Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova, known as a prima ballerina of the Mikhailovsky Theatre, the London Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre.
Natalya was born in Moscow in 1986. Masterfully controlling her body, she became interested in gymnastics, however, after two years, this type of self-development had to be abandoned - seven-year-old Natasha received a serious injury that precluded further studies. On the advice of the coach, the parents took the girl to ballet school, where Natalya found herself and her business in for many years. She later received professional training at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.
The creative path of Natalya Osipova / Natalya Osipova
Ten years after the first exercise at the machine, Osipova has already been accepted into ballet troupe Bolshoi Theater. Four years later she plays leading roles, and in 2010 she becomes a prima ballerina. However, wanting to develop further, in 2011 Natalya moved to St. Petersburg and there became the prima of the Mikhailovsky Theater.
At the same time, the ballerina takes part in foreign productions: she is increasingly invited to perform at the Grand Opera, La Scala, the Royal Opera of London, the American Ballet Theater, and the London Royal Ballet.
However, despite the great demand for classical ballet, Natalya is increasingly looking towards modern dance. According to the artist, her injuries and the routine of ballet rehearsals led to this decision.
Into the modern world dance shows yesterday's ballerina enters not alone, but with her partner, scandalous Sergei Polunin. Together they perform in a production of three one-act ballets on the stage of Sadler's Wells Theater in London.
Natalya Osipova: “When we united, many thought that I had gone crazy. They immediately began to give me all sorts of advice. But I always did what I wanted. And if my heart tells me that I should do just that, then that’s what I will do.”
Critics still assess Osipova’s new style as controversial and in need of improvement, but at the same time they do not lose faith that Natalya will still win the favor of the public in modern dance.
Natalia Osipova is called one of the best ballerinas in the world. Appearing on the ballet horizon, she quickly made a dizzying and incredible career. But first things first.
How the future prima came to ballet
Natalya Osipova was born on May 18, 1986 in Moscow. At the age of five, her parents sent their daughter to the gymnastics section. In 1993, the girl received serious injury back, and playing sports was out of the question. The coaches recommended that Natalia's parents send their daughter to ballet. From that moment on, Natalya Osipova and ballet became synonymous words.
Natalya completed her ballet training at the Moscow Academy of Choreography. Upon completion educational institution joined the troupe of the famous Bolshoi Theater. Her debut took place in September 2004.
Career at the Bolshoi Theater
Natalya Osipova immediately attracted the attention of the capital's public. The whole of Moscow started talking about her brilliant jumps and flights. And already in the first theatrical season the ballerina danced many solo parts. She captivated the audience with her impeccable performance technique and fantastic lyricism.
In 2007, while on the triumphant tour of the Bolshoi Theater in London, on the stage of the world famous Covent Garden, Osipova was enthusiastically greeted by the English ballet public and was awarded the British National Award as the best ballerina of 2007 in the category " classical ballet».
Therefore, it is not at all surprising that since the fall of 2008, Natalya Osipova has become the leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater. The ballerina rehearsed her leading roles under the guidance of the outstanding teacher Marina Viktorovna Kondratieva. And there were not so few of them... Medora, Kitri, Sylphide - these images were brilliantly embodied on stage by Natalya Osipova. Giselle in her performance was especially remembered by the audience. In one of her interviews, Natalya admitted that this is her favorite part, and she strives to reveal to the audience not just a beautiful fairy tale, but real story with emotions and experiences. In 2009, the ballerina, at the invitation of the American Ballet Theater in New York, performed in the title roles in the ballets La Sylphide and Giselle on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.
Since May 2010, she received the status of prima of the Bolshoi Theater. In the same year, on tour in America, she again performed on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.
The creative life of ballerina Natalia Osipova after leaving the Bolshoi Theater
Natalya Osipova is a ballerina who is not like others. For her creative career Numerous fans are closely watching. For them it became a complete surprise departure from the Bolshoi Theater of the great star couple - Ivan Vasiliev and Natalya Osipova. In her interviews, the ballerina explains her decision with the desire to move forward and develop.
Since December 2011, Natalya Osipova has become the prima of the St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theater. Here the ballerina is provided with excellent working conditions. In December 2012, she received an invitation to work at the London Royal Ballet. In the same year, Osipova takes part in a gala concert dedicated to the diamond jubilee of Elizabeth II.
Currently, Natalya Osipova is a prima ballerina of the famous American Ballet Theater. In 2013, she was offered a permanent contract with the famous London Royal Ballet.
Personal life and creative plans
Natalya Osipova, whose personal life is constantly in the spotlight, never ceases to amaze lovers of gossip columns. Her fans still remember love triangle, which took shape at the Bolshoi Theater. The ballerina broke up with her fiancé after he fell in love with the dancer Natalya then left for London. After her departure, Vasiliev and Vinogradova got married.
Today Natalya Osipova's companion is famous artist ballet At one of the press conferences in London, the star couple officially confirmed that they were having an affair. Natalya Osipova also announced her departure from She decided to try herself in modern dance.
The upcoming performance with the participation of Polunin and Osipova “A Streetcar Named Desire” aroused great interest. This is their first collaboration on stage. They had never danced together before. The premiere will take place in the summer of 2016 in London at Sadler's Wells Theatre. Natalya will perform the role of Blanche in the play, and Sergei will dance Stanley.
Natalya is now recovering from her injury. She also plans to return to the Royal Ballet soon.
Evaluation of the work of Natalia Osipova
Milan, New York, Berlin, Paris, American Ballet Theatre, La Scala, Grand Opera - in a short period of time Natalya Osipova conquered all the leading dance capitals of the world and performed with the best ballet companies.
Her numerous prizes and awards are all a natural continuation of her successful career. The L. Massine Prize, awarded in Positano, Italy, the Benois de la dance prize, the prestigious jury award of the competition “ Golden mask" - this is far from full list awards won by the ballerina.
About how a career began, about romanticism and endurance, the Bolshoi and Mikhailovsky theaters, the Ratman and much more - in exclusive interview, recorded in the USA.
Natalya Osipova is the most unpredictable, most unusual ballerina of our time.
The ballet “Lost Illusions,” staged by choreographer Alexei Ratmansky to specially commissioned music by Leonid Desyatnikov, has been anticipated for a long time and with great trepidation. Desyatnikov’s reputation, like Ratmansky’s, is the most obvious: if not them, then who? Therefore, pre-premiere art preparation began long ago. Moreover, throughout the last season both the composer and the choreographer were consistent newsmakers. And not always of their own free will.
After graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School, she joined the Bolshoi Theater corps de ballet, but already in the first season she danced eight solo parts.
All of Moscow started talking about Osipova’s brilliant jumps and flights. Kitri, Giselle, Sylphide, Medora - the main roles followed one after another.
Her name became known to the ballet world in 2007, during the triumphant tour of the Bolshoi Theater in London. After Don Quixote, ballet critic Clive Barnes called her “a rare and wonderful talent,” and The Guardian newspaper advised ballet lovers to see Osipova at any cost: “Beg for tickets, steal, take away with a fight!”
New York, Paris, Milan, Berlin; American Ballet Theatre, Grand Opera, La Scala, Bavarian State Opera Ballet - in just a few years Osipova conquered all the ballet capitals of the world and performed with all the best ballet companies.
Her prizes and awards became a natural continuation of a dizzying career. Leonid Massine Prize, Golden Mask Jury Prize, Benois de la Dance Prize, Grand Prix of the International Ballet Prize Dance Open... Last fall, the whole world started talking about the ballerina again.
Osipova leaves the Bolshoi and on December 1, 2011 becomes a prima ballerina of the Mikhailovsky Theater.
I found Natasha in New York in the midst of rehearsals for “The Firebird” by I. Stravinsky. World premiere The ballet will take place at the end of March in California.
And before that, Natalya Osipova will perform for the first time in Chicago as part of the American Ballet Theater troupe. On March 24 she dances Giselle.
- Do you like to dance this part?
- This is one of my favorite games, if not the most favorite. Each of the great ballerinas of the past - Ulanova, Bessmertnova, Fracci, you can’t list them all - had her own Giselle.
"Giselle" is not a ballet in which you can amaze the audience technical methods. I perceive it as a dramatic performance. The main thing in it is to be sincere, to find your Giselle, to imagine yourself in this image.
- Do you think you have found this image or are you still searching?
- Live forever and learn. I will always continue to search for my Giselle. I just found the thread for this image. I have my own idea of what kind of Giselle she is. How well I reveal this image is not for me to judge. But in every performance I strive to discover something new.
When you first started rehearsing Giselle, ballet world They said: “This game is not for Osipova.” Have you heard such talk about yourself?
- Of course, I heard. Apart from my first role - Kitri in Don Quixote - each subsequent role (La Sylphide, Gamzatti, Aurora) caused bewilderment among those around me.
“How will she dance this performance when it’s not her thing at all?!” It was absolutely the same with Giselle. Nobody believed in me, and I myself, I can honestly say, approached this role with caution. Alexey gave it to me
I understand that my image probably lacks romance. That's why I pay more attention to realism.
I want viewers to see a story with real emotions and experiences, and not just a beautiful fairy tale.
- How do you like working with the American Ballet Theater troupe?
- I have been working with her for four years. At first, of course, it was difficult. ABT was the first foreign company I performed with. But then I got used to it, settled in.
I love dancing with ABT, I adore this company. Our legendary teacher Irina Aleksandrovna Kolpakova works here. I prepared all my American games with her. I have wonderful partners here!
After performing at the Bolshoi Theater, your partner David Hallberg became especially popular among Russian-speaking ballet lovers.
- David was my partner in the debut performance at ABT. It was just “Giselle”. The performance was wonderful, the impressions of it will remain with me for the rest of my life.
David is a wonderful person and a wonderful partner. I am very glad that I met him in my life and we danced more than one performance with him. We dance with him in Chicago.
It’s great that we’ll see you with him! Natasha, is it true that we should say thank you to Nina Ananiashvili for inviting ABT head Kevin McKenzie to take you to the theater?
- I know that this was Nina’s idea, for which I am incredibly grateful to her. She talked to Kevin about my coming to the theater.
“Natalya Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are leaving the Bolshoi for the Mikhailovsky Theater.” " Star couple Osipova-Vasiliev are leaving the Bolshoi Theater." “Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev have outgrown the Bolshoi.”
These and other headlines have dominated recently news feeds newspapers and magazines. The news from Moscow surprised the entire ballet world. Leading soloists, premieres on the Moscow stage, the pride of the Bolshoi - and suddenly leaving the theater.
Of course, in a conversation with Natalya Osipova, I could not ignore the main ballet news of recent times.
At the Bolshoi Theater everything became very predictable. I understood that I had already danced everything interesting and the repertoire would not increase...
We love Big very much. I can’t say anything negative about the theater or its partners. We just wanted to change something in life. I don't want to stop. I want to move forward and develop!
- Were you persuaded to stay?
- Everyone was not very pleased that we did this, and it was very difficult for us ourselves...
Of course, they were offended at us. We understand this. But on the other hand, we did not want to offend anyone with this decision. The troupe at the Bolshoi Theater is wonderful, but, unfortunately, our paths diverge.
Are you leaving forever or do you not rule out the possibility of returning to the theater as a guest prima ballerina?
- The Bolshoi Theater is our home. We grew up there, achieved recognition, our teachers work there.
I worked with my teacher Marina Viktorovna Kondratieva for seven years, and having recently arrived in Moscow, I continued to rehearse with her.
She will remain my main teacher for the rest of my life. We would not like to break off relations with the Bolshoi Theater. Of course, I would like to appear in the theater as guest artists.
- You have worked at the Bolshoi Theater since 2004. What have these seven years been like for you?
- Very bright! Every year was busy, there was a lot of work, and I did quite a lot. I reached a certain stage, became a ballerina, danced almost the entire classical repertoire, modern ballets, toured a lot...
And now the period has come when, with the accumulated experience, I will improve further... Time will tell whether this is the right decision. I don't regret it at all yet.
Your departure from the Bolshoi Theater coincided with the opening of the historical stage after reconstruction. Is this an accident?
- Certainly. At first we wanted to leave at the beginning of the year, but it didn’t work out. We had to leave at a time when the schedule for the next season was being drawn up.
In all European and American theaters this is done at the beginning of the season. If we had left in the winter, we would not have been able to build the next season the way we wanted. It just so happened.
- Why did you move from the Bolshoi Theater to the Mikhailovsky Theater?
- We really didn’t want to leave Russia. Vladimir Abramovich Kekhman ( General manager Mikhailovsky Theater. – Approx. author.) has long since approached me with an offer to join him in the theater.
At first we somehow didn’t take it seriously, but this season, when we decided to leave the Bolshoi, we started thinking about it. The St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theater is a progressive theater.
A wonderful choreographer, Nacho Duato, works there; there are performances that we are interested in dancing, for example, the ballet “Laurencia,” which is performed only at the Mikhailovsky Theater, plus the rest of the classical repertoire.
- How were you greeted at the theater?
- They created excellent conditions for us. Performances with our participation are staged at a time convenient for us, depending on our schedule. They promised that they would stage plays for us.
The troupe at Mikhailovsky is wonderful, and the theater is wonderful: cute, cozy, homely. We just wanted some intimacy after the Bolshoi Theater and huge amount people.
- It’s very nice that you joined the Mikhailovsky Theater troupe. He has always been in the shadow of the Mariinsky Theater...
- This different theaters. Mikhailovsky was always full of life, there were innovators, new and interesting ballets. Now the theater has very good prospects, and it is becoming interesting to the general public.
But you can’t escape competition in the ballet world! How did ballerinas Ekaterina Borchenko, Oksana Shestakova, and other Mikhailovsky prima dancers greet you? They danced the main roles, and then you come, and all the best is already yours, and they fade into the shadows...
- I didn’t notice this. On the contrary, we were being introduced to a new performance, and everyone sincerely tried to help us.
We are absolutely not stellar people. We don't have such habits. In addition, we dance one or two performances a month. I don't think we take much away from others.
We are all quite different. I have my own performances, they have theirs. That's why we don't take anything from anyone. We came with respect for the troupe.
- Have you moved to St. Petersburg?
- No, my house and my parents remained in Moscow. We don’t have our own housing in St. Petersburg. We come there while we dance.
We also spend time in America. Unfortunately, I now understand that we will practically not be in Moscow this year. Four to five days a year, no more.
Do you feel the difference in preparation? ballet dancers– graduates of the Vaganova and Moscow Choreographic Schools?
- We all represent one Russian ballet school, but we are different, just as Moscow and St. Petersburg are different. I have already danced so much in different troupes both in America and in Europe that I have absorbed a little from everyone.
I have a flexible nature, I adapt to any choreography. ( Laughs.) We are all different, but in general I think the Russian school is the best.
From the age of five, Natasha Osipova was engaged in artistic gymnastics. I came to ballet by chance, after a back injury. The coaches advised the parents to try ballet.
Natasha, if it weren’t for the injury, would you have continued doing gymnastics or were you still thinking about ballet?
- As a child, I didn’t have any thoughts about ballet, so I probably don’t rule out that if everything had worked out well for me, I would have continued to do gymnastics. My transition to ballet was truly an accident.
And if you were now told to rewind the “film of life” fifteen years ago, would you take the ballet path again?
- Yes, of course, and I would study even more persistently. On the one hand, it is difficult and difficult, on the other hand, it is very interesting. This is the meaning of life. Without ballet you can neither live nor breathe.
Already at the age of ten it is nice to realize that you have a profession, and at eighteen you are a ready-made professional and know what you are working for.
At the age of forty we finish our career, and we have half our life left to realize ourselves in something else.
- You still have everything ahead of you in ballet, so it’s too early to think about the second half of your life.
- Yes, I didn’t even work half of my term. ( Laughs.)
- Natasha, in 2007 in London you woke up famous. What is this test of glory?
- I don't know yet. You can’t even imagine what a colossal amount of work was done before I went on stage in London.
I was very young, and Alexei Ratmansky believed in me and let me dance Kitri in Don Quixote. I worked day and night preparing this performance.
I was so tired that I didn’t care anymore on stage. It was very difficult to withstand such tension, but in the end I received incredible pleasure from the performance.
Was wonderful press, and now I remember it like a fairy tale. On the other hand, it seems to me that at that moment I deserved it.
- Did you think, starting at the Bolshoi Theater with the corps de ballet, that you would immediately take on the main roles?
- From the first month at the Bolshoi Theater they started giving me variations, and in the corps de ballet I danced practically nothing. She immediately began dancing the leading parts.
- They write about you that you are physically very resilient. How do you withstand such stress?
- Sports training from childhood plus my “physics”. I was born this way. Strong by nature. Strong.
- But at the same time, no one canceled the machine and you continue to rehearse like everyone else?
- Always different. It depends on what performances and what schedule. Sometimes we don’t do the whole class. But we rehearse every day.
- The most banal question - favorite ballet role?
- They are all favorites, but in different times I like different parts more. Today – Juliet in Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. I don’t prepare for any game with such trepidation now. For me, Prokofiev’s music is space.
- This game is very romantic...
- Juliet is a very strong heroine. I can’t say that it is lyrical, it is rather lyrical-dramatic. She is real. She is a person.
- Do you have an idol in ballet?
- There are a lot of them, but I will name one - Rudolf Nureyev.
- Are there any parts that you haven’t danced yet, but that you dream about?
- I dream of many games. I always dream of dancing everything! In the near future I would like to dance Manon.
Soon I will dance Tatiana in the ballet “Eugene Onegin”. This year I will still have to dance “Swan Lake”, which I refused for so long.
Why? This is the peak that no ballerina can do without! Not dancing “Swan...” is the same as a musician never performing Bach and Mozart.
- It's hard to say why. I didn’t feel, didn’t understand this part, didn’t believe in myself, didn’t know what I wanted to say in this ballet.
Everyone is used to seeing swans beautiful and tall. I am different. Not tall, I don’t have stunningly beautiful lines.
“Physics” alone won’t take you there. Therefore, we need to tell the audience something incredibly interesting in this performance. Just a year ago I thought that I would never dance “Swan...” in my life! There wasn't even a desire.
But now I’m starting to understand what I would like. I think I should try it. If it’s not mine and I can’t do it, I’ll understand myself and won’t do it again. But you should definitely try it!
Please tell us about your work with Alexei Ratmansky. What sets him apart from many other contemporary choreographers?
- In my opinion, he is either one of the best or the best choreographer of modern ballet. He is incredible musical man, which is very important in ballet.
He stages ballets in almost any genre, works with any form and any content. He has his own language and his own handwriting. It's universal.
Ratmansky's choreography and his style cannot be confused with any other. He incredibly attracts artists when he shows, explains...
Every meeting with him is an interesting labyrinth with unknown ending. I danced in many of his performances, and they are all different.
“Flames of Paris”, avant-garde “Game of Cards”, “Russian Seasons”, “Middle Duet” - it is impossible to imagine that all these ballets were staged by one person! It is very diverse.
Your debut in Chicago is ahead. You don’t know the Chicago ballet crowd yet, but you are already familiar with the New York ballet crowd quite well. Is it different from the Russian one?
- Every audience in every country is very different from each other. But in America it's always nice to dance. The audience is lively, receptive, reacts very warmly to everything and does not skimp on applause. People empathize and are not shy about expressing their emotions.
- Where is it more difficult to dance: on tour or at home?
- It’s always more difficult to dance at home.
- What about the expression “houses and walls help”?
- They seem to help, but they also require a lot.
Questions asked by Sergey Elkin (Chicago)
Natalya Osipova is one of the five best ballerinas in the world who managed to conquer the famous European stages. The girl’s career developed rapidly; at the age of 24, Natasha was already a prima dancer at the Bolshoi Theater. IN lately the ballerina worked in Europe and America, but in 2017 she decided to work in her homeland, and not just anywhere, but in provincial Perm. Her role called her there.
Childhood and youth
Natasha was born into a Muscovite family in 1986. When the girl was 5 years old, her parents took her to gymnastics, but her relationship with this area did not work out. Point at sports biography caused by a severe back injury. The coaches advised me to try my hand at dancing, so Natasha ended up in ballet.
Osipova has the Moscow Academy of Choreography behind her. From the walls of the educational institution, the girl went straight to the troupe of the legendary Bolshoi Theater, where she first appeared on stage in the fall of 2004.
Ballet
The capital's public fell in love with young ballerina. Ballet connoisseurs never ceased to admire the brilliant jumps and flights, the lyricism of the image and the perfect technique of performance. In the very first season, Natasha began to be trusted with solo parts. The actress lasted seven years at the Bolshoi.
In 2007, Natalya Osipova, as part of a grand tour, performed for the first time on the stage of the famous London Covent Garden. The audience warmly welcomed the ballerina, who also received the British national award in the category “classical ballet”. A year later, her native theater awarded the talented girl the title of leading dancer.
Natasha tried on the images of Kitri in the production of Don Quixote, Sylphide in the ballet of the same name, and Medora in The Corsair. The role of Giselle caused a storm of admiration. However, the brilliant performance is understandable, because this is Osipova’s favorite character of all that she had the chance to embody. The girl admitted to journalists that every time she went on stage, she tried to convey the emotions and experiences of a fairy tale.
In the spring of 2010, the ballerina reached the pinnacle of her career at the Bolshoi Theater, becoming its prima. At the same time, the dancer received offers from the leaders of foreign temples of Melpomene. The American Ballet Theater turned out to be particularly persistent; at the invitation, Natalia shone several times at the New York Metropolitan Opera, dancing in “Giselle” and “La Sylphide”.
In 2011, Russian ballet fans were surprised by the news that Osipova and her partner had left the Bolshoi. The star couple went to St. Petersburg, where Natalya was appointed prima singer of the Mikhailovsky Theater.
Later, the actress told the press that in Moscow she was “overstayed at being young”, her repertoire froze in one place - the girl did not want to remain the eternal Kitri. And in the St. Petersburg theater the field for unlocking potential turned out to be wider. The dancer transformed into Odette in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and the princess in Sleeping Beauty.
Every year Osipova's star burned brighter. Soon the girl was invited to the London Royal Ballet (Coven Garden), and in 2012 she already performed at a grand concert in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign. The invited soloist managed to dance three " Swan Lakes", Carlos Acosta became his working partner. In the future, the theater signed a permanent contract with the artist.
For short term Natalia managed to become a world celebrity, performing with the best troupes on the planet on the stages of Milan, Berlin, Paris, and New York. She became the prima of the American ballet theater. Plus, Natalya Osipova is the winner of numerous awards. Her collection includes the Golden Mask, the Leonid Massine Prize, the Benois de la dance prize, and the Grand Prix of the International Ballet Award “Dance Open”.
There was a time when Natalya betrayed classical ballet. The girl tried her hand at modern dance.
Personal life
Ballet fans admired beautiful novel, which flared up between Natalya Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev almost from the moment they graduated from the choreographic academy. Fans were convinced that the couple would definitely go down the aisle, but they were overtaken by disappointment. The Bolshoi Theater prima and Vasiliev broke up. The reason was love young man to the dancer Maria Vinogradova, who later became his wife.
At the Italian La Scala theater during a rehearsal for the production of Giselle, Natalya met already famous actor ballet Before this, the man managed to appear at social events with his colleague Yulia Stolyarchuk, but one day fans suddenly noticed a tattoo of the inscription “Natalia” on the dancer’s hand. The couple later admitted at a London press conference that they were in love.
The ballet stars first appeared on stage together in 2016, performing the roles of Blanche and Stanley in the play A Streetcar Named Desire. In May 2017, rumors spread that the ballet actors had broken up; Natalia allegedly preferred an unknown conductor to Sergei, although the couple still published joint photos on Instagram.
In every interview, journalists do not forget to take an interest in the actress’s personal life, but Osipova is not verbose on this matter. In one of her last conversations with representatives of the press, she noted:
“We communicate very well, we still have a good and even wonderful relationship.”
Natalya Osipova now
In 2017, on the official website of Perm opera house there was good news that Natalya was becoming his prima. It was Osipova's decision. The girl told media representatives that one evening she thought that she had not danced “Romeo and Juliet” for a long time, a performance in which the actress brings great pleasure to work. Having looked through all the world's theaters, I did not find the production anywhere, only in the Russian provinces. A call from a ballerina of such magnitude surprised and incredibly pleased Alexey Miroshnichenko, director Perm Ballet.
Osipova’s first performance as a prima singer was the play “The Nutcracker,” or rather, its original version. In a non-trivial production, the authors tried to convey the depth and tragedy of the music. The work is also notable for the fact that, unlike the original, it has a happy ending. On February 1, 2018, the premiere of “The Nutcracker” took place at the Moscow State Kremlin Palace. Natalya dances in a play with actor Nikita Chetverikov.
In the spring, the ballet star performed at the Mariinsky Theater in the role of Queen Mekhmene Banu in the play “The Legend of Love.” Together with choreographer Vladimir Varnava, he is preparing “Cinderella” for the August premiere in America, after which the production will come to Russia.
Trailer for the film "Dancer"On May 26, Channel One showed documentary film about Sergei Polunin “Dancer”. Director Stephen Cantor presented a study of the dancer’s life, combining family chronicles, archival materials and interviews with friends and relatives. Natalya Osipova also took part in the creation of the film.
Parties
- Spanish Bride, Swan Lake
- Marie, "The Nutcracker"
- Queen Mekhmene Banu, “The Legend of Love”
- Anna Anderson, "Anastasia"
- Giselle, "Giselle"
- La Sylphide, "La Sylphide"
- Medora, "Corsair"
- Esmeralda, "Esmeralda"
- Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty
- Juliet, "Romeo and Juliet"
- Laurencia, "Laurencia"
- Kitri, Don Quixote
- Aegina, Spartak
- Firebird, "Firebird"
- Carmen, "Carmen Suite"
Natalya Osipova - this name says a lot to ballet lovers. Some compare her to the Great Maya. This is very flattering for the dancer, but she rejects such compliments, believing that she still has a lot of work to do.
Ballerina standards
Her parameters are considered very suitable for ballet: height 167 cm, weight 46 kg. Natalya Osipova is very proportionate, and thanks to her natural abilities and, of course, talent, she received a lot of magnificent roles.
First steps
Natalya Petrovna Osipova was born on May 18, 1986 in Moscow. The parents took the five-year-old girl to gymnastics classes. But two years later she was injured. I had to leave gymnastics. The coaches gave recommendations to dejected parents: send their child to a ballet school. For ten years, Natasha Osipova mastered the technique and became imbued with the Russian approach to ballet parts at the choreography academy. Since that time, Natalya Osipova has not separated ballet from her life. Her debut took place in the Bolshoi Theater troupe in the early autumn of 2004. Four years later she was already dancing solo parts.
On the stage of the Bolshoi Theater
Balletomanes in Moscow immediately drew attention to the young dancer. She had amazing jumping-flights, virtuosic technique and lyrical performance. In her first season, Natasha Osipova received solo roles: Nancy in La Sylphide, a Spanish doll in The Nutcracker, and a Spanish bride in Swan Lake. She danced the entire classical repertoire at the Bolshoi.
Kitri's spectacular flight across half the stage, performed by Natalya Osipova, is vividly captured in the photograph. As the ballerina herself says, she was immediately carried onto the stage when she heard Minkus’ music. The fiery image of the bright Kitri will forever remain in the memory of many. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the new season of 2008, Natalya Osipova becomes the leading soloist of the Bolshoi. The ballerina learned all her parts under the guidance of the exceptional teacher M. V. Kondratieva. They created the images of Sylphide, Giselle, Medora, Swanilda, Nikia, Esmeralda. Continuing to increase her skills, the dancer gradually deepened her images. They became more insightful. Natalya Osipova especially loved Giselle. The ballerina said in one of her interviews that this is her favorite role, in which it is not just fairy tale, but a sad story about the fragility of love. It is natural that N. Osipova already became a prima ballerina in May 2010.
Foreign voyages
In 2007, the Bolshoi Theater toured London's Covent Garden. The British public and critics reacted kindly to the aspiring dancer. She received the National British Award from the critics' community as the best ballerina of "classical ballet". In 2009, Nina Ananiashvili recommended her to the American ballet theater New York.
In "La Sylphide" and "Giselle" she soared above the stage because she always tried to achieve a level of performance that no one else performs at. In 2010, she was again invited to America, where she performed the roles of Kitri, Juliet, and Aurora. She was accompanied there by simply crazy success, but in 2011 Natalya Osipova chose the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
On the banks of the Neva
Behind this is the desire to expand the repertoire. Will the choreographer be able to diversify the life of the artist and her constant partner Ivan Vasiliev? In any case, the Bolshoi is not canceling any plans related to these actors. The Mikhailovsky Theater did not give the actors any new dance experience, although the ballerina danced the most difficult part of Odette-Odile.
Immediately after her debut, the ballerina flew to America, where she had about 20 performances in 1.5 months: “Firebird”, “La Bayadère”, “Bright Stream”, “Romeo and Juliet”. There she is listed as a “guest star”.
In London
Already in 2012, Natalya Osipova accepted an offer from the London Royal Ballet. Since 2013, she has been assigned to permanent work in the troupe with an indefinite contract. In London she likes the discipline, the repertoire, the long schedule of preparing performances, when everything can be done to the smallest detail. She really appreciates the attention from the staff. Before the performance, the doctor always comes in several times and asks how you are feeling. Make-up artists will apply makeup, support staff will bring costumes and help you get dressed. This is not the case in Russia.
A little about personal
Natalya Osipova, whose personal life is always under close attention press, never ceases to amaze with its statements. She can say that she cannot imagine herself being lonely in old age. She needs a large circle of children and grandchildren. At the same time, she can say that her love lasts for two days, no more. For a long time, her affair with her partner Ivan Vasiliev was discussed. But he suddenly and quickly married ballerina Maria Vinogradova.
Sergei Polunin is now her constant partner and companion. They do not hide their relationship and have officially confirmed that they are having an affair. Polunin declares that he only wants to dance, looking into his partner’s eyes, with Natasha. They also have joint work plans.
Creative activity in modern ballet
The play “A Streetcar Named Desire” with Osipova and the infamous Polunin is being staged famous choreographers. N. Osipova said that she wants to try herself in modern ballet while she is young. This was also facilitated by a dislocated hip, which does not yet allow me to dance classically.
In the meantime, the play Qutb has already been staged. From Arabic it is translated as “axis” or “rod”. The three dancers intertwine their bodies without a hint of eroticism, because the creation of the world is shown.
We hope that N. Osipova will return to classical ballet, for which she was created, and will delight her fans with both familiar, beloved images and new ones, revealing all facets of her unique talent.