Natalia Makarova
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Nataliya Romanovna Makarova (born November 21, 1940) is a retired ballet dancer.
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[edit] Biography
Makarova was born November 21, 1940 in Leningrad in the USSR. At the age of 12, she auditioned for the Leningrad Choreographic School (formerly the Imperial Ballet School), and was accepted although most students join the school at the age of 10. She was a permanent member of the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad from 1956 to 1970, achieving prima ballerina status during the 1960s. Due to both personal and professional unhappiness, Makarova decided to defect to the West while on tour in 1970.
After she defected, she performed with the American Ballet Theatre in New York and the Royal Ballet in London. At first she was eager to expand her choreography by dancing ballets by modern choreographers. She remained most identified with classical roles such as Odette / Odile in Swan Lake and Giselle; she was featured in a notable 1976 live ABT production of Swan Lake, simulcast from Lincoln Center on both PBS and NPR. According to the 2004 Britannica, "Makarova's magnificent technique and acting sensibilities allowed her to excel in many different roles".[1] She is remembered primarily for her title role in Giselle. She was slim and slight, and combined a delicacy and lyricism with impeccable classical training.
In 1976 Makarova married Edward Karkar, a businessman. Together they had a son, Andre Michael, in February of 1978.[2]
In 1989, Natalia Makarova returned to her home theater of the Kirov Ballet and was reunited with her family and with former colleagues and teachers, and family. Her emotional homecoming was documented in the film Makarova Returns. After her performance at the Kirov, she retired from dancing, donating her shoes and costumes to the Kirov Museum. Today Makarova stages ballets such as Swan Lake, La Bayadère, and Sleeping Beauty for companies across the world.
In addition to being an internationally renowned ballerina, Makarova won a Tony Award for her performance in the show On Your Toes. She appeared as Lydia Lopokova, (Lady Keynes) in Wooing in Absence, compiled by Patrick Garland. It was first performed at Charleston Farmhouse and then at the Tate Britain.
[edit] Repertoire
Makarova danced with the Royal Ballet in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Les Sylphides, Manon, Cinderella, Serenade, Les Biches, Romeo and Juliet, Song of the Earth, Concerto, A Month in the Country, Voluntaries, Dances at a Gathering, Elite Syncopations, Rituals, and Checkmate.
Makarova has performed as a guest artist with the Paris Opera Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, London Festival Ballet, Béjart's Ballet of the 20th Century and Roland Petit's Ballets de Marseille.[2]
[edit] Awards
- Gold Medal, Second International Ballet Competition, Varna, Bulgaria, 1965[2]
- Merited Artist of the RSFSR[3]
- Anna Pavlova Prize, Paris, 1970.[4]
- Laurence Olivier Award, 1985 for Best Actress in On Your Toes[5]
[edit] Film
- Swan Lake - performing Odette/Odile with the Royal Ballet, Anthony Dowell co-starring as Prince Siegfried. Filmed 1980, Royal Opera House, London
- ABT in San Francisco - excerpts of various ballets, performed by American Ballet Theatre. Filmed 1985 at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
- The Glory of the Kirov - assembled footage of former dancers of the Kirov Ballet, also featuring Rudolf Nureyev, Tamara Karsavina and Mikhail Baryshnikov
- Great Pas de Deux - assembled footage of famous pas de deux, featuring Makarova and Anthony Dowell performing an excerpt from Sir Frederick Ashton's A Month in the Country
- Natalia Makarova - Natasha - documentary film about Makarova featuring footage of her most noted roles
[edit] Audio
- On Your Toes - cast recording of the 1983 Broadway revival, featuring Makarova as Lydia Lopokova
| Preceded by Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls |
Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical 1983 for On Your Toes |
Succeeded by Chita Rivera in The Rink |
[edit] Further reading
- Natalia Makarova, A Dance Autobiography, Alfred A. Knopf 1979, ISBN 0394501411.
