Born: 1925 (Moscow, Russia)
Died: 2015 (Moscow, Russia)
Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya (Russian: Мая Михайловна Плисецкая; November 20, 1925 – May 2, 2015) was a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, choreographer, ballet director, and actress. Throughout her career, Plisetskaya made significant contributions to the world of ballet and became one of the most renowned ballerinas of the 20th century.
Born in Moscow, Maya Plisetskaya’s early years were marked by tragedy and political repression. Her father, Mikhail Plisetski, a Soviet official, was arrested during the Great Purge in 1937 and executed the following year. Her mother, actress Rachel Messerer, was arrested in 1938 and imprisoned for several years before being sent to a concentration camp, along with her infant son. Plisetskaya and her brother faced the threat of being put in an orphanage, but they were eventually taken in by their maternal relatives.
Plisetskaya’s passion for ballet began at a young age, and she studied at The Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow from the age of nine. Under the guidance of Elizaveta Gerdt and her aunt Sulamith Messerer, Plisetskaya honed her skills and developed into a remarkable dancer. She made her debut at the Bolshoi Theatre when she was just eleven years old and quickly rose through the ranks to become the company’s leading soloist.
In 1959, Plisetskaya started to tour outside of the Soviet Union, both with the Bolshoi and as a solo performer. Her talent and artistry captivated audiences around the world and made her a cultural ambassador for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Premier Nikita Khrushchev himself regarded her as not only the best ballerina in the Soviet Union but also the best in the world.
As an artist, Maya Plisetskaya had an insatiable curiosity and constantly sought new challenges. She was known for her willingness to experiment on stage and push the boundaries of traditional ballet. Her repertoire encompassed a wide range of roles and styles, displaying both technical brilliance and dramatic depth. As a member of the Bolshoi until 1990, Plisetskaya had a significant impact on the world of ballet and set a higher standard for ballerinas.
Plisetskaya created numerous iconic roles throughout her career. Some of her most acclaimed performances include Juliet in Leonid Lavrovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Phrygia in Leonid Yakobson’s Spartacus, Mistress of the Copper Mountain in Yuri Grigorovich’s The Stone Flower, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Mahmene Banu in The Legend of Love, and Kitri in Don Quixote. She also collaborated with prominent choreographers, such as Alberto Alonso and Maurice Béjart, who created works specifically for her, including Carmen Suite and Isadora, respectively.
Beyond her exceptional dance abilities, Plisetskaya also made significant contributions to the world of ballet as a choreographer and ballet director. She held both Lithuanian and Spanish citizenship in post-Soviet times, reflecting her international acclaim and influence.
Maya Plisetskaya’s impact on ballet is immeasurable. Her technical brilliance, artistic innovation, and unwavering dedication to her craft have left a lasting legacy. She remains an inspiration to countless dancers around the world and a symbol of the power and beauty of the art form.
Awards:
– Order of Lenin
– Order of the Red Banner of Labor
– People’s Artist of the USSR
– Lenin Prize
– Benois de la Danse Award
– Nijinsky Prize
– UNESCO Mozart Medal
– Golden Scepter Award
– President’s Prize of the Russian Federation
– Award of the Russian Academy of Arts
– Russian Ballet Magazine Award
– Japan Dance Association Award