Yuri Grigorovich, a prominent figure in the world of ballet during the latter half of the 20th century, has passed away, the Bolshoi Theatre announced in a statement on the social media platform Telegram.
Born in 1927 in Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, Yuri Nikolaevich Grigorovich led the Bolshoi Theatre for three decades, starting in 1964 during the Soviet era and continuing until 1995 after the dissolution of the USSR.
The joint statement from the Bolshoi Theatre’s leadership and team, published today, highlights that the choreographer was responsible for nurturing “several generations of notable artists,” assuring that his memory “will always be treasured” and his “invaluable legacy preserved.”
Grigorovich was educated at the former Leningrad School of Dance, where he studied under Alexander Pushkin. At the age of 19, in 1946, he joined the Kirov Theatre (now the Mariinsky Theatre) in his hometown, where he was a principal dancer for 18 years.
His career in choreography began shortly thereafter, gaining distinction in 1957 with the creation of the ballet “Stone Flower,” set to music by Prokofiev and inspired by Ural folk tales. His first major success was followed by “Legend of Love,” featuring music by Arif Melikov.
In 1964, at 37, Grigorovich was appointed director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, a position he held for 31 years. During his tenure, he revitalized the institution’s roster and dance corps, mentoring and launching dancers like Natalia Bessmertnova, whom he married, Ekaterina Maximova, and Vladimir Vassiliev. He also actively promoted the company’s international tours.
Throughout his career, he revisited Russian ballet classics such as “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake” based on Tchaikovsky’s works, and made “exquisite restagings” of Marius Petipa’s choreography for “La Bayadere” and “Giselle,” set to music by Adolph Adam. He also created works that became new classics, like “Spartacus,” set to Khachaturian’s score, “Ivan the Terrible,” based on Prokofiev, and “The Golden Age,” accompanied by Shostakovich’s music.
International critics lauded him for shaping the “exultant style” with which the Bolshoi defined itself during the 1960s to 1980s. “The output is not extensive by Western standards, but each work bolstered the Bolshoi’s exuberant strength,” noted The Independent in December 1992, when the Moscow theatre’s company performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a five-week season.
After departing from the Bolshoi in 1995, Grigorovich founded his own company in Krasnodar, southern Russia. He returned to the Moscow theatre in 2008 as the choreographer of the ballet company.
In 2001, Grigorovich showcased his vision of “Swan Lake” at the Coliseu do Porto as part of the European Capital of Culture events.
Today, the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg paid tribute to Grigorovich’s artistic legacy, remarking that “with the demise of the legendary choreographer, an entire era vanishes.”
Yuri Grigorovich “gave substantial importance to male performances in dance” by creating roles for male dancers in a classical expression dominated by female roles, recalled Boris Akimov, 78, a former principal dancer at the Bolshoi Theatre, as quoted by the French news agency AFP.
Akimov, who expressed pride in being Grigorovich’s student, also reflected on the criticism of authoritarianism directed at the choreographer, justifying it by saying, “To lead a group, one must know how to be tough.”
Yuri Grigorovich was the nephew of Georges Rosay, a leading dancer at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the former Russian imperial capital, and with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes.
