In Berlin, more than eight years after its premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre, Kirill Serebrennikov’s ballet “Nureyev” has been staged again. The production, which disappeared from the repertoire in Russia after the start of the full-scale war and the adoption of the law banning so-called “LGBT propaganda,” is now being performed at Deutsche Oper Berlin by Staatsballett Berlin.
When the ballet first appeared in Moscow, it was seen primarily as the story of Rudolf Nureyev, who in 1961 made a decision at Le Bourget airport that changed both his own fate and the history of ballet. Now the work is also read as a story about a country pushing out everything free, inconvenient, and gifted.
The original idea to create a ballet about Nureyev at the Bolshoi belonged to then-director Vladimir Urin. The choreography was created by Yuri Possokhov. The premiere was postponed several times, and in the summer of 2017 Serebrennikov was placed under house arrest in the Seventh Studio case, continuing to work remotely. In December that year, the premiere finally took place and became one of the most politically charged cultural events of the season.
Choreographer Christian Spuck, who saw the performance in Moscow, decided he wanted to bring it to Germany. Later, after taking charge of Staatsballett Berlin, he returned to that idea. He said that after the ballet was banned in Russia, homophobic laws were adopted, and artists were forced to leave, the production took on special meaning as a reflection on freedom, choice, and the price of remaining oneself.
The role of Nureyev in Berlin is danced by former Bolshoi principal David Motta Soares, who left Russia four years ago. Odin Byron performs the narrator’s role. Harpist Alexander Boldachev, who took part in both the Moscow and Berlin premieres, called the revival an important reunion with the original team.
“Rudi always lives where there is freedom. That is his true homeland,” Serebrennikov said.
The ballet will run at Deutsche Oper Berlin until the end of April; at the time of publication, tickets for the ближайшие performances were sold out.