Video: The difficult fate of Sulamith Messerer: how Maya Plisetskaya's aunt conquered the world ballet scene
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The name of Maya Plisetskaya is rightfully considered one of the loudest in the history of Russian ballet. Much less often remember today Shulamith Messerer, the dancer's aunt. At the same time, it was she who brought up Maya, instilled in her a love of ballet … In addition, Shulamith herself shone on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, won world fame, lived abroad for many years, founded a ballet school in Japan and made an invaluable contribution to the development of ballet in England …
The Messerer family unites three lines - Lithuanian, German and French. Among the representatives of this surname there are many talented individuals, but the fate of all was tragic. During the war, many of the Messerer dynasty were tortured to death in concentration camps, others, those who managed to escape Nazi persecution, were doomed to live far from their homeland - in Israel, England and even in the countries of South Africa.
Shulamith Messerer was carried away by ballet after her brother - Asaf. Asaf Messerer - became one of the outstanding Russian dancers, despite the fact that he entered the ballet school only at the age of 16. The guy was not immediately taken to the school at the Bolshoi Theater, the teachers did not believe that it was possible to catch up, but still Asaf proved that it was never too late to start classes. Asaf came to ballet under the influence of his sister Rachel, she was already a famous silent film actress.
The path to the status of the prima of the Bolshoi Theater was not easy for Sulamith. After graduating from ballet school, she trained diligently, having learned almost the entire repertoire. And then one day, when it was urgently necessary to replace a sick ballerina in Swan Lake, Sulamith boldly declared that she would cope with this task and, impromptu, without training, would perform the required part. Then several more "replacements" followed, and now Sulamith began to offer the best roles, highly appreciating her talent and skill.
Shulamith often performed with Asaf, Rachel had already married Mikhail Plisetskiy by that time, had three children (the eldest was Maya), retired from cinema and devoted herself to family concerns. The Plisetskys' happiness collapsed in 1938 in an instant with the arrest of Mikhail. He was sentenced to death, and Rachel, who flatly refused to testify against her husband, was sentenced to exile in a camp. She went there with a baby in her arms, the elders - Maya and Alik - took Shulamith to be raised.
Shulamith directed all her efforts to rescue her sister from exile. She was not afraid of possible reprisals, she succeeded in transferring her sister first to a settlement, and then to procure a pardon for her in 1941. During the time when Rachel was in exile, Sulamith managed to instill a love for ballet and Maya. It is symbolic that it was "The Dying Swan" that became the pass to the big stage for Sulamith, the same performance later became the hallmark of Maya.
Both Shulamith Messerer and Maya Plisetskaya performed during the war years, they understood what power art possesses, and how important it is not to surrender and not retreat in the most difficult time. Shulamith shone on stage until she was 42 years old, it became dangerous to dance longer, the risk of injury increased, which would forever deprive her of the opportunity to go on stage and do what she loved. After finishing her career, the recognized ballerina took up teaching work, began to teach aspiring dancers who still only dreamed of the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. It seems that Shulamith was happy, but she lacked one thing - freedom of creativity.
Shulamith found freedom abroad. Having received an invitation from Japan, she without hesitation agreed to emigrate, with her son, ballet dancer Mikhail Messerer, left with her. Shulamith made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Japanese ballet school, after she worked in America, and, a few years later, moved to London. There she taught classes at the ballet school at Covent Garden. Shulamith's work was highly appreciated in Great Britain, from the hands of Queen Elizabeth she received the Order of the British Empire.
Until the end of her life, Shulamith was active, went in for sports, communicated with the pupils, passing them on the secrets of her skill.
Maya Plisetskaya continued the traditions of the Messerer dynasty. The ballerina drew inspiration from a creative and love union with Rodion Shchedrin … Their love story is a rare case when two infinitely talented people were able to live together for many years.
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