Noureev : autobiographie

by Rudolf Nureyev, Ariane Dollfus (Translator)

"Mais qu'allais-je trouver de l'autre côté de la barrière, ici en Europe ? Je me retrouverais seul, mais pas de la façon que j'affectionnais : ce serait la solitude totale. Cette nouvelle liberté me semblait bien sombre. Je savais pourtant que c'était là le seul choix possible, parce qu'il m'offrait l'espoir de construire quelque chose qui me corresponde, l'espoir d'apprendre, d'observer par moi-même, de grandir..." En 1962, alors que la guerre froide atteint son apogée, le jeune Russe Rudolf Noureev éblouit l'Occident par son art et devient en quelques mois une star de renommée internationale. C'est le moment que ce danseur de 25 ans choisit pour publier le témoignage de ses jeunes années, depuis son enfance difficile en URSS jusqu'à son passage fracassant à l'Ouest, tout juste un an auparavant. L'ancienne étoile du ballet soviétique du Kirov en passe de devenir une superstar occidentale se livre entièrement dans ce texte, qui mettra plus de cinquante ans à être édité en France. Toute la personnalité de Noureev y figure déjà, avec ce caractère entier et volontaire, source de mélancolie, mais aussi atout essentiel pour oser transgresser l'autorité familiale, politique et artistique de son temps.

Genres: Art, Biography

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[Velvetink · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the 60's & the "Cold War" there was a mystique about anyone who defected from Russia, everyone in the West wanted to know about life there so there was great interest when this book arrived, enhanced by the stunning photographs of Richard Avedon - someone else whose work I admired. I did not have to beg my local library in my then little schoolgirl voice to stock it and I was overjoyed for once, finding it displayed in the new books section (I can't remember the date I read this so have listed it read as today), I did however have to get my mother to borrow it for me since it was in the adult section of the library - by that I mean it wasn't in the children's section.
I'm going on memory now as I don't own it, but Nureyev kept politics to a minimum - which might have been a disappointment to some wanting confirmation of a despotic government.

It's main theme is Nureyev's obsession to dance, and his singlemindedness to study ballet and to perform majestically - as he did - his intense individuality & character surely helped pave his way to success. It was unusual at the time for one so young to publish an autobiography, and it may have been to satisfy the public's need for information about Russia for some truth. I remember at that time, sitting in church hearing diatribes against all things communist which by default included anything Russian - so McCarthyism's tenets had most westerners shaking in their boots one way or another. However Nureyev doesn't go there specifically, it's more about himself, his childhood, his craving for personal creative expression and his early life as a dance professional and of course his defection to the west and coming to terms with a different life there. It does become clear why he chose asylum in the west - to seek refuge from the creative conformity he felt in his home country which was the norm then.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been too long since I read this (in junior high school) for me to evaluate the book on its literary merits; all I remember is that I read it because of my lifelong fascination with the USSR but fell in love with both Nureyev - who still, when I see him on film, just blows me away - and with ballet, which I pursued (not for a career, simply for the love of it) for years afterwards. Seriously, if you can find a recording of this man dancing, watch it. He was amazing.

[Philippe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Témoignage très intéressant sur la vie de ce célèbre danseur écrit juste après son passage à l’ouest, une sorte de bouclier de survie face au risque d’élimination des services soviétiques

[Prince Sparko Van Basten · Rating 5 out of 5]

La voix d'un génie

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for me is not just an autobiography in a sense of telling the life events: when born, where went to school, etc. It is an autobiography, even a statement, of an artist. It is full of Nureyev thoughts on dancers, problems of teaching, learning, understanding dance. I could easily tear the whole book to citations! I hope this book helped me to understand the classical ballet a little bit more, and made me think on some creative issues of the dancer... I will certainly return to this book.

[Jean Eiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in Nureyev's early 20's, one can see Nureyev's art/self/political predicament from his own view. Invaluable. He shows himself to be quite an artist, first and foremost, and the differences between America and Russia in art and politics are quite clear. The pictures by Avedon are breathtaking. Loved it.