Alexander Mikhailovich Plisetski (Russian: Александр Михайлович Плисецкий) (20 October 1931 — 29 October 1985) was a Russian ballet master and choreographer and a younger brother of the famous Russian ballerina Maya Plisetskaya.

Alexander Plisetski
Born(1931-10-20)20 October 1931
Moscow, Russia
Died29 October 1985(1985-10-29) (aged 54)
Moscow, Russia
OccupationBalletmaster
Spouse
Marianna Sedova
(m. 1969)
ChildrenAnna Plisetskaya
Parent(s)Mikhail Plisetski (father)
Rachel Messerer (mother)
RelativesMaya Plisetskaya (sister)
Azari Plisetski (brother)
Asaf Messerer (uncle)
Sulamith Messerer (aunt)
Boris Messerer (cousin)

Biography edit

Family edit

Alexander Plisetski was born on 20 October 1931 into the family of a diplomat and an actress, both of Lithuanian Jewish origin.

His father, Mikhail Plisetski (1899–1938), was Consul General of the USSR at the island of Spitsbergen, where he managed the coal concessions (trust "Arctic - carbon"). In 1938 he was purged, charged with espionage and executed. He was rehabilitated on 3 March 1956.

His mother, Rachel Messerer (1902–1993, also known as Ra Messerer), was a silent film actress. Shortly after her husband was arrested, she was sent to a labour camp in Kazakhstan named the “Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland in Akmolinsk [ru]”. During her imprisonment, Alexander stayed with the family of her brother, Asaf Messerer, while his elder sister, Maya Plisetskaya, who later became a famous ballerina, was placed in the custody of her sister Sulamith Messerer.

In 1969 Alexander married a ballerina, Marianna Sedova.[1] Their daughter, Anna Plisetskaya (born 1971),[2] became a ballerina and actress.

Career edit

Performances edit

In the period from 1973 to 1985, Alexander Plisetski staged several ballets, including:

Theatres which have hosted Plisetsi's productions include, The Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater, the National Opera of Ukraine, the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Sydney Opera House, the Finnish National Opera, the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and the Teatro Colón.

Death edit

Plisetski was in need of heart surgery, which should have been carried out in the United States by invitation from Igor Youskevitch; however, due to his choreographic commitments, the operation was postponed. In the last year of his life he was actively involved in the staging of Serenade for Strings, which premiered in Moscow in November 1984.

Plisetski died on 29 October 1985 in Moscow during heart surgery.

Awards and honours edit

Diploma of the Presidium of the Supreme Council

Reviews edit

  • "... The success of the ballet in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater and the Central Concert Hall is big and obvious ... one-act ballet to the music of "Serenade for Strings" by Tchaikovsky, resume carefully and anxiously. Alexander Plisetski was able to obtain from the corps de ballet of artistic disciplines, which does not exclude the spirituality of dance ... The very fact of staging "Serenade" looks like a wonderful symbol: Balanchine if returned to his homeland in the hold of his best creations..."[7]
  • " ... ballet "Serenade" (choreographer - tutor Alexander Plisetski) pleased with freshness and harmony of plastic paint ..."[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Marianna Sedova, spouse Archived 2011-01-14 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Anna Plisetskaya, daughter". Archived from the original on 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  3. ^ "Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos". Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  4. ^ ""Serenade for strings" - reviews, playbills". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  5. ^ ""Carmen - Suite" - reviews, playbills". Archived from the original on 2011-09-12. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  6. ^ Cuban National Ballet
  7. ^ Natalia Chernova "Pravda". - 1 December 1984
  8. ^ G. Inozemtseva "Soviet Culture". - 17 November 1984

External links edit