Why the great ballerina Plisetskaya was under the vigilant supervision of the KGB for many years

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

For five years now, Maya Plisetskaya has not been with us, and her work continues to delight all ballet lovers. Her talent and grace conquered the whole world, she was applauded in different countries and cities, and therefore it is even difficult to imagine that there was a period in the life of a ballerina when the KGB did not leave her with their attention. She was categorically not allowed on foreign tours, with the exception of the countries of the socialist camp, and even at performances at the Bolshoi Theater, for some reason, they feared provocations from Maya Plisetskaya.

The daughter of an enemy of the people

Maya Plisetskaya was 12 when her father was arrested, and a year later, in 1938, her mother, along with her youngest son, was sent to a camp for the wives of enemies of the people. Father had already been shot by that time. If not for the intervention of relatives, Maya and her other brother Alexander would certainly have gone to the orphanage. But Alexander was taken by his uncle Asaf Messerer, who served as a choreographer, and Maya was taken by aunt Sulamith Messerer, a ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater.

Aunt and uncle not only dealt with their nephews, but also constantly fought for the release of their mother, Rachel Messerer. And she even returned home ahead of schedule, reuniting with her older children right on the eve of the war. They all went to evacuation together, but Maya returned a year later, not wanting to miss any more training at the choreographic school.

Already in 1943 Maya Plisetskaya graduated from the school and became a ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater. Each of her appearance on the stage became an event, the audience could not move, fascinated looking at the dancing Maya Plisetskaya. She went on tour with the Bolshoi Theater to socialist countries, but she was not allowed further. According to the ballerina, she was included in the travel restrictions after touring in India in 1953.

Without the right to leave

Then, in India, the ballerina had to coordinate every step with the attendants who followed the artists day and night. Considering the fact that many wanted to talk to Maya Plisetskaya, she was very nervous because of the inability to talk with Indian actors without any agreements. What's there to talk about, she had no right to leave the room on her own, unaccompanied.

Naturally, the ballerina nagged the authorities several times, but after receiving from Jawaharlal Nehru, with whom Plisetskaya communicated through his personal translator, Maya Mikhailovna surpassed herself. When the escort asked about the subject of the conversation between the ballerina and the prime minister, Plisetskaya frankly laughed at the suspiciousness of the security officer and said that they spoke exclusively about him.

Naturally, after this trip, a corresponding entry appeared in the personal file of Maya Plisetskaya, and the way abroad was closed for her.

A petition that turned into problems

Ballet lovers around the world already knew that a truly brilliant ballerina was dancing at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, especially since Nikita Khrushchev took all foreign guests who came to the USSR after Stalin's death to Swan Lake. But the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater invariably went on tour without Maya Plisetskaya.

She attended all government receptions, was familiar with foreign diplomats, but was still on the travel ban list. When, before the Bolshoi Theater tour in London, the British ambassador himself insisted on Plisetskaya's participation, this turned into even greater problems for the ballerina.

She was not released to the UK, and in Moscow, the ballerina was monitored around the clock. A car with three KGB representatives followed her everywhere. When the Bolshoi Theater went to London without Plisetskaya, two extraordinary performances "Swan Lake" were suddenly appointed in Moscow. And Plisetskaya's phone was literally torn apart by calls from “above” demanding … to prevent the success of these very metropolitan performances.

The Minister of Culture Yekaterina Furtseva personally spoke with the ballerina, asking Plisetskaya to talk with the most active admirers so that they expressed their delight a little more modestly. The leadership feared undue attention to Plisetskaya's absence in London and her simultaneous resounding success in Moscow.

Then Maya Mikhailovna answered simply: she does not know how to work half-heartedly on stage, and she cannot forbid people to express their emotions. As you might expect, the success was phenomenal. Despite the fact that there were many KGB officers in civilian clothes in the hall, the audience greeted the very first appearance of the ballerina on the stage with endless applause. After that, the security forces tried to take out of the hall everyone who expressed their enthusiasm too actively, they were forced to shut up, taken away for interrogation. But everything was in vain - the hall burst into a flurry of applause every time Plisetskaya appeared on the stage.

Only in 1959, when the leadership of the KGB changed, the travel ban was lifted from Maya Plisetskaya. She toured the United States, where she was able to meet with her paternal relatives, who arranged a reception for her. She had no intention of staying abroad. Despite everything, she had her whole life in Moscow: her beloved husband, the theater and the audience.

She performed on the best stages in the world, kept in touch with Robert Kennedy, was friends with Pierre Cardin, communicated with monarchs and presidents. She could have asked for asylum in any country, but she, in spite of everything, loved her homeland.

This amazing woman was called not only a legend of ballet, but also an icon of style. In those days, when Maya Plisetskaya was not allowed to travel abroad, she managed to look as if all the outfits were brought to her from French fashion houses. She was really connected with the world of fashion: Possessing impeccable taste and unique plasticity, the ballerina inspired many designers. She was personally acquainted with Coco Chanel, and Pierre Cardin considered her to be his muse.