The Foundation - News
November 2010
To Maya Plisetskaya’s 85th birthday!
On 20 November 2010 Maya Plisetskaya celebrates her 85th birthday. She
– the “supernatural prima ballerina assoluta” – has
formed and changed the ballet like no other dancer and danced herself
immortally in the hearts of her audience. It is Plisetskaya, who has united
artistic perfection, musicality, temperament and emotion in her character
to such high degree not often to meet. She overcame the boundaries of
classical ballet and choreography by new movements, innovative ideas and
impulses and opened new dimensions to dance. Still to the present days
the artistic achievements of Plisetskaya and her unique dance style set
standards and belong to the best that is possible in ballet at all.
Plisetskaya is and remains an exceptional person in the world of arts
and in the world of ballet anyway: not just because of her remarkable
career, which extended beyond fifty years and the countless roles she
danced, but also because of her courageous and clear attitude against
political repression during the time of Cold War in the former Soviet
Union. She didn’t belong to those people, who adapted themselves
and took the line of the least resistance. Quite the contrary! As a prominent
figure she defied the political system fearlessly and is regarded in her
own country as an icon for civil rights and liberties.
On the occasion of the birthday of Maya Plisetskaya the radio channel
RBB-Kulturradio broadcasts on Wednesday, the 17th November 2010 (at 19:04),
a special program titled “Don’t ask me, how I do that”.
The Russian TV channel “Kultura” broadcasts two transmissions
on Saturday, the 20th November 2010: “The birth anniversary of Maya
Plisetskaya. Legendary Performances" (19:45) with participation of
Valery Gergiev, Yuri Temerkanov, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Ulyana Lopatkina,
Nikolai Fadeyechev and Boris Messerer and after this at 21:05 a talk show
“Line of life” with Maya Plisetskaya answering to questions
of the audience. On Monday, 6 December 2010, at the Theatre on the Champs-Élysées
in Paris a festivity is planned in her honor: the gala concert "Ave
Maya". Film sequences with highlights of her brilliant career will
be shown. Soloists as well as young talents of leading international ballet
stages will bring their reverence to one of the greatest ballerina of
the ages.