Comments on: Maya Plisetskaya: a dancer like no other

By: John Gibson

John Gibson — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:22:45 +0000

It’s Mayday 2013, and I was surfing Quora and somehow linked to this chestnut.

I was a student majoring in Russian Studies in 1969. I had an unhappy affair with my Russian teacher that semester. She went away and broke my heart.

I have always been a nut about classical music, and one day while browsing vinyl records I came across the Carmen Suite by Shchedrin and the album cover was Plisetskaya as Carmen. She was almost the spitting image of my beloved. I have been in love with her ever since, and with the wonderful translation of Bizet’s music as well.

But love’s boat smashed against the daily grind (Mayakovsky) and the album disappeared from my library. After seven years my Russian teacher and I reconnected. I am ashamed to admit that I had allowed my infatuation with the dancer I never knew to color my hopes for bliss with my reality based Russian teacher, and all was quickly and finally finished between us.

When next Cupid shot me, I knew that Maya had to go to the closet.

And now, in her 80’s, I see she has aged as prettily as I was sure she would in 1970. It was really nice to see her again. Thank you.

By: jamil

jamil — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 19:07:14 +0000

I REMAIN MESMERIZED WHENEVER I WATCH MAYA’S BOLERO OR CARMEN AND WISH THAT I COULD HAVE WATCH HER PERFORM ALIVE. ALAS, THE LAST OF THE GIANTS WILL SOON BE EXTINCT AND THE WORLD WILL NOT SEE SUCH TALENT AGAIN

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:31:51 +0000

I recommend that people take a look at video of Maya in Maurice Béjart’s Bolero:

youtube.com/watch?v=SsSALaDJuN4

And in Death of the Rose:

youtube.com/watch?v=ku_rFPKm5ao

By: Dennis Miralles

Dennis Miralles — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 05:07:45 +0000

I saw her danced The Dying Swan in early 80″s in Manila’s Cultural Center of the Philippines courtesy of then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. I thought she was a goddess sent from above to interpret the most fascinating ballet act I have ever seen. The flexibility of her arms was unbelievable and I haven’t seen any interpretation of the piece as magical as hers. Bravo Maya!

By: Stuart Eber

Stuart Eber — Sun, 29 May 2011 11:00:05 +0000

She’s simply the best! A beautiful person inside and out.

By: Camelbella

Camelbella — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 07:22:41 +0000

I saw Plisetskaya perform THE DYING SWAN with the Bolshoi, in Melbourne, Australia, in 1970. I was not a great fan of classical ballet, and can remember nothing about the other pieces, except that they bored me. But Maya Plisetskaya’s DYING SWAN was sublime, transcendent! Schmulzy it was not! I have subsequently read that, as her signature piece, it became for her, about aging as a ballerina.

By: Ruth Lintott

Ruth Lintott — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:18:50 +0000

I have a pair of her pointe shoes signed by her when she danced in liverpool in the early sixties. My husband worked at the Empire.

By: Online Music & Performing Arts Films | MetaFilter

Online Music & Performing Arts Films | MetaFilter — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:54:39 +0000

[…] Kinshasa musical underground (previously), portraits (lots of Glenn Gould, Shostakovich by Sokurov, Maya Plisetskaya…), and plenty more. Launched April 30th, it’s streaming its full contents in lovely quality for […]

By: Tatyana

Tatyana — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:18:34 +0000

Neo, this is what I found this morning - the source says Polina Semeonova is the new ballet star in the manner of MP - what do you think?

By: Perfected democrat

Perfected democrat — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:26:52 +0000

Excellent…