NUREYEV
Nureyev
The definitive portrait of dance's greatest icon
Diane Solway’s Nureyev: The Life, published in 1998, stands as the most comprehensive and revealing biography of Rudolf Nureyev. Through exhaustive research and hundreds of interviews, Solway captures the tempestuous journey of a man who didn't just perform ballet, but transformed it into a global phenomenon through sheer willpower and unparalleled charisma.
The biography meticulously traces his humble beginnings in a remote Soviet town, born on a Trans-Siberian train, to his legendary defection at Le Bourget airport in Paris in 1961—a moment that became a pivotal Cold War event. Solway delves into the psychological complexities of a dancer who was as famous for his technical brilliance as he was for his notorious temper and insatiable appetite for art and life.
Beyond the stage, the book explores his profound artistic partnership with Margot Fonteyn, his direction of the Paris Opera Ballet, and his courageous, though private, battle with AIDS. It is a story of a boy from the Ural Mountains who became the most photographed and celebrated male dancer of the 20th century.
Critical Perspective
Solway avoids the trap of hagiography, presenting Nureyev in all his glory and difficulty. She illustrates how his "Leap to Freedom" was not just a political act, but a necessary step for his artistic evolution, allowing him to bridge the gap between classical purity and modern expression.
The book is a vivid tapestry of the high-society and artistic circles of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, serving as an essential document for anyone interested in the history of dance and the cost of genius.