Pyotr Gusev
Encyclopedia
Pyotr Andreyevich Gusev was a ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. He was born on 29. December, 1904 in St. Petersburg. He studied at the St. Petersburg School of Choreography under Alexandr Shiryayev. He was a friend of George Balanchine
and joined his Young Ballet group. He graduated in 1924 and joined the Kirov Ballet. He married Olga Mungalova, a ballet dancer at Kriov. In 1935 he left the Kirov and joined the Bolshoy in Moscow
as a soloist. He was dancing with such ballerinas as Galina Ulanova
and Maya Plisetskaya
.
In 1945 he decided to finish his stage career and became the artistic director of the Kirov, then the Maly Theatre
and later the Novosibirsk Theatre. He was also teaching at various schools and took up the role of the ballet master in the Stanislavsky Theatre.
He also worked abroad. Especially important was his work in China
between 1958 and 1960. He set up the first ballet academies in Beijing
, Shanghai
and Guangzhou
and also taught the first generation of Chinese ballet dancers in those institutions.
From 1966 he taught at the Leningrad Conservatory first as a teacher then from 1973 as a professor. He retired in 1983.
In 1982 the UNESCO
accepted his suggestion to declare April the 29 as the International Dance Day
. He played the role of Marius Petipa
in the film Pavlova, a film made for the memory of Anna Pavlova in 1983.
and Lev Ivanov
throughout his career, though he is often not credited for his choregraphic revisions. In 1955 he presented a new version of Le Corsaire
with the ballet historian Yuri Slonimsky for the Ballet of the Maly/Mikhailovsky Theatre
. Today Gusev's production of Le Corsaire is included in the repertory of the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet. Gusev's revision of the choreography of the scene Le Jardin animé from Le Corsaire is included in several productions of the ballet, notably American Ballet Theatre
and the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet's productions, and is considered the standard choreographic text.
Gusev also staged a new one-act version of the 1900 Petipa/Drigo ballet Les Millions d’Arlequin under the title Harlequinade for the Ballet of the Maly Theatre, a production that was largely based on Fyodor Lopukhov's version of 1933 for the same company. Today Gusev's staging is performed by several Russian ballet companies.
Pyotr Gusev also created several divertissement
s fashioned from the old ballets of Petipa. In the 1940s he created the so-called The Talisman pas de deux fashioned from music taken from the 1889 Petipa/Drigo ballet Le Talisman. Gusev also created the so-called Harlequinade pas de deux, set to music taken from Petipa's Les Millions d’Arlequin.
In 1947 Gusev choreographed a new version of the Variation de Gamzatti from the 1877 Petipa/Minkus ballet La Bayadère
for Natalia Dudinskaya
. Today Gusev's choreography is the standard version performed by ballet companies throughout the world.
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
and joined his Young Ballet group. He graduated in 1924 and joined the Kirov Ballet. He married Olga Mungalova, a ballet dancer at Kriov. In 1935 he left the Kirov and joined the Bolshoy in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
as a soloist. He was dancing with such ballerinas as Galina Ulanova
Galina Ulanova
Galina Sergeyevna Ulánova is frequently cited as being one of the greatest 20th Century ballerinas. Her flat in Moscow is designated a national museum, and there are monuments to her in Saint Petersburg and Stockholm....
and Maya Plisetskaya
Maya Plisetskaya
Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya , born is a Russian ballet dancer, frequently cited as one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century. Maya danced during the Soviet era at the same time as the great Galina Ulanova, and took over from her as prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi in 1960...
.
In 1945 he decided to finish his stage career and became the artistic director of the Kirov, then the Maly Theatre
Maly theatre
The Maly Theatre, or Mali Theatre, may refer to one of several different theatres:* The Maly Theatre , also known as The State Academic Maly Theatre of Russia, in Moscow...
and later the Novosibirsk Theatre. He was also teaching at various schools and took up the role of the ballet master in the Stanislavsky Theatre.
He also worked abroad. Especially important was his work in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
between 1958 and 1960. He set up the first ballet academies in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and also taught the first generation of Chinese ballet dancers in those institutions.
From 1966 he taught at the Leningrad Conservatory first as a teacher then from 1973 as a professor. He retired in 1983.
In 1982 the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
accepted his suggestion to declare April the 29 as the International Dance Day
International Dance Day
International Dance Day has been celebrated on April 29 through promotion by the International Dance Council , an umbrella organization within UNESCO for all kinds of dance....
. He played the role of Marius Petipa
Marius Petipa
Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....
in the film Pavlova, a film made for the memory of Anna Pavlova in 1983.
Contribution to the ballet repertory
Pyotr Gusev revised many of the ballets of Marius PetipaMarius Petipa
Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....
and Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanovich Ivanov was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet....
throughout his career, though he is often not credited for his choregraphic revisions. In 1955 he presented a new version of Le Corsaire
Le Corsaire
Le Corsaire is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem The Corsair by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to the music of Adolphe Adam, it was first presented by the ballet of...
with the ballet historian Yuri Slonimsky for the Ballet of the Maly/Mikhailovsky Theatre
Mikhaylovsky Theatre
The Mikhaylovsky Theatre is one of the oldest opera and ballet houses in Russia. It was founded in 1833 and is situated in a historical building on the Arts Square in St. Petersburg...
. Today Gusev's production of Le Corsaire is included in the repertory of the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet. Gusev's revision of the choreography of the scene Le Jardin animé from Le Corsaire is included in several productions of the ballet, notably American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
and the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet's productions, and is considered the standard choreographic text.
Gusev also staged a new one-act version of the 1900 Petipa/Drigo ballet Les Millions d’Arlequin under the title Harlequinade for the Ballet of the Maly Theatre, a production that was largely based on Fyodor Lopukhov's version of 1933 for the same company. Today Gusev's staging is performed by several Russian ballet companies.
Pyotr Gusev also created several divertissement
Divertissement
Divertissement is used, in a similar sense to the Italian 'divertimento', for a light piece of music for a small group of players, however the French term has additional meanings....
s fashioned from the old ballets of Petipa. In the 1940s he created the so-called The Talisman pas de deux fashioned from music taken from the 1889 Petipa/Drigo ballet Le Talisman. Gusev also created the so-called Harlequinade pas de deux, set to music taken from Petipa's Les Millions d’Arlequin.
In 1947 Gusev choreographed a new version of the Variation de Gamzatti from the 1877 Petipa/Minkus ballet La Bayadère
La Bayadère
La Bayadère is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. La Bayadère was first performed by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on...
for Natalia Dudinskaya
Natalia Dudinskaya
Natalia Mikhailovna Dudinskaya was a Russian prima ballerina who dominated the Kirov Ballet in the 1930s and 1940s.Dudinskaya's mother was Natalia Tagliori, a ballerina coached by Enrico Cecchetti. Trained by Agrippina Vaganova, Dudinskaya matriculated from her school in 1931. She danced all the...
. Today Gusev's choreography is the standard version performed by ballet companies throughout the world.