Choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, who left his mark on the Bolshoi Theatre, has died

Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, the historic name of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, died today at the age of 98, the theatre in the Russian capital announced.

"Yuri Grigorovich, one of the leading figures in the world of ballet in the second half of the 20th century, has died," the Bolshoi Theatre announced in a statement on the Telegram social network.

Born in 1927, in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich directed the Bolshoi Theatre for three decades, from 1964, in the middle of the Soviet era, until 1995, after the dissolution of the USSR.

The joint statement from the management and staff of the Bolshoi Theatre, released today, recalls that the choreographer is responsible for the creation of "several generations of remarkable artists", ensuring that his memory "will always be valued" and "his invaluable legacy preserved".

Yuri Grigorovich graduated from the former Leningrad School of Dance, where he studied with Alexander Pushkin. At the age of 19, in 1946, he entered the Kirov Theatre (now the Mariinsky Theatre) in his hometown, where he was a principal dancer for 18 years.

Choreography came shortly after in her career. She immediately stood out in 1957 with the creation of the ballet "Stone Flower", with music by Prokofiev, inspired by folk tales from the Urals. This first great success was confirmed later with the creation of "Legend of Love", with music by Arif Melikov.

In 1964, at the age of 37, Grigorovich was appointed director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, where he remained for 31 years. During this time, he renewed the institution's staff and its dance corps, and trained and developed dancers such as Natalia Bessmertnova, whom he married, Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vassiliev. He was also a driving force behind the company's international tours.

Throughout his career, he revisited classics of Russian ballet such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake", based on Tchaikovsky, made "exquisite reformulations" of Marius Petipa's choreographies for "La Bayadere" and also for "Giselle", based on Adolph Adam, and created pieces that gave rise to new classics, such as "Spartacus", based on Khachaturian, "Ivan the Terrible", based on Prokofiev, and "The Golden Age", based on the music of Shostakovitch.

As a choreographer, international critics considered him responsible for the "exultant style" with which the Bolshoi established itself in the 1960s and 1980s: "The productions are not large by Western standards, but each work reinforces the Bolshoi's exuberant strength", read The Independent newspaper in December 1992, when the Moscow theatre company performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a five-week season.

After leaving the Bolshoi in 1995, Grigorovich founded his own company in Krasnodar, southern Russia. In 2008, he returned to the Moscow theater, taking over as the choreographer of the ballet company.

In 2001, Grigorovich presented his vision of "Swan Lake" at the Coliseu do Porto, as part of the European Capital of Culture.

Today, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg reacted to Grigorovich's death by praising his artistic legacy, stating that "with the death of the legendary choreographer, an entire era disappears."

Yuri Grigorovich "gave an important place to male performances in dance" by creating roles for male dancers, in a classical expression dominated by female roles, recalled Boris Akimov, 78, former principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, quoted by the Agence France Presse (AFP).

Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, the historic name of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, died today at the age of 98, the theatre in the Russian capital announced.

"Yuri Grigorovich, one of the leading figures in the world of ballet in the second half of the 20th century, has died," the Bolshoi Theatre announced in a statement on the Telegram social network.

Born in 1927, in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich directed the Bolshoi Theatre for three decades, from 1964, in the middle of the Soviet era, until 1995, after the dissolution of the USSR.

The joint statement from the management and staff of the Bolshoi Theatre, released today, recalls that the choreographer is responsible for the creation of "several generations of remarkable artists", ensuring that his memory "will always be valued" and "his invaluable legacy preserved".

Yuri Grigorovich graduated from the former Leningrad School of Dance, where he studied with Alexander Pushkin. At the age of 19, in 1946, he entered the Kirov Theatre (now the Mariinsky Theatre) in his hometown, where he was a principal dancer for 18 years.

Choreography came shortly after in her career. She immediately stood out in 1957 with the creation of the ballet "Stone Flower", with music by Prokofiev, inspired by folk tales from the Urals. This first great success was confirmed later with the creation of "Legend of Love", with music by Arif Melikov.

In 1964, at the age of 37, Grigorovich was appointed director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, where he remained for 31 years. During this time, he renewed the institution's staff and its dance corps, and trained and developed dancers such as Natalia Bessmertnova, whom he married, Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vassiliev. He was also a driving force behind the company's international tours.

Throughout his career, he revisited classics of Russian ballet such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake", based on Tchaikovsky, made "exquisite reformulations" of Marius Petipa's choreographies for "La Bayadere" and also for "Giselle", based on Adolph Adam, and created pieces that gave rise to new classics, such as "Spartacus", based on Khachaturian, "Ivan the Terrible", based on Prokofiev, and "The Golden Age", based on the music of Shostakovitch.

As a choreographer, international critics considered him responsible for the "exultant style" with which the Bolshoi established itself in the 1960s and 1980s: "The productions are not large by Western standards, but each work reinforces the Bolshoi's exuberant strength", read The Independent newspaper in December 1992, when the Moscow theatre company performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a five-week season.

After leaving the Bolshoi in 1995, Grigorovich founded his own company in Krasnodar, southern Russia. In 2008, he returned to the Moscow theater, taking over as the choreographer of the ballet company.

In 2001, Grigorovich presented his vision of "Swan Lake" at the Coliseu do Porto, as part of the European Capital of Culture.

Today, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg reacted to Grigorovich's death by praising his artistic legacy, stating that "with the death of the legendary choreographer, an entire era disappears."

Yuri Grigorovich "gave an important place to male performances in dance" by creating roles for male dancers, in a classical expression dominated by female roles, recalled Boris Akimov, 78, former principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, quoted by the Agence France Presse (AFP).

Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, the historic name of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, died today at the age of 98, the theatre in the Russian capital announced.

"Yuri Grigorovich, one of the leading figures in the world of ballet in the second half of the 20th century, has died," the Bolshoi Theatre announced in a statement on the Telegram social network.

Born in 1927, in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich directed the Bolshoi Theatre for three decades, from 1964, in the middle of the Soviet era, until 1995, after the dissolution of the USSR.

The joint statement from the management and staff of the Bolshoi Theatre, released today, recalls that the choreographer is responsible for the creation of "several generations of remarkable artists", ensuring that his memory "will always be valued" and "his invaluable legacy preserved".

Yuri Grigorovich graduated from the former Leningrad School of Dance, where he studied with Alexander Pushkin. At the age of 19, in 1946, he entered the Kirov Theatre (now the Mariinsky Theatre) in his hometown, where he was a principal dancer for 18 years.

Choreography came shortly after in her career. She immediately stood out in 1957 with the creation of the ballet "Stone Flower", with music by Prokofiev, inspired by folk tales from the Urals. This first great success was confirmed later with the creation of "Legend of Love", with music by Arif Melikov.

In 1964, at the age of 37, Grigorovich was appointed director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, where he remained for 31 years. During this time, he renewed the institution's staff and its dance corps, and trained and developed dancers such as Natalia Bessmertnova, whom he married, Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vassiliev. He was also a driving force behind the company's international tours.

Throughout his career, he revisited classics of Russian ballet such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake", based on Tchaikovsky, made "exquisite reformulations" of Marius Petipa's choreographies for "La Bayadere" and also for "Giselle", based on Adolph Adam, and created pieces that gave rise to new classics, such as "Spartacus", based on Khachaturian, "Ivan the Terrible", based on Prokofiev, and "The Golden Age", based on the music of Shostakovitch.

As a choreographer, international critics considered him responsible for the "exultant style" with which the Bolshoi established itself in the 1960s and 1980s: "The productions are not large by Western standards, but each work reinforces the Bolshoi's exuberant strength", read The Independent newspaper in December 1992, when the Moscow theatre company performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a five-week season.

After leaving the Bolshoi in 1995, Grigorovich founded his own company in Krasnodar, southern Russia. In 2008, he returned to the Moscow theater, taking over as the choreographer of the ballet company.

In 2001, Grigorovich presented his vision of "Swan Lake" at the Coliseu do Porto, as part of the European Capital of Culture.

Today, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg reacted to Grigorovich's death by praising his artistic legacy, stating that "with the death of the legendary choreographer, an entire era disappears."

Yuri Grigorovich "gave an important place to male performances in dance" by creating roles for male dancers, in a classical expression dominated by female roles, recalled Boris Akimov, 78, former principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, quoted by the Agence France Presse (AFP).