Choreographer Boris Eifman, a biography whose photos are of interest to all ballet lovers, deserves, if not love, then at least immense respect. He always went his own way in art, he was able to defend his point of view and find new, sometimes brilliant stage decisions. His ballet has many fans around the world, the tour of his troupe since the 70s has always been sold out, and today Eifman is at the stage of creative growth, so there are still a lot of surprises ahead of the audience.
Childhood
Boris Eifman (date of birth - July 22, 1946) was born in the small Siberian city of Rubtsovsk, where the family moved before the war in connection with the mobilization of Jacob Eifman, an engineer, for the construction of a tractor plant. Boris’s mother worked as a doctor. In 1951, the family returned to their historic homeland in Chisinau. The future choreographer from early childhood had a great desire for self-expression with the help of plastic. Therefore, no one was surprised when Boris Eifman enrolled in a ballet studio at the Palace of Pioneers, where he quickly became one of the best students. Even then, he was distinguished by an unprecedented industriousness and was absolutely in love with dance, with the plasticity of the human body, with movement.
The path to the profession
In 1960, Boris Eifman, whose biography was forever associated with ballet, entered the newly opened choreographic department of the Chisinau College of Music. He comes to the workshop of Rachelle Joseph Bromberg, who already knew him from his studies in the studio. A little later, she gives the student leadership of the choreographic circle at the Palace of Pioneers. So Eifman simultaneously learns and teaches, comprehending the profession more and more deeply.
When in 1964 he graduated from college, a desire ripened in him to continue his studies, and he entered the Leningrad Conservatory. N. Rimsky-Korsakov, to the choreography department, which he graduated in 1972. From the very first steps to school, Eifman showed more interest in productions than in dance. He had his own vision of the scene and ideas about the expressive possibilities of the dancer's body, which he dreams of throwing at the viewer.
Choreographer career
Boris Eifman is a senior choreographer. He began to stage first performances during his studies. His first productions in Leningrad at the beginning of the 70s - “Life Towards” to the music of Kabalevsky, “Icarus” based on the work of A. Chernov and V. Arzumanov, “Fantasy” by A. Arensky - became a real discovery for the ballet public. Even then, he gravitated towards modernity, boldly combining various expressive means. His productions from the very beginning demonstrated the desire to create a vivid synthetic spectacle, which organically combined the literary basis, scenery, costumes, light and dance with a strong dramatic beginning.
In 1972, Eifman's thesis “Gayaneh” on the stage of the Leningrad Maly Opera and Ballet Theater made a lot of noise: unusual choreography, a delicate sensibility of images - all this made an indelible impression on the audience and criticism.
Since 1971, Boris Eifman has been working as a choreographer at the Leningrad Choreographic School named after Vaganova. His performances with college students were shown on the stage of the Kirov Theater. Here he puts “The Firebird” by I. Stravinsky, “Meetings” by R. Shchedrin, “Interrupted Song” by Kalnins. These works make Eifman famous, including abroad, as the theater carries performances on foreign tours. Also during this period, the novice choreographer has the opportunity to make several ballet films for television.
Theater B.Ya. Eifman
Having tried his hand at one of the best theaters in the country, Boris Eifman realized that in such academic institutions he would not be able to fully realize his plans. And he throws all his strength into creating his own theater.
In 1977, his efforts yielded results: he opened the New Ballet Theater at the Lenconcert. Having recruited the troupe to his taste, Eifman begins to create. The choreographer chooses works unusual for the Soviet theater and sets up not at all classical ballets. In his performances, the choreographer seeks to find answers to the burning questions of life, first of all, he appeals to the youth audience, trying to speak with her in the language of rock music and contemporary dance that is close to her.
Since the 80s, he begins to regularly tour abroad, in particular, annually visits New York, where the Eifman Theater tour has become traditional and very expected. In Russia, the theater also has incredible popularity, although for many years it does not have its own building. Only in 2010 the Boris Eifman Academy was built, and the Dance Palace, which the master dreams of for many years, is still at the project stage.
Outstanding work
Boris Eifman, whose biography is the path of an innovator and a fighter, created a theater to choose a repertoire of his choice. The poster of the theater is striking in its variety of genres. It has buff ballets: “Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro”, “Intrigues of Love”, chamber ballets programs: “Metamorphoses”, “Autographs”, fairy tales: “The Firebird”, “Pinocchio”. Eifman always sought to stage performances with a high-quality literary foundation, as Anna Karenina, The Master and Margarita, The Duel, and The Idiot appeared in the repertoire. Already the first works showed that Eifman’s theater was ready for experiments, so on his playbill appeared productions of “Under the Cover of Night” by Bartok, “Two Voices” to the music of Barrett, “Temptation” by Wakeman. During his creative life, Boris Eifman has already staged more than 40 ballets, among which the most famous are Tchaikovsky, Red Giselle, Roden, Requiem.
Awards
People’s artist Boris Eifman, whose biography is a way to overcome, has been spoiled with awards in recent years. Until the 90s, they did not want to celebrate with state awards, so as not to encourage innovative ballet art. But after perestroika, everything changed, the choreographer received the title of national artist and honored artist. He was three times awarded the Order of Merit to the Fatherland, several orders of foreign states. Eifman is the recipient of the Golden Mask, Golden Spotlights and Triumph awards.
Personal life
Boris Eifman is always the subject of close attention of the media and fans. A lot of novels are attributed to the choreographer, even: famous, impressive, young, free. Can women pass such a man indifferently? The most high-profile novel was his relationship with the beautiful actress Anastasia Vertinsky. But everything ended in nothing. And Eifman married the soloist of his ballet, Morozova, Valentina Nikolaevna. They worked side by side in the theater for a long time; for her, the master staged several interesting parts. In 1995, the couple had a son, Alexander. Valentina was able to fully realize herself at the Eifman Theater as a dancer. And today he continues to work next to him as a teacher-tutor, providing her husband significant assistance and support.