NUREYEV

The multi-award-winning ballet Nureyev, choreographed by Yuri Possokhov, composed by Ilya Demutsky and staged by visionary director Kirill Serebrennikov, premiered in December 2017 at Moscow’s world-famous Bolshoi Theatre. Even before its debut, the work caused a stir internationally. Now, the Staatsballett Berlin is bringing this extraordinary production to the stage for the first time outside Russia. 

In this ambitious production, ballet, opera and drama, supported by a large ensemble, merge into a powerful homage to the life and career of Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. His artistic brilliance and his refusal to bow to social or political boundaries made him an icon of both ballet and the wider art world. 

The story unfolds through a lavishly staged auction, where Nureyev’s personal belongings are put under the hammer. Yuri Possokhov and Kirill Serebrennikov interweave classical and contemporary aesthetics in striking scenes from Nureyev’s life, from his extraordinary career in the Soviet Union and his dramatic defection to the West, to his lasting influence on Western ballet. His relationships and his open expression of his homosexuality are also part of the narrative. Possokhov’s breathtaking choreography is a deeply layered artistic reflection on Nureyev’s personality and creative legacy, reviving both the classical ballet repertoire and the spirit of the age. The rich physical language of the Russian ballet tradition demands exceptional technical and dramatic skill from the ensemble. 

Following its acclaimed premiere in Russia, the ballet was praised for its emotional depth and visual power, and provoked intense debate. After the tightening of LGBTQ laws in 2022, Nureyev was removed from the Bolshoi’s repertoire on the grounds that it violated the ban on so-called «propaganda of non-traditional values.» 

This monumental dance event marks not only a major moment for the Staatsballett Berlin but also a rare chance to experience the extraordinary story of an artist who not only transformed the world of ballet but stood as a symbol of artistic freedom and individual self-determination.