Memorial plaque to Rudolf Nureyev unveiled at Razdolnoye station

A memorial plaque to Rudolf Nureyev was solemnly opened at the railway station building in the village of Razdolnoye (Vladivostok branch of the Far Eastern Railway). The legendary dancer and choreographer of the 20th century were born on March 17, 1938, on a train bound for Primorye, where his father served. The event was timed to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the world ballet star.

The bas-relief depicting the dancer in a costume from the ballet Le Corsaire was made by the St. Petersburg sculptor, the winner of the competition for the best sculpture of Rudolf Nureyev (1995, Toronto), Yuri Firsov (the author of the statues of Princess Diana, Joseph Brodsky, and others). The inscriptions are made in five languages: Russian, French, Chinese, English, and Tatar.

Nikolai Tsiskaridze, People's Artist of Russia and Rector of the Academy of Russian Ballet assisted in implementing the project, Vladivostok News reports.

Friends of the artist’s Leningrad youth, director of the European Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Lyubov Myasnikova, Leonid Romankov, artistic director of the ballet troupe of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theater Eldar Aliev, author of the bas-relief Yuri Firsov flew to the opening of the memorial plaque. The Bashkir Theater was represented by the head of the museum, Ramilya Latypova.

A traveling exhibition with materials from Primorye local historians was placed in the station hall.

Recall that the childhood years of the future star were spent in Ufa, where he received his first dance lessons and fell in love with ballet art. A bronze bas-relief of Rudolf Nureyev adorns the building of the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater (Aksakov People's House) – here, Rudolf first appeared on stage at the age of 16. The memorial plaque was unveiled on March 17, 1998. The Ufa bas-relief was made by the Ufa sculptor Vladimir Lobanov.

The ballet troupe of the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater bears the name of Rudolf Nureyev. In Ufa, the International Festival of Ballet Art. Rudolf Nureyev.

Author: Leyla Aralbaeva