Valery Lantratov
Encyclopedia
Valery Lantratov
Valery Lantratov (Valeri Lantratov, Walerij Lantratov, Valeriy Lantratov. Moscow-born principal ballet dancer with the Moscow Stanislavsky and Kremlin ballets and general director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation. (Born April 24, 1958)
A graduate of the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, Lantratov was selected as a first soloist with the State Musical Theater K. Stanislavski and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko (Moscow Stanislavski Ballet). With the theater, he danced principal rôles in such ballets as Don Quixote, Coppélia
, Cinderella
and Romeo and Juliet
.
In 1986 Lantratov was awarded the title "Honored Artist of Russia," and in 1997, Russian president Boris Yeltsin
named Lantratov “People’s Artist of Russia,” the Russian Federation's highest artistic honor.
In 1991, he was one of eight soloists in Rudolf Nureyev
's "Farewell Tour" of the United Kingdom. During an engagement of this tour in Sunderland, England, Reuters
reported that the music broke down during a solo "leaving... Lantratov dancing to silence."
In 1993, Lantratov began working for the Kremlin Ballet. There he danced the rôle of Napoleon Bonaparte in the ballet Napoleon, Ruslan in a production Ruslan and Ludmilla directed by A. Petrov, Basil in Don Quixote, production by Vladimir Vasiliev
, Tibald in Romeo and Juliet by U. Grigorovich, and Coppelius in Koppelia, production by A. Petrov.
This same year, Lantratov formed the Russian National Ballet Foundation, a Moscow-based charitable organization with the purpose of promoting the traditional art of the Russian classical ballet and providing aesthetic education. Its creation was supported by the Moscow Actors’ Charitable Foundation under the guidance of Galina Ulanova
and the Stanislavsky and Nemorovich-Danchenko Moscow Musical Theater.
Lantratov has appeared in the United States as a guest artist with the Portland Ballet and Boston Ballet
and was a guest instructor with the Boston Ballet. From 2000-2003 Lantratov directed one of two touring companies for SMI, Inc's Moscow Ballet
and danced the rôle of Drosselmeier in the company's "Great Russian Nutcracker" production. "Valery Lantratov's Drosselmeier is young, vibrant and full of explosive energy," wrote reviewer Nancy Johnson. "The mischief in his eyes reaches the back of the house." In 2004, however, he publicly split with Moscow Ballet's U.S.-based production company.
In 2004, Lantratov premiered the rôle of Czar Nicholas II in the ballet Rasputin staged by the New Imperial Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, with the production being taken to Moscow in 2005. The ballet, which featured Farouk Ruzimatov
in the rôle of Rasputin, drew protests from Orthodox fundamentalists. Nicholas II was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000. The protestors objected to the depiction of a saint in ballet and especially to the concept of Nicholas II costumed in tights. Lantratov arranged a photoshoot with his costume to show that he would not wear tights in the production.
Lantratov is the father of Vladislav Lantratov of the Bolshoi Ballet
.
Valery Lantratov (Valeri Lantratov, Walerij Lantratov, Valeriy Lantratov. Moscow-born principal ballet dancer with the Moscow Stanislavsky and Kremlin ballets and general director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation. (Born April 24, 1958)
A graduate of the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, Lantratov was selected as a first soloist with the State Musical Theater K. Stanislavski and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko (Moscow Stanislavski Ballet). With the theater, he danced principal rôles in such ballets as Don Quixote, Coppélia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
, Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
and Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
.
In 1986 Lantratov was awarded the title "Honored Artist of Russia," and in 1997, Russian president Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
named Lantratov “People’s Artist of Russia,” the Russian Federation's highest artistic honor.
In 1991, he was one of eight soloists in Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
's "Farewell Tour" of the United Kingdom. During an engagement of this tour in Sunderland, England, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that the music broke down during a solo "leaving... Lantratov dancing to silence."
In 1993, Lantratov began working for the Kremlin Ballet. There he danced the rôle of Napoleon Bonaparte in the ballet Napoleon, Ruslan in a production Ruslan and Ludmilla directed by A. Petrov, Basil in Don Quixote, production by Vladimir Vasiliev
Vladimir Vasiliev (ballet dancer)
Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev , a Russian ballet dancer, was principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, and was best known for his role of Spartacus and his powerful leaps and turns.-Biography:Born in Moscow in 1940, the son of a truck driver, Vasiliev graduated from the Moscow Ballet School in 1958...
, Tibald in Romeo and Juliet by U. Grigorovich, and Coppelius in Koppelia, production by A. Petrov.
This same year, Lantratov formed the Russian National Ballet Foundation, a Moscow-based charitable organization with the purpose of promoting the traditional art of the Russian classical ballet and providing aesthetic education. Its creation was supported by the Moscow Actors’ Charitable Foundation under the guidance of 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 the Stanislavsky and Nemorovich-Danchenko Moscow Musical Theater.
Lantratov has appeared in the United States as a guest artist with the Portland Ballet and Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet, founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams, was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. Boston Ballet’s national and international reputation developed under the leadership of Artistic Directors Violette Verdy , Bruce Marks , and Anna-Marie Holmes...
and was a guest instructor with the Boston Ballet. From 2000-2003 Lantratov directed one of two touring companies for SMI, Inc's Moscow Ballet
Moscow Ballet
The name Moscow Ballet has commonly been applied to a number of different ballet companies, these include the:*Moscow Ballet, A Russian ballet company...
and danced the rôle of Drosselmeier in the company's "Great Russian Nutcracker" production. "Valery Lantratov's Drosselmeier is young, vibrant and full of explosive energy," wrote reviewer Nancy Johnson. "The mischief in his eyes reaches the back of the house." In 2004, however, he publicly split with Moscow Ballet's U.S.-based production company.
In 2004, Lantratov premiered the rôle of Czar Nicholas II in the ballet Rasputin staged by the New Imperial Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, with the production being taken to Moscow in 2005. The ballet, which featured Farouk Ruzimatov
Farouk Ruzimatov
Farukh Ruzimatov is a ballet dancer, the Artistic Director for ballet in Mikhaylovsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg. He was formerly the Principal Dancer and Assistant Artistic Director of the Kirov Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg....
in the rôle of Rasputin, drew protests from Orthodox fundamentalists. Nicholas II was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000. The protestors objected to the depiction of a saint in ballet and especially to the concept of Nicholas II costumed in tights. Lantratov arranged a photoshoot with his costume to show that he would not wear tights in the production.
Lantratov is the father of Vladislav Lantratov of the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
.