On January 27, the great dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov celebrates his 69th birthday. It’s hard to believe: Baryshnikov looks at least 20 years younger and is full of energy. ELLE has collected facts about the biography of a man who in the United States is called the only 100% recognizable Russian emigrant.

Baryshnikov was born in Riga into the family of an officer. The father was indifferent to art - unlike his mother: it was she who instilled in his son an interest in music and sent him to a ballet studio. When the boy was 12, his mother took him to her mother for the summer, returned home and committed suicide. The reasons that pushed her to do this are unknown. Soon Misha's father married again, but the relationship with him and his adoptive mother future star didn't add up. Soon, at the age of fifteen, he moved to Leningrad, entered Vaganovka and stopped communicating with his father.

The artist remained in the West in 1974, when the Bolshoi troupe was on tour in Canada. His old friend Alexander Mints invited him to join the famous American Ballet Theater (which Baryshnikov would lead six years later). It was impossible to refuse, and it was clear that no one would officially let him work there. I had to run. After final speech Baryshnikov went out into the street and was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people wanting autographs. Meanwhile, Mintz was waiting for him in a car parked several blocks from the theater building. “There were quite a few people wanting my autograph and I said, 'Sorry, I have to leave for a minute, but I'll be back.' And he ran. But they ran after me. I started laughing, stopped, and signed up a few more times,” he later recalled. A month later, Baryshnikov made his debut on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in Giselle.

In 1978, Mikhail headed the legendary New York City Ballet, then for nine years, from 1980 to 1989, he directed the no less famous American Ballet Theater. For the last ten years, Baryshnikov has been running the art center that bears his name. The mission of this organization is to give artists the opportunity to try something new. The Center has three floors and six halls, and rental prices are minimal so that beginning troupes and directors can afford it. They often perform there Russian artists, for example, the Fomenko Theater. To launch the Center, Baryshnikov sold one of the paintings from his extensive collection - “View of St. Petersburg” by Pyotr Vereshchagin. The painting went under the hammer for $740,000.

Several years ago, Baryshnikov organized an exhibition of his collection in New York - paintings and drawings by Benois, Cocteau, Bakst. It could also be seen in Moscow in the fall of 2013 at the Museum fine arts.

He is passionate about photography and has been doing it for the last thirty years. Baryshnikov the photographer regularly has exhibitions. He was inspired to this activity by Leonid Lubyanitsky, who photographed for famous glossy publications.

Baryshnikov, as well as Lubyanitsky, Mints and other characters of the Russian bohemia of New York in the 70s, are depicted in Eduard Limonov’s novel “It’s Me, Eddie.” Baryshnikov appears there under the name Ladyzhnikov.

Joseph Brodsky was also a friend of Baryshnikov. Several of Brodsky’s poems are dedicated to him, such as “We used to water the lawn from a watering can...” and “ Classical ballet there is a castle of beauty..." The latter contains the following lines:

How glorious it is in the evening, in the distance of All Rus',

Baryshnikov to mature. His talent has not faded!

Leg strain and torso cramp

with rotation around its own axis

give birth to the flight whose soul

how the girls were waiting, ready to get angry!

It is said that their relationship was not a traditional working relationship between two creative people, but were based on human mutual interest.

This is what Brodsky said about Baryshnikov: “We see him quite often - simply because he is an absolutely amazing person. A man of amazing intelligence and intuition... He made - and continues to make - a tremendous impression on me. And not at all because of my qualities as a dancer, especially since I am by no means an expert in this area. And above all, with his absolutely incredible natural intelligence. In general, I relate to people who are younger than me with some - how can I say this? Well, how do high school students feel about preparation? Such a look through your fingers, right? And Baryshnikov is almost ten years younger than me. But Baryshnikov is an absolutely unique creature. He was born on the same day as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. And I think they have a lot in common.”

Sergei Dovlatov leads in “ Notebooks"The quatrain with which Brodsky signed his book as a gift to Baryshnikov: “Even though I am Hades, and he is just a goy, and his profile is completely different, and yet I will not do with my hand what he can do with his foot!”

Just like Joseph Brodsky in his time, Mikhail Baryshnikov does not strive to go to Russia - he has never been here during all the time he spent in exile. He also rejects incoming offers to come on tour: “I have never had such an attachment to this place as he [Brodsky]. I lived in Russia for only 10 years. I am a product of a Latvian upbringing, although my parents were Russian, with all the ensuing consequences. But I have never felt nostalgia - more precisely, I have nostalgia for Russian people and Russian culture, but not for this place in geographical map».

Baryshnikov's filmography is very diverse. Several films with his participation were released in the Soviet Union, but these were either documentaries dedicated to ballet, or productions in which Baryshnikov practically played himself. The foreign debut took place in 1977 - it was the film “Turning Point”, also dedicated to peace ballet The film, which also starred Shirley MacLaine, was popular great success and received a ton of Oscar nominations. Nominated - how best actor Baryshnikov was also in the background. True, he didn’t win.

After three film versions of classical ballets - “The Nutcracker”, “Carmen” and “Don Quixote”, Baryshnikov appeared in the thriller “White Nights”, where he played a fugitive Soviet dancer who happened to be in his homeland. Released at the height of the Cold War, White Nights was a typical product of that time, and quite successful at that. Baryshnikov’s performance to Vysotsky’s song “Fasicky Horses” is a real masterpiece: it’s worth watching.

Then there was the film “Dancers” (named by the famous film critic Roger Ebert as one of the worst films of the year), the extremely strange film “The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez” and, of course, the series “Sex and the City”, thanks to which many first heard and learned that there is such a person - Baryshnikov. Some, however, still react to the great dancer this way: “Oh, that one from Sex.”

Sarah Jessica Parker speaks of Baryshnikov as the only one from the world of ballet whose name makes her tremble. “It was a great honor for us that he agreed to star in our project,” the actress later said, considering the Russian dancer tough boy, “a tough guy.”

Personal life Mikhail Baryshnikov It was not easy - in childhood, his mother was mainly involved in his upbringing, but when Misha was twelve years old, she died, and he was left with his father, with whom he did not have a good relationship. After his father got married, Mikhail went on a free voyage. His mother, who was in love with the theater, managed to get her son accustomed to it - Mikhail decided to enter the Riga Choreographic School.

In the photo - Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica with their daughter Alexandra

Dance became the meaning of life for Baryshnikov - he constantly trained, did stretching, did acrobatics, performed the most difficult tasks at school. Together with other students, Mikhail danced in performances of the Latvian National Opera, with which he went on tour to Leningrad in 1964. There he was noticed by one of the artists of the theater named after. Kirov and brought him to the teacher of the Leningrad Choreographic School, Alexander Pushkin. This is where the career of the future soloist of the theater began. Kirov.

In the photo - Mikhail and Lisa Rinehart

The personal life of Mikhail Baryshnikov was entirely devoted to ballet and creative ambitions, which forced him in 1974, during a theater tour in Canada, to make a difficult decision not to return to his homeland, where he was cramped within the Russian repertoire academic theater. Later, Mikhail Baryshnikov moved from Canada to the USA and joined the American Ballet Theater troupe, and after some time became its director. In the West, his career developed not only in ballet - he acted in films, performed on television, took part in a dramatic production, and even together with Brodsky founded the Russian Samovar restaurant.

In the photo - Baryshniklv with his daughter Sofia

The personal life of Mikhail Baryshnikov has always been very eventful. Before he stayed in Canada, Mikhail lived in a civil marriage with ballerina Tatyana Koltsova. In a new place he created new family- with actress Jessica Lange. They found mutual language, despite the fact that at that time Baryshnikov did not know English at all, and at first he communicated with his beloved in French. They had a daughter, Alexandra, but they could not save their relationship, and the family fell apart. They say that the reason for the divorce was Jessica's infidelities, and besides, they were too busy with their careers, which did not leave time for their personal life. The next chosen one of the outstanding artist was ballerina Lisa Rinehart, who bore him three children - Peter, Anna and Sofia.

27.01.2011 09:56

Mikhail Barynikov is the greatest dancer of our time who has achieved worldwide recognition.

On January 27, 1948, in Riga, a son, Mikhail, was born into the military family of Nikolai Baryshnikov. The boy's life was not easy - he grew up in a large communal apartment. His relationship with his father did not go well. And when the guy was 12 years old, tragedy struck the family: Alexandra Vasilievna’s mother committed suicide. However, despite the fact that she passed away so early, she managed to do a lot for her son: it was her mother who taught little Misha to the theater and supported his decision to go to the Riga Choreographic School.

Baryshnikov spent several years with his father, but then he had a new family, and Misha began a completely independent life. He moved to Leningrad. It happened like this: in 1964, the Latvian national opera toured Leningrad, and Mikhail was also involved in performances. Paying attention to the talented young man, one of the artists of the Kirov Theater (now the Mariinsky Theater) took him to the Leningrad Choreographic School to see teacher Alexander Pushkin (Rudolf Nureyev also studied with him). Pushkin took an exam from Baryshnikov and invited him to the school. This is how, in fact, the fate of the future soloist of the theater was decided. Kirov.

In 1967, Baryshnikov graduated from his studies and began performing on the stage of the Kirov Theater. He instantly became a favorite of the audience - and not only because of his dancing skills. Baryshnikov is not only a great dancer, but also an excellent actor. And this is precisely what captivated those who were sitting in the hall.

He danced in “Giselle”, “Vestris”, “The Creation of the World”... In 1973, Mikhail Nikolaevich was awarded the right to organize his own creative evening, for which a whole series of one-act ballets was created specifically “for him”.

In the same year, Baryshnikov was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. However, despite the recognition, such a freedom-loving young man as he was, it was not easy for the country with its regime. Mikhail did not have a good relationship not only with management, but also with other artists. Joseph Brodsky, a close friend of Baryshnikov, once said that if Mikhail Nikolaevich had remained in the USSR, he would have drunk himself. But the famous artist was destined for a completely different fate.

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alla Sizova

In the summer of 1974, Mikhail Nikolaevich was on tour in Canada as part of a Soviet troupe. On June 29, 1974, Baryshnikov ran away from the rest of the artists and management. He decided not to return to Russia. Mikhail's friend, dancer Alexander Mints, helped him organize his escape (he was already living in the USA at that time). He admitted that this decision was not easy for Baryshnikov - after all, it completely severed all ties with past life, with your loved ones. But the artist was ready to sacrifice this in favor of creative freedom. Another dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, did the same thing at one time, 13 years ago. He escaped straight from the Paris airport.

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev - legendary dancers through the eyes of Annie Leibovitz

Of course, in addition to Nureyev, there were many other “defectors” from art. So, already at the end of July 1974, Barshnikov entered the American stage together with ballerina Natalya Makarova, who remained in the West in 1970. By the way, they danced “Giselle” on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.

Mikhail Baryshnikov with Natalia Makarova

And with British ballerina Merle Park

Soon Mikhail Nikolaevich was already the premier of the American Ballet Company, he performed in many performances - both in classical productions and in productions by modern choreographers. In 1978, Baryshnikov moved to the New York City Ballet, the troupe of the legendary George Balanchine, who simply adored Baryshnikov.

Michael and Patricia McBride

In 1988, Baryshnikov headed the American ballet troupe. During his time as artistic director, he accomplished a lot - he created a permanent troupe (in the past, guest stars were more often soloists at ABT), staged the ballet "Cinderella", and also "corrected" a little " Swan Lake"However, he soon decided to leave the troupe - he did not like constantly coordinating work plans with the board of directors. And in 1990, Baryshnikov created his own troupe (together with Mark Morris) White Oak Dance Project.

By the way, after leaving the American Ballet Company, Mikhail also left classical ballet - the fact is that Baryshnikov was faced with a problem familiar to every artist - age. He realized that his physical strength was beginning to leave him, and he had no intention of lowering the bar for performances in classical productions. But, of course, he did not leave the stage. Since the early 1990s, Baryshnikov has become a modern dance performer.

Among the modernist productions in which Mikhail Nikolaevich took part, a special place is occupied by solo ballets, in which he seems to have finally managed to find full creative freedom which I have always strived for.

Baryshnikov and his productions at the White Oak Dance Project greatly influenced Western dance culture - from the moment the troupe began, both spectators and professionals began to perceive modern dance differently, Mikhail Nikolaevich was able to clearly demonstrate that even in ballet there is a place for eclecticism. And this is a very great achievement.

Today's birthday boy has accomplished a lot in his professional field. At the same time, he also managed to captivate movie lovers. He has several screen works to his credit, for one of which - the 1977 film "The Turning Point" - Baryshnikov received a nomination for the Golden Globe and Oscar awards as best supporting actor. Well, many modern ladies remember Mikhail as Carrie Bradshaw’s last boyfriend before she decided to get married. The artist Alexander Petrovsky, performed by Baryshnikov, charmed all lovers of “Sex in big city".

Baryshnikov and Sarah Jessica Parker on the set

Another legendary achievement of Mikhail Nikolaevich is associated with restaurant business. It's about about the New York establishment "Russian Samovar", which he opened together with Joseph Brodsky. They say that Mikhail invested savings accumulated from performances in it, and Brodsky - Nobel Prize.

Mikhail’s personal life has also always been more than eventful. After leaving Soviet Union, he left his common-law wife ballerina Tatyana Koltsova. Later he started whirlwind romance with actress Jessica Lange. Moreover, at that time Mikhail did not yet know English properly, so he had to communicate with Jessica in French. In 1981, the couple had a daughter, Alexandra, but this did not save Baryshnikov and Lange from breaking up.

Now Mikhail Nikolaevich lives with ballerina Lisa Rinehart, they have three children.

Mikhail and his main women - Jessica Lange, ...

Lisa Rinehart...

AND eldest daughter Alexandra

He does not strive to dance better than others, but he wants to dance in such a way as to surpass himself - this is the whole essence of Mikhail Baryshnikov. This man was once called greatest artist in 20th century ballet. Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the selected Russian people who contributed to the fate of the entire world ballet. This article will discuss the biography of this great dancer. In addition, below you can see photos of Mikhail Baryshnikov in his youth.

Biography: family, childhood

Mikhail was born in 1948, on January 27, in the city of Riga. Mikhail Baryshnikov’s family moved to Latvia, the reason for this was the service of Mikhail’s father. My father was a rather tough man and had a tough temperament. The relationship with his wife and Mikhail Baryshnikov was quite complex.

As for Mikhail’s mother, she, on the contrary, instilled in her son a love of art from childhood, and went with him to the Philharmonic and theater. This is why Mikhail Baryshnikov (photos of his youth can be seen in this article) was so strongly attached to his mother. When the boy was 10 years old, he had already determined his fate: Misha declared that he wanted to devote himself to ballet, and already at this age he signed up for an exam at a ballet school.

After this, she began studying at a choreographic school in Riga. Misha always dreamed of performing solo on stage, but his problem was his short stature. One day, teacher Elena Tangieva told her student that he should grow up. Therefore, every day Misha performed difficult exercises, despite the pain in his joints, as a result of which he was able to grow by almost 4 cm. Mikhail Baryshnikov’s height is currently 168 cm.

Youth

When Misha was twelve years old, his mother moved him to his grandmother on the Volga, after which she returned back to Riga. After this, she soon committed suicide. The reason for this suicide remains a mystery to many. For some time, Mikhail lived with his father, but he, after some period, married a second time. At the same time, there was no place for Mikhail in new family my father.

Carier start

After some more time, Baryshnikov moved to Leningrad, and since then he has never communicated with his father again. In 1964, the Latvian National Opera went on tour to Leningrad. And dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov was involved in some of her performances. After that, one of the artists brought him to the Leningrad Choreographic School. Thus, he became a student of one of the famous schools of Russian ballet. After some time, Mikhail becomes the soloist of the world-famous Mariinsky Theater.

Ballet

Mikhail entered the Mariinsky Theater literally immediately after the above-mentioned school. This happened in 1967. He worked there for seven years. In a short period of time, Baryshnikov gained great popularity and became famous. Artists and choreographers noticed his incredible and unique talent, perfect coordination and flawless execution. True, it is worth noting that there was stagnation inside the theater. In those days, Soviet officials who oversaw culture slowed down all development.

Mikhail sought to perform in ballet productions that were interesting to him, but at that time there were only two such performances: “The Creation of the World” and “Vestris”.

In 1973, the dancer was allowed to organize his own creative evening, as well as choose his own repertoire. Mikhail invited all modern choreographers to stage ballet dances in one act. That evening he performed "Divertimento", " Prodigal Son", as well as "Daphnis and Chloe". This evening can be called the pinnacle of Mikhail's creativity in Russia.

Moving

In 1974, Baryshnikov went on tour to Canada, after which he did not return back to Russia. There, the artist asks for political asylum, despite the fact that the decision to stay in Canada was very difficult for him. Soon Mikhail receives an invitation to join the American Ballet Theater troupe, in which he became the collective premiere, and then its director.

On July 27 of the same year, Mikhail spoke to the Americans for the first time in New York City. This was a role in the ballet "Giselle", which took place on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. All American spectators literally screamed with delight. Since then, Baryshnikov has gained great popularity in America.

Baryshnikov took part in many modern and classical productions, staged his own version of The Nutcracker, and collaborated with many choreographers in a variety of directions. In 1978, Mikhail moved to the NYCB ballet troupe, and ten years later he returned to ABT, where his path in the United States began as an artistic director and soloist.

Mikhail was able to create a fairly strong troupe, and also stage original version"Swan Lake" and "Cinderella". A year after this, the dancer leaves ABT, as he wants to reconcile his creative plans for the future with the directorate, and in 1990, together with choreographer Morris, he created the White Oak project in Florida.

When Mikhail left ABT, he finally left classical ballet. Baryshnikov's next stage is modernism, which in the USA is valued in the same way as the classical style of ballet. But here too, Mikhail was able to surpass himself, showing a completely different new level men's dances, filling them with beauty and aesthetics. Most of Baryshnikov's complex ballets are confessional monologues, in which the foreground is the theme of the inevitability of death, the transience of life, as well as reflections on creativity.

Personal life

The first time after emigration, life was quite difficult for Mikhail. Before moving to America, he lived in a civil marriage with ballerina Tatyana Koltsova. For some time, the dancer could not speak English, which also made life abroad difficult. But after some time everything began to improve.

In the spring of 1976, Mikhail meets an actress named Jessica Lange. Soon, Mikhail Baryshnikov and his wife have a daughter. The girl was named Alexandra. It would seem that Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jessica Lange and their daughter are perfect family. But this is absolutely not true. In the union of these two people, passions raged from the very beginning, so the marriage could be called doomed. You can see Jessica Lange and Mikhail Baryshnikov in the photo. Journalists said that she often cheated on her husband, and Jessica justified herself by saying that Mikhail literally drove her crazy, constantly forcing her to cook various Russian dishes, as well as receive guests in the middle of the night. As a result of this, the couple divorced.

For the second time, the choreographer and dancer married ballerina Lisa Rinehart. In this union, Mikhail had three more children: two daughters, Sofia and Anna, as well as a son, Peter. Photos of Mikhail Baryshnikov and children can be seen in this article.

In general, Mikhail's life in the United States is not like hard life emigrant. Baryshnikov was personally acquainted with Princess Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy, and was also friends with Joseph Brodsky himself. In addition, Mikhail was the owner of the popular Russian restaurant "Samovar", which was located in the center of New York. The artist also has his own factory for the production of clothing and pointe shoes for ballet, and he has released his own personalized perfume, which sells as well as tickets to his performances.

Ballet is far from the only creative activity Mikhail. The dancer is also interested in free time photography, his works were once placed in the Museum of Fine Arts named after Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.

Movies

Between 1974 and 2002, Mikhail took part as an actor in six feature films. In addition, for his work in the film “The Turning Point,” which was filmed in 1977, the dancer was nominated for an Oscar for minor role. In addition, he starred in such films as “This is a Dance,” “Dancers,” “Dinosaurs,” and “The Office of Dr. Ramirez.” But most of all, the audience filled with Baryshnikov from the film “White Nights”. Particularly popular won that fragment of the film in which Baryshnikov dances to Vysotsky’s composition “Fasicky Horses.” For the dancer, they filmed specially for five years in a row. television programs, in which he took part.

More memorable roles

Another memorable work was her role in the television series Sex and the City. Mikhail Baryshnikov starred in this project at the beginning of the 2000s. There he played the role of Russian artist Alexander Petrovsky, who was Carrie Bradshaw's lover. You can watch Baryshnikov in this role in latest episodes Season 6 of Sex and the City. After that, he starred in the film “Jack Ryan. Chaos Theory”, as well as “My Dad Baryshnikov”.

"White Oak" closed in 2002, after which the artist focused on publishing his own platform. After this, in 2005 he opened the Mikhail Baryshnikov Art Center, which is located in New York. This center can be called a creative laboratory, educational institution, as well as a platform for experimental productions. In addition, this institution has its own information website, as well as an Instagram account, where you can find both promo and atmospheric photos.

In 2016, in October, a rather scandalous rumor appeared that the dancer hated Russia with all his heart. However, it turned out that with these loud headlines in the newspapers, journalists indicated Mikhail’s past status as a “defector.” In addition, Mikhail Baryshnikov became the main character of the exhibition of one famous photographer - Robert Wiltman. His exhibition was called "Mikhail Baryshnikov. Metaphysics of the Body."

In 2017, in August, the dancer was included in the top 100 most influential Russian people of this century, who were named by Forbes magazine. In the same year, Mikhail received Latvian citizenship.

Dancer parts

Mikhail Baryshnikov performed the following roles:

• 1969 - L.V. Yakobson in “Vestris”.
• 1969 - I. A. Chernyshova in “Romeo and Julia” to the music of Hector Berlioz.
• 1970 - K. M. Sergeeva in “Hamlet” to the music of N. P. Chervinsky.
• 1971 - N.D. Kasatkina and V.Yu. Vasilev in “The Creation of the World” to the music of A.P. Petrov.
• 1974 - M. Murdmaa in the ballet “Daphnis and Chloe” to the music of Maurice Ravel.
• 1976 - J. Neumeier in “Hamlet: accompanying” to the music of A. Copland.
• 1976 - A. Ailey in “Duke's Pa” to the music of Duke Ellington.
• 1976 - Tuyla Tharp in “From Sample to Deed” to the music of Joseph Haydn.
• 1976 - J. Balanchine, J. Robbins in “Other Dances” to the music of F. Chopin.
• 1979 - J. Balanchine, J. Robbins in “Opus 19” to the music of Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev.
• 1978 - R. Petit in “The Queen of Spades” to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
• 1983 - Tuayla Tharp in “The Little Ballet” to the music of Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov.
• 1984 - Tuyla Tharp in “Sinatra Suite” to the music of F. Sinatra.
• 1985 - F. Ashton in “A Month in the Country” to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
• 2015 - Robert Wilson in “Letter to a Man.”

From September 14 to 30, 2018, you can see Mikhail Baryshnikov in Tbilisi, where the annual International theater festival.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth noting that Mikhail Baryshnikov is a very successful and popular choreographer and classical ballet dancer. He was able to win the love of viewers not only in the USSR, but also in the United States of America. Despite all the difficulties of moving and the language barrier in the USA, Baryshnikov was able to achieve a lot in his life, building an incredible career. He was able to achieve success not only in ballet, but also in cinema, playing unforgettable roles.

28.04.2013 7802

Mikhail Baryshnikov was born on January 27, 1948 in Riga. In 1974 he went on tour to Canada and decided to stay there. He was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

Biography

Mikhail Baryshnikov was born into the family of a Soviet officer. The Baryshnikov family moved to Latvia when Mikhail’s father was sent to serve. Baryshnikov the father was a cruel man, his relationship with his wife and son did not work out. Misha's mother tried to instill in him a love of beauty: she went with him to the theater and philharmonic society. When the boy was 10 years old, he announced that he wanted to study at a ballet school and planned to take the exam. Mikhail began studying at the Riga Choreographic School. He wanted to be a soloist on stage, but his short stature was an obstacle. One day, teacher Helena Tangieva told him that he needed to grow up. Mikhail Baryshnikov performed complex exercises every day, overcoming pain. So future artist grew by 4 centimeters.

Mikhail Baryshnikov, photo in his youth

At the age of 12, Misha’s mother took Misha to her grandmother on the Volga, and she returned back to Riga, where she committed suicide. What caused this act is still unknown. The father soon married for the second time. Mikhail's life in his father's new family was not easy. Mikhail Baryshnikov already showed himself as a strong and purposeful person in his youth. He moves to Leningrad, and since then has not communicated with his dad.

In 1964, the Latvian National Opera came on tour to Leningrad. The name of Mikhail Baryshnikov was also on the posters. One of the artists brought him to the Leningrad School of Choreography. First, Mikhail became a student at famous school Russian ballet, and then - a soloist of the Mariinsky Theater. IN Mariinskii Opera House Mikhail Baryshnikov entered in 1967 and served there for 7 years.

In 1973 he received the title People's Artist RSFSR.

In 1974, as part of the Bolshoi Theater troupe, he went on tour to Canada. He decides not to return to the USSR and asks for political asylum and becomes a “defector.” The decision to stay in the West was not easy for him.

On July 27, 1974, the artist first appeared before American viewers. He danced the role of Giselle on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.

From 1974-1978 he worked in the troupe of the American Ballet Theatre.

From 1980-1989 he worked there, but already in the status of director, choreographer and soloist.

From 1990 to 2002 he led the White Oak Project troupe in Florida. The troupe was organized jointly with Mark Morris.

Since 2005, he has been the artistic director of the Mikhail Baryshnikov Arts Center.

Ballet

Mikhail Baryshnikov is an outstanding dancer of the 20th century. Masterly technique, pure style and incredible physical strength- all this made him one of the most famous representatives of male dance in the 20th century. Mikhail Baryshnikov is a migrant of whom Russia is proud. He earned his place on stage by being able to jump higher and land lower than other dancers.

Ballet miniature “Vestris”

This is the number with which Mikhail Baryshnikov performed at the First international competition ballet dancers in Moscow in 1969. Then he won first place and gold medal. Maya Plisetskaya, as a member of the jury, gave him 13 points out of a maximum possible 12. The miniature was inspired by the image of the legendary 18th century dancer Gaetano Vestris, who was nicknamed “the god of dance.”

Furor in Russia

In 1973, Mikhail Baryshnikov was allowed to organize a creative evening and choose his own repertoire at the Mariinsky Theater. He invited modern choreographers to stage ballet dances in one act. That evening the dancer performed “Prodigal Son”, “Divertimento”, “Dunfis and Chloe”. This event became the pinnacle of his creativity in Russia.

Ballet A. Adam "Giselle"

In the role of Prince Albert, Baryshnikov appeared on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera a month after his “escape” to the West in 1974. His partner was Natalya Makarova. The performance had incredible success: At the first performance the curtain was raised 24 times. Mikhail Baryshnikov's interpretation of the image of the prince differed from that accepted in Soviet ballet: he played the tragedy of high romantic love, and not a social drama. The audience was delighted with him impeccable technique, spirituality and charisma, the power of which influenced other artists.

Ballet by L. Minkus “Don Quixote”

While working at the American Ballet Theater, he created his own production classic work, which was based on 19th century choreography. The dancer himself calls her “chaotic, but beloved.”

In this interpretation, Don Quixote was later shown in many theaters around the world. Mikhail Baryshnikov performed in this performance as the barber Basil. His “Dance with Cups” is recognized as one of the masterpieces of world ballet art.

Ballet by I. Stravinsky “Apollo”

The performance of the legendary choreographer George Balanchine, which was first staged by him during Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons. It was conceived as an example of neoclassical ballet. At the center of the performance is the image of Apollo and his relationship with three nymphs: Terpsichore, Calliope and Polyhymnia. Mikhail Baryshnikov in the role of Apollo embodied the image of the Creator God, who achieves his greatness with the help of art.

New York City Ballet

In 1978, Mikhail Baryshnikov began working with Balanchine at the New York City Ballet. Then the theater depended on the location of the invited stars. But Mikhail Baryshnikov unexpectedly announced that he would not enter into contracts with celebrities. His choreography of “The Nutcracker” and “Don Quixote” was liked by the public, but in 1984 his “Cinderella” came under attack from critics, despite the fact that it was very popular and gave the opportunity to free oneself from debts. The reviews for “Swan Lake” were also critical, which plunged Mikhail Baryshnikov into depression. The setbacks were temporary. A year later, Mikhail Baryshnikov danced brilliantly in films.

Performance "Brodsky / Baryshnikov"

Theater is another area of ​​interest for Mikhail Baryshnikov. He took part in various productions, but the play “Brodsky / Baryshnikov” deserves special attention. This is a one-man show performed by dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov, who created specially for the artist artistic director New Riga Theater Alvis Hermanis. The production is based on poems Nobel laureate Brodsky.

Joseph Brodsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov met in New York in 1974 and were friends until the poet’s death. He congratulated Mikhail Baryshnikov on his birthday in 1996 on the eve of his death. “Baryshnikov / Brodsky” is a poetic journey through the poet’s life, a story about death, about the hell of loneliness and exile, about the Russian people, about the impossibility of returning to Russia. It’s also about the touching friendship between Mikhail Baryshnikov and Brodsky.

Brodsky’s soulful poetry and Mikhail Baryshnikov’s stunning plasticity, who, according to the audience, “moves like God,” make you experience real catharsis. On June 23, 2017, the performance will be performed in Zurich. The Mikhail Kozhukhov Travel Club is organizing this truly amazing event, accompanied by famous people. Walking around the city, getting to know the culture of Germany and attending a performance in pleasant company is a dream that can come true.

Movies

The filmography of Mikhail Baryshnikov is very diverse. He began his journey into cinema with Soviet films, documentaries and those where he played practically himself.

· In 1968 he made his debut in the concert film “The City and the Song”, playing the role of a dancer.

· 1969 was remembered for the role of Nikishka in the film-ballet “The Tale of the Serf Nikishka.”

· In 1970, the artist decorated documentary"Young Ballet of the World"

· In 1971, Mikhail Baryshnikov played the matador Pedro Romero in the television play based on E. Hemingway’s novel “Fiesta.”

· 1977 became significant thanks to the role of dancer Yuri Kopeikin in the film “The Turning Point”. Mikhail Baryshnikov was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. In this film the artist proved that he can act dramatic roles as talented as she is at dancing. For which he received nominations for an Oscar and a Golden Globe. In one of the episodes of the film, Mikhail Baryshnikov plays the guitar and performs a song of his close friend Vladimir Vysotsky "House of Crystal".

· In 1977, Mikhail Baryshnikov played the Prince in The Nutcracker.

· 1980 was remembered for the role of Jose in Carmen.

· 1984 presented the opportunity to play Basil in Don Quixote.

· In 1985, Mikhail Baryshnikov played the dancer Kolya Rodchenko in the film “White Nights,” which is largely autobiographical: Mikhail’s hero, just like he himself once did, flees to the West in search of freedom. The film contains footage filmed on the streets of Leningrad, which was secretly filmed by Finnish cameramen especially for the film. The most famous episode of the film is Mikhail Baryshnikov’s incredible dance to Vladimir Vysotsky’s song “Fasicky Horses.”

· 1987 gave him the role of Tony in the film “Dancers”.

· In 1991, Mikhail Baryshnikov played Cesar for Peter Sellars' film The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (a remake of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligarri).

· In the same year, Mikhail Baryshnikov played Pyotr Ivanovich Grushchenko in the film “The Business of the Company.”

· In 2004, Mikhail Baryshnikov graced the finale of the 6th season of the series Sex and the City, playing the Russian artist Alexander Petrovsky. Alexander is the lover of Sarah Jessica Parker's heroine, Carrie Bradshaw.

As Parker later admitted, the team was worried, wondering whether the “tough guy” would agree to filming. One of the scenes from “Sex and the City” was filmed in the artist’s restaurant “Russian Samovar”. For nine hours of work on the premises, the producers paid $10,000. The hero of Mikhail Baryshnikov, the artist Alexander Petrovsky, offered his beloved a national drink - tea with cherries.

· In 2011, a film was released about a boy who dreamed of dancing - “My Dad Baryshnikov.”

· In 2014, Mikhail played the role of Russian Interior Minister Sergei Sorokin for the film “Jack Ryan: Chaos Theory.”

Books

On the Internet you will find many articles and scattered facts about the dancer, but the most complete picture of his personal and professional life can be obtained from books.

· Alovert N. Mikhail Baryshnikov. I chose my destiny. - M.: AST-Press Book, 2006. - 344 p.

This is the first Russian book about the famous Russian ballet dancer, who has become an American idol since the mid-70s of the last century. The author of the book is ballet photographer and critic Nina Alovert. She is a witness creative path Mikhail Baryshnikov, which began in Leningrad, continued at the Kirov Theater, and then in the West.

The book captivatingly talks about love, life, friends and colleagues of the artist, difficult relationships in the troupe, the reason that forced him to stay in the West, and much more.

Nina Alovert managed to create an amazing photo chronicle - from the moment she graduated from the Leningrad Choreographic School to the dramatic performance “Doctor and Patient”, with which Mikhail Baryshnikov celebrated the 30th anniversary of his creative life in the West.

· Krasovskaya V. Mikhail Baryshnikov // Dance Profiles. - St. Petersburg: Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova, 1999. - P. 331-352. - 400 s.

The collection of the largest ballet scholar Vera Krasovskaya combines articles different years about the fate of outstanding artists who graduated from the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova. This book puts the history of the School and Theater into perspective. Mikhail Baryshnikov is given a whole chapter. In it you can find Interesting Facts about the creative life of the artist.

Personal life of Mikhail Baryshnikov

Actress Jessica Lange was one of the main women in the life of Mikhail Baryshnikov. They met in a restaurant. When Mikhail Baryshnikov found out that Jessica was “King Kong’s girl,” he decided to woo her. In this union a daughter, Alexandra, appeared. Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lang lived together for quite a long time, but eventually broke up. In 1982, she left Misha for actor Sam Shepard and took her daughter with her.

Jessica Lange and Mikhail Baryshnikov

Mikhail later spoke about the breakup with regret: “She is one of the very few women I have loved.”

Another one significant woman- Liza Minnelli. After each performance that took place in New York, she flew on a plane to see the genius (as she called him) in Washington. After breaking up, the former lovers managed to maintain friendly relations.

For more than 20 years, the ballet dancer has been married to former ballerina Lisa Reinhart, the granddaughter of the outstanding theater director Max Reinhart. The fruits of this love were the children of Mikhail Baryshnikov: Peter, Anna and Sofia. Anna Baryshnikova - actress. She is often accompanied by her famous father at film premieres.

Interesting Facts

The name of Mikhail Baryshnikov is mentioned in the youth comedy “American Pie”. At a wedding banquet, one character says to another: “I’ll teach you to dance like Baryshnikov.”

The name of the ballet dancer was repeatedly mentioned in the American animated series “The Simpsons”.

Sergei Dovlatov often mentioned Mikhail Baryshnikov in his diary.

Mikhail Baryshnikov appears in E. Limonov’s work “The Story of His Servant” as Lodyzhnikov.

Stephen King wrote about the artist in his novel “Needful Things.”

Joseph Brodsky dedicated several poems to his friend: “Classical ballet is a castle of beauty...” (collection “Part of Speech”) and “We used to water the lawn from a watering can...” (book “Landscape with a Flood”).

The dancer is “remembered” in the song Guacala Que Rico, performed by the Mexican group Molotov.

Mikhail Baryshnikov was friends with Vladimir Vysotsky.

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Vladimir Vysotsky

Together with his close friend, poet Joseph Brodsky and literary critic Roman Kaplan, in the late 80s, Mikhail Baryshnikov opened the Russian Samovar restaurant. Mikhail invested all his saved money, and Brodsky invested the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Mikhail Baryshnikov was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in the film The Turning Point. The film did not receive any of the 11 nominations in which it was presented.

The future Princess of Wales Diana did not miss a single performance of the artist. Once I stood in line to get a dancer’s autograph.

Mikhail Baryshnikov also tried to engage in other, non-restaurant business: he produced Misha perfume, a clothing brand for Baryshnikov dancers.

In order to open his center, Mikhail Baryshnikov sold a painting from his extensive collection - “View of St. Petersburg” by Pyotr Vereshchagin. The painting sold for $740,000.

In April 2017, Mikhail Baryshnikov received Latvian citizenship.

On April 19, 2017, Mikhail Baryshnikov’s pointe shoes with his autograph were exhibited at the auction evening “Art for Life,” organized by charitable foundation“Finding Opportunity” at the Moscow restaurant La Prima. The goal of the organizers was to raise funds for the construction of a residential building rehabilitation center"Chaika", which helps people with disabilities and cerebral palsy.

Mikhail Baryshnikov's ballet shoes went under the hammer for 1,000,000 rubles.

Poem by Joseph Brodsky - to Mikhail Baryshnikov

Classical ballet is a castle of beauty,
whose gentle tenants from the harsh prose of days
the sawing pit of the orchestra
separated. And the bridges are closed.

We squeeze our butts into imperial soft plush,
and, winged with cursive thighs,
a beauty you won't lie with,
in one leap he flies out into the garden.

We see the forces of evil in brown tights,
and an angel of goodness in an indescribable package.
And has the power to awaken from Elysian hibernation
ovation from Tchaikovsky and Co.

Classic ballet! Art better days!
When your grog hissed and they kissed you on both sides,
and the reckless drivers raced, and bobeobi was sung,
and if there was an enemy, then it was Marshal Ney.

The pupils of the policemen had yellow domes.
In which nests they were born, they died in those nests.
And if anything flew into the air,
it was not a bridge, but Pavlova.

How glorious it is in the evening, in the distance of All Rus',
Baryshnikov to mature. His talent has not faded!
Leg strain and torso cramp
with rotation around its own axis

give birth to the flight whose soul
how the girls were waiting, ready to get angry!
What about where it will land...
the ground is hard everywhere; I recommend the USA.