Biography

1925Maya Plisetskaya was born in Moscow on 20 November 1925, the daughter of an engineer. From 1932 to 1934 the family lived in Spitzbergen where her father was director of the coal mine 'Arctikugl'. In 1938 he was executed on Stalin's orders. Her mother, a silent-film actress, was deported to Kazakhstan for many years, being the wife of an 'enemy of the people'.
1934Attended the ballet school of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Studied six years with Yelisaveta P. Gerdt, one year with Maria M. Leonteva).
1937:First performance at the Bolshoi Theatre at the age of 11 in 'The Sleeping Beauty
1943:Graduated from the Moscow Choreography School (teachers: Y. P. Gerdt, M. M. Leonteva).

Joined the ensemble of the Bolshoi Theatre and was a member of it until 1990.
Nov. 1943:Maya Plisetskaya danced her first major role in 'Les Sylphides'.
1944: Performances as Masha in Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker', Myrtha in 'Giselle'
1945: Raymonda in the ballet of the same name
1947:Odette-Odilia in 'Swan Lake'
1949:Zarema in 'The Fountain of Bakhchisaray'
1950:Kitri - the Dryad Queen in 'Don Quixote'
1954:Mistress of the Copper Mountain in 'The Stone flower'(L. M. Lavrovsky)
1956:Leading role in 'Laurencia'
1956: Maya Plisetskaya was regarded one of the best Russian dancers of classical and modern roles, even on an international level.
1958:Married with the Russian composer Rodion K. Shchedrin
1959:First tours with the Bolshoi Theatre to the USA and Canada.

People’s Artist of the USSR
1960:Upon the retirement of Galina Ulanova as a dancer, Maya Plisetskaya became prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi Theatre.
1961:Aurora in 'The Sleeping Beauty'

Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet'
1962:Phrygia in 'Spartacus'

Anna Pavlova Prize awarded in Paris
1964:Lenin Prize
1965:Mekhmeneh Bahnu in 'The Legend of Love'
1967: First guest performance in the Federal Republic of Germany
1967:Carmen in 'Carmen Suite'
1968:Aegina in 'Spartacus'
1972:'Anna Karenina' (leading role and choreography)
1977:City’s gold medal of Paris by mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac
1980: 'The Seagull' (leading role and choreography)
1984:Artistic director to the Rome Opera Ballet
Guest performance at the Hamburg Ballet Festival

World Stars Gala at the German Museum in Munich
1985:'The Lady with the Lapdog' (leading role and choreography)

Hero of Socialist Labour

Commander of the Order of Arts and of Letters (L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres)
1986:Knight of the National French Order of the Legion of Honor
1987:Appointment as a professor at the Sorbonne
1987-89:Led the Spanish National Ballet of Madrid.
1989: Retired from the Bolshoi Theatre as a soloist.
Series of farewell performances and Plisetskaya galas throughout the world
From 1990:Performances with concert programmes
Directed master classes.
1991:Gold Medal for Service to the Arts awarded by Spanish King Juan Carlos
1993:Appointment as a professor at the Lomonosow State Universaty in Moskau
1994:1st International Ballet Competition 'Maya' in St. Petersburg (dedicated to the work of Maya Plisetskaya)

Publication of the book by Maya Plisetskaya "I, Maya Plisetskaya", which had some editions in Russia and was translated in different languages of the world
1995:Performances in Moscow and St. Petersburg to mark her 70th birthday (with the best dancers from New York, Paris and London)

Order of merit of the Russian Federation third degree
2000:Bolshoi Theatre celebrates the 50th anniversary of Maya Plisetskaya’s artistic career. To this event Plisetskaya danced the miniature “Ave Maya” for the first time - a choreography that was presented to her by Maurice Bejart

Performance as Divine fairy at the Première of the stage play “The wings of kimono“ at Tokyo Kokusai Forum

“Order of merit of the Russian Federation second degree” awarded by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin

"The person of the year 2000" in the category "Science, culture and art" by the Russian foundation "The public opinion"

"Russian National Olympus Prize" in the nomination "Honorary Title: Superstar"

Winner of the Russian prize "Triumph" for the encouragement of the achievements in art and literature
2005:Prince of Asturias Award for Arts (Oviedo/Spain)

"Order of merit of the Russian Federation first degree" awarded by the Russian President Vladimir Putin

Barbora-Radvilaite-Award (Vilnius/Litvania)
2006:Awarded with the prize "Praemium Imperiale" in the nomination Theatre/Film (Japan)
2007:Presentation of the book "Thirteen years later" by Maya Plisetskaya in Moscow
2008:Member of the Armenian branch of the International Academy of Natural and Social Sciences

Honorary doctor at the Hungarian Dance Academy, Budapest
2009:„Vittorio De Sica Award“ (Italy) „in recognition for the outstanding career in dance”

Awarding with the Russian ballet prize „Soul of the Dance“ in the category „Legend“
2010:Awarding with the “Order of Merit for the Fatherland” of the fourth class by the Russian President Dmitri Medvedev for the outstanding contribution in the development of Russian culture, the Art of Ballet and the long-time artistic activity
2011:Officer of the National French Order of the Legion of Honor
2015:"Golden Mask" for outstanding achievements in the development of Arts
2015:Maya Plisetskaya died on the 2nd of May 2015 in München