osipova: Arthur Pita. But he knows me so well that he immediately understood that I couldn’t pass by. We quickly assembled a wonderful team: Arthur, musician, producer, costume designer. We've already had several rehearsals. The fairy tale attracted me because I had never seen such roles before. I played with different feelings, but the love of a mother, who will go to the very end and sacrifice everything she has, was not necessary, so I wanted to try. The choreographer is close to me not only in the language of dance, but also because he masters the skill of directing. All our work seems successful to me. Both the surreal grotesque ballet Facada, which Moscow saw, and the recent “Wind” at Covent Garden, which was controversially received in England, and I consider my role in this performance one of the best.
culture: Several years ago you admitted to our newspaper that you dreamed of dancing Cinderella. Didn't come true?
Osipova: A wonderful project is planned with choreographer Vladimir Varnava and producer Sergei Danilyan. A new version of Cinderella is my biggest dream. I hope there will be a premiere soon, and next season we will show it in Russia.
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 THEATER2004
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. Burlaka)
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 Nikia 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 the La Scala Theater in Milan (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).
One of the brightest ballet stars talks about the roles that make her talent more multifaceted.
It was “a terrible event in the history of Russia,” says the prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet, “I could not even imagine that I would dance Anastasia in England... This is very unusual.”
Sitting in a small room at the Royal Opera House in London, she talks about one of the darkest periods in her country's history - the 1918 assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of their remains, and the unknown woman who, years later, declared herself the youngest daughter of the Romanovs, Grand Duchess Anastasia.
In the ballet Anastasia, Natalya plays the role of Anna Anderson, a mentally ill woman who believed herself to be Anastasia, who inexplicably survived the death penalty. In the ballet, Anderson resurrects the supposed life of a young princess in the Russian Empire and tries to find out who she is or isn't. This is a fascinating conflict between memories and reality, fiction and truth, a search for similarities with the main character for a deeper understanding of the role.
She's been dancing with the Royal Ballet for four seasons now, but it's still hard to believe that this frail, pale girl sitting in front of me now in a black sweater and leggings made a splash with her first appearance on the Covent Garden stage in 2010. At the time, she was a prima ballerina at the Bolshoi Theater and amazed audiences with her incredible technique, athleticism and bravura performance. In 2011, she and her partner moved to the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg in search of “creative freedom.” And a year later, after appearing in 2012 as a guest soloist with the Royal Ballet, she joined the company full-time, having received “an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Natalya herself said.
Born in 1986. She was still a child, but clearly remembers the time when, after the fall of communism, the bodies of five members of the Romanov family were exhumed and officially reburied in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg in 1998. Natalya describes it as “a huge event in Russia.” Even when DNA analysis seemed to prove that Anna Anderson was not related to the royal family, this secret continued to live. "Even today, the Russian Orthodox Church still does not recognize that these are indeed the remains of the royal family."
Could Anderson be Anastasia? “I have to believe that yes. was absolutely convinced of this - (he died in 1992 before the DNA tests were made public) - he was fascinated by this woman, by what was happening in her soul.”
Isn't this a strange theme for ballet? “On the contrary,” Natalya objects, “I think it’s very interesting. We are so accustomed to sweet, light stories in classical ballet; opera stories are much deeper and more meaningful. It’s wonderful for a ballerina to dance such a complex dramatic part.” I have never avoided such unpleasant topics as rape, suicide, sexual degradation and mental turmoil. In the third act of “Anastasia” the action takes place in an orphanage, and, he says, “it’s like a world that exists in her mind. Like fragments of memories that she tries to piece together to piece together the story of her life. I need to bring the audience into this world. It's very difficult. To do this, it’s not enough just to make dramatic gestures,” she waves her hand, “you need to understand every second what you are doing on stage, be aware of every movement.”
She is sure that “Anastasia” will never be staged in Russia. But one of the main reasons why she wanted to work with the Royal Ballet was precisely the diversity of the repertoire. “I came for the repertoire,” she says, “for modern performances. A lot of ballets are performed only here.”
In ballets she finds great opportunities for self-expression and performs roles “where you can be an actress, and not just a dancer.” Her acting talent was clearly demonstrated in “”, in which her heroine combines teenage recklessness and youthful passion. In "" she captivated with the image she created, showing the path of her heroine through dangerous ambitions and vanity to despair and hopelessness. She also loves the pas de deux, known for its complex lifts and jumps, which are also very long - a real test of a ballerina's endurance and technique. But it doesn’t seem to be difficult for her, she says: “it’s difficult, difficult, but very natural. This is a very beautiful dance language.”
Choreography, however, does not come so easily to her. “I was not prepared for such choreography. Russian and English schools are very different, if you haven’t studied it since childhood, then it’s very difficult to dance.” And yet she was able to successfully cope with many of the difficulties of the work. She was especially successful in the ballet “,” where she perfectly showed the character of the wayward Lisa, thereby demonstrating her comic gift. “This is an amazing ballet, I dance it with such pleasure. There aren't many fun, joyful ballets. I didn’t have the opportunity to dance comic roles before.”
Perhaps there is only one question remaining in connection with her transition to the Royal Ballet - this is the problem of partners. There were several of them - Carlos Acosta, Federico Bonelli, Stephen McRae, Matthew Golding. Did she choose them? “Partners are offered to me... for each ballet the most suitable partner is selected, and it always turns out harmoniously. They are all amazing dancers and wonderful people,” she adds diplomatically. But sometimes it is clear that they do not quite fit together. The irony is that her life partner, one of the most talented dancers of this generation, worked at the Royal Ballet but left the company in 2012 due to differences with artistic director Monica Mason. They recently danced a program of contemporary ballets together at the Sadler's Wells Theatre. Can he be persuaded to return to the Royal Ballet? “They asked me not to discuss this,” Natalya said, smiling shyly.
The stumbling block for her at the moment is learning English. “This is a very sore point,” she admits, laughing. – In three years I have not yet learned the language. I only speak at a basic level” [we communicate through a translator]. Despite this, she seems to be happily settled in London. “I bought an apartment! - she exclaims. – I live next to the theater and it seems like my whole life is here – you can go crazy from this. But now I have a life outside of work.” Of course, she does not hang out in the company of oligarchs, leads a rather modest life, loves to walk around Little Venice, where her new home is now, sit somewhere in a cafe, see friends, “like any normal person.”
But this is where normal life ends. In addition to performing at Covent Garden, she has her own projects and guest contracts abroad. “The Royal Ballet is a priority,” she says, “but if I have free time, for example, I’m not dancing at the Ballet at Christmas, I can go dance somewhere else.”
Before the premiere of “Anastasia” she will go to Moscow for a gala concert. In the new year he will return to Covent Garden to work on the ballet “Works of Woolf” by choreographer Wayne McGregor. Also awaiting her is the large-scale classical ballet “Sleeping Beauty” (with another new partner Rioichi Hirano). One can only hope that she will not have to pay for such a load: last season she could not dance for several weeks due to a leg injury. Of course, now, at thirty years old, she is in her best shape, at the peak of her dancing and artistic capabilities, and will be one of the best in her profession for the next five to six years. And she knows that she must take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way.
Photographers: Harry Mitchell; Alice Pennefather
Text: Alison Gunn
Translation: Valentina Taratuta
There are a lot of all sorts of “Emerald” on “Gossip Man”.) I wanted to make a post about a real ballerina.
I discovered this ballerina three years ago, at a concert for the opening of the renovated Bolshoi Theater. She danced simply gorgeous there, with such drive and such incredible technique! Then she took part in the First Channel project “Balero” with Roman Kostomarov, and took second place there. I think she has a great future. And by the way, her husband, Ivan Vasiliev, is also a great dancer.
Biography, photos and videos.
Natalya Petrovna Osipova- genus. May 18, 1986, Moscow. From the age of five she was involved in gymnastics, but in 1993 she was injured and had to stop playing sports. The coaches recommended that the parents send their daughter to ballet. She studied at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (class of rector Marina Leonova). After graduating in 2004, she joined the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe, making her debut on September 24, 2004. Since October 18, 2008 - leading soloist, since May 1, 2010 - prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater. She rehearsed under the guidance of People's Artist of the USSR Marina Kondratyeva.
In 2007, on tour of the Bolshoi Theater in London on the stage of the Covent Garden theater, the ballerina was warmly received by the British public and received the British National Dance Award, awarded by the Society of Critics ( Critics" Circle National Dance Awards) for 2007 - as the best ballerina in the “classical ballet” section.
In 2009, on the recommendation of Nina Ananiashvili, she became a guest ballerina at the American Ballet Theater (New York), performing on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera in the title roles of the ballets “Giselle” and “La Sylphide”; in 2010, she again took part in ABT performances on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in the roles of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote, Juliet in the ballet Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev (choreography by K. MacMillan), Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky (production by K. . McKenzie; partner David Hallberg).
In 2010, she made her debuts at the Grand Opera (Clara in The Nutcracker, Ballerina in Petrushka) and La Scala (Kitri in Don Quixote), and performed at the London Royal Opera (Medora in Le Corsaire).
In 2011, she performed the role of Katarina in the ballet “The Taming of the Shrew” to the music of D. Scarlatti (choreography by J. Cranko) with the ballet of the Bavarian State Opera. Twice she took part in the Mariinsky International Ballet Festival, performing the roles of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote and Giselle in the ballet of the same name.
Since December 2012, she has been a guest soloist with the London Royal Ballet, having danced in this capacity three Swan Lakes with Carlos Acosta. Also in October, she - the only guest ballerina among the full-time artists of the Royal Troupe - participated in a gala concert in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Currently together she is a prima ballerina of the American ballet theatre.
In April 2013, Natalya Osipova signed a permanent contract with the London Royal Ballet.
With her husband, Ivan Vasiliev.
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 balletThe 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 is dying.”
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, 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 performance 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 mechanical 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 RobbinsAfter 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 Natalia 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.
