Diana Vishneva - famous all over the world Russian ballerina, former prima of the Mariinsky Theater, winner of many prestigious international awards, born July 13, 1976, native Leningrad.
Childhood
The girl’s parents are ordinary engineers, about whom it cannot even be said that they were big ballet lovers. In fact, the love for great art was instilled in them by their daughter - an unusually smart and talented girl who showed excellent plasticity and excellent artistic abilities already in early childhood.
Diana inherited her natural grace and sophisticated appearance from her mother, a Tatar by nationality. Many years ago, she came to study in Leningrad, met another student Gennady Vishnev, married him and stayed to live in the city on the Neva, where two beautiful girls, the youngest of whom glorified her family throughout the world.
Diana in childhood
The baby was very thin and fragile. When she told her mother that she wanted to study at a ballet school, she doubted whether her daughter had enough physical endurance for hours of difficult training. Nevertheless, they went to a dance club at the Pioneer Palace. The baby was received with pleasure.
Imagine the surprise of the teachers when, after just a few lessons, she showed herself to be a serious, attentive, thoughtful student. The girl, like a shadow, repeated every movement of the teacher, trying to catch the smallest nuances. Diana simply fell in love with ballet from the very first movement, and in her thoughts she already saw herself as a famous ballerina.
Realizing how seriously their daughter took her hobby, her parents began to encourage and support the girl in every possible way. When, after a couple of years of studying, she asked to take her to exams at the most prestigious St. Petersburg choreographic school, Mom didn’t protest.
Diana failed the exam. But she didn’t give up, as many would have done in her place, but began to study even more persistently. On her third attempt, she managed to enter the best ballet school in the country.
Finest hour
It was hard to work out. Constant fatigue eternal pain in the legs, hours of exercise at the machine. Now she wonders how an 11-year-old child had the strength to do all this. But the then Diana was not thinking about difficulties at all. She flew like a butterfly on the wings of her dreams, not paying any attention to what was happening around her.
The reward for many years of work was the first international prize, which Diana received even before she graduated from college. At the prestigious international ballet competition in Lausanne, the 18-year-old ballerina received both a Gold medal and Grand Prize. It was truly a triumphant exit. She announced herself throughout Europe as rising star Russian ballet.
Just a year after completing her studies at the ballet school, Diana joined the main cast of the Mariinsky Theater troupe, which for a young artist is practically incredible success. But there the miracles continue - at the very first performance she appears on stage in leading role.
The name of the ballet is very symbolic - “Cinderella”. The entire career of the famous dancer is somewhat reminiscent of a happy fairy tale.
At the age of 20, her main dream came true - Diana appeared on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater as a soloist. Now she considers her career successful. By this time, she had already managed to receive several more prestigious international awards for best performance difficult games. But this rise, as it turned out, was only a rapid start.
Vishneva today
Today, Vishneva is one of the most famous and talented Russian ballerinas, whose name resounds proudly throughout the world. After several years resounding success in Russia and Europe, Diana begins close collaboration with the American Ballet Theater. Having appeared several times as part of his troupe on stage, in 2005 she officially became a prima singer and signed a contract with the theater.
Vishneva does not forget about his native Mariinsky Theater. She celebrated her first creative anniversary - 10 years on stage - on this stage with a new original production, in which she acted as a soloist and chief choreographer. The performance was received with admiration not only by the audience, but also by critics.
Previously, Diana also filmed a lot for advertising; for almost 10 years she has been the face of the Tatyana Parfenova fashion house. In 2010, Diana founded a charity organization whose goal is to help young talented ballerinas and popularize ballet among young people.
Personal life
As Vishneva herself jokes, for a long time her only love was ballet. There was simply no time or energy left for his personal life. And only when she became a soloist of the Mariinsky Theater did the girl have her first novels. However, she still lived by art and she needed not just an admirer, but a like-minded person nearby.
With Konstantin Selinevich
She met such a person by chance in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. It turned out to be hockey manager Konstantin Selinevich. He played an important role in the development of the ballerina’s career on the stage of the American ballet theater. And in 2013, the couple formalized their relationship by having an original wedding in the Hawaiian Islands.
Which starts in November in Moscow, - Svetlana Bondarchuk met with famous ballerina and festival art director Diana Vishneva. Among the topics touched upon in the conversation were both professional ones - about the fate of modern dance in Russia - and personal ones: Diana spoke about her husband, businessman Konstantin Selinevich, about friendship, fashion, cooking and a good appetite.
Diana Vishneva
I saw Diana Vishneva on stage many times and each time I caught myself thinking that this was not a ballerina’s dance. This is the dance of a great dramatic actress. I empathize with her heroine, live my life with her and continue to think about her even after the performance. This year Diana celebrated 20 years of life on stage. For many from the “ballet workshop” this would mean the beginning of decline, but Diana is still gaining heights. Continuing to dance in classical ballets, she makes a career as a dancer modern choreography: masters new dance languages and techniques, breaks the canons, which she herself has mastered to perfection. For the third year in a row, Diana holds the Context festival of modern choreography in Moscow. Diana Vishneva. I go to these performances with pleasure and every time I discover something unexpected, sometimes shocking. There is no dancing on pointe shoes, tutus, or corps de ballet; sometimes the dancers are dressed in simple tights, their movements are unusual, their lines are broken, but this is no less exciting than the eternal 32 fouettés. This year I’m going to the festival again - it will be interesting to watch Argentine tango on suspended ropes and a performance by the world famous American troupe Martha Graham. And of course, Diana herself’s performances at the opening and closing of the festival are simply impossible to miss.
Diana, I have often heard the opinion that modern dance gives ballerinas the opportunity to stay on stage much longer. How true is this?
No, this is an absolute myth - that, having lost your form in classical ballet, you can switch to modern choreography and continue dancing with the same success. And the fact that modern choreography is easier is also not true. On the contrary, in classical ballet many things make your life easier: technique, training, spectacular variations - all this distracts the public’s attention directly from you. But in modern dance you are all in full view, you have nothing to hide behind and everything depends on whether you have something to tell the audience or not.
With Arthur Shesterikov at the rehearsal of the play Live (production Dutch master choreography by Hans van Manen), which will be presented as part of the festival in Moscow
An example of longevity in ballet is Maya Plisetskaya, who appeared on stage at the age of 75. Can you imagine yourself on stage in 20 years?
Hard to say. Maya Mikhailovna is an outstanding personality. And she is unique not even because she appeared on stage at 75, but because she was the first in the Soviet Union to talk about a new understanding of dance, about a new aesthetics, about a new style. "Carmen Suite", with which she appeared on stage Bolshoi Theater in 1967, overcoming so many obstacles, was a revolution. Plisetskaya was the first to begin to tear down walls that seemed indestructible. I am grateful to fate that I had the opportunity to communicate with Maya Mikhailovna and be friends with her. She chaired our festival's board of trustees, and this year Context will be dedicated to her memory
Maya Plisetskaya and Diana Vishneva
You are an ambassador of modern dance in Russia. What do you see as your mission?
The mission, first of all, is to introduce Russia to the best that is happening in modern choreography, to bring not only big names, but also something fundamentally new. There are different dance styles and directions, and we connect them all at one point. This is Context. Another very important point- development of modern choreography in Russia. It is important for us to support young choreographers.
IN Lately in Russia you are increasingly associated with modern dance, but in the West they want to see Diana Vishneva mainly in classical ballet?
It all depends on the theater, on the dance company. If you are talking about the Metropolitan Opera (this summer Diana danced Giselle, Juliet and Aurora on the Metropolitan stage in New York - Ed.), then the classical repertoire predominates there. It's like the Mariinsky Theater. But if I come to a modern choreography company with my projects, the situation is the opposite. Sometimes people are surprised that I am a prima ballerina, they say: “Oh, we need to see you in classical ballet.”
Do you consider yourself a Russian ballerina or a person of the world?
Of course, I am a man of peace. But I remain a Russian ballerina. It is a great honor for me that I studied at the best ballet school in the world and began my career at the Mariinsky Theater. I feel great gratitude to my teachers, to my native theater. How much they invested in me, how much I absorbed - all this manifests itself more and more over the years.
Diana Vishneva in "Swan Lake", 2008
You are from St. Petersburg, from an intelligent, but not ballet family.
Yes, my parents are chemists. Mom has two educations - she is an economist and a chemist, and dad is a candidate of chemical sciences.
How did it happen that your daughter got into ballet?
I could say that this is an accident, but I believe that there is a certain design of fate in everything. Everything happened as it should have happened. Becoming a ballerina was not my dream and it was not my mother’s whim, although she was the one in our family who was fond of ballet. As a child, I played sports, mathematics, and went to a dance club. She developed diversified, as they said in those days. I can’t say that I was often taken to the ballet. My parents were young professionals, it was necessary to pay for the cooperative... We did not have the opportunity to go to the theater as much as we would like. But my sister and I were not deprived of communication with art: classic literature, trips to museums, trips to the suburbs of St. Petersburg - Peterhof, Tsarskoe Selo... All this happened in our childhood. But, of course, when I got to the Vaganova School, I felt what it meant to be truly immersed in the world of art. This world has captivated me endlessly.
At school, were you singled out from the crowd of girls?
Yes, they did. There was no such thing as saying: “This girl was simply born for ballet,” but I always found myself in the center of attention of teachers and children thanks to my adult attitude towards myself. I was not given the same remark several times - I corrected the mistakes immediately. I absorbed everything as much as possible, so I developed professionally faster. The first failure, when I was not accepted into the school - I only got in the second time - turned my mind upside down. I realized that in this life you need to achieve everything yourself and not wait for someone’s help. They will help you only if you work hard yourself.
The work of a ballet dancer is hard labor. From the age of six, you must spend several hours every day at the ballet barre.
And every year there are more and more hours.
I'm trying to compare ballet people to show business people. Many of them do not have a serious schooling and allow themselves to sing to a soundtrack. But the scale of fame and the size of fees in show business are not like ballet. Isn't it offensive?
It all depends on how you think. You either think in ideas, strive to realize yourself, or think about fees. Then this story is not about ballet at all. Ballet is a sacrifice, it is a service. In childhood we understand all this, but in adulthood everyone has to make a choice. If you are worried about how much they will pay you for it, it is better not to go on stage.
The audience saw "Bolero" staged by choreographer Maurice Bejart with Diana Vishneva on November 20 and 21 at the evening in memory of Maya Plisetskaya at the Bolshoi Theater
But if the thought is still present: “You see, I work so hard...”
For this there is a theater that works for a talented unit, associates, comrades-in-arms, patrons... When you realize yourself as a ballerina, as a person, you simply have no time to think about it.
Do you have any talismans or rituals for going on stage?
Of course have. But I wouldn't like to talk about them. I am not exactly a superstitious person, but I am very attentive to everything. I am Cancer by horoscope. Numbers, signs, dreams are important to me. I listen to dreams, try to guess them, decipher them.
If a black cat crosses your path before the premiere, will you cancel the performance?
Of course not. But I will note in my mind that I will probably have to face some difficulties and overcome obstacles. Something bad doesn't have to happen. Sometimes problems help you achieve a positive result faster.
Are ballet people generally superstitious?
Yes, they are superstitious. But at the same time, everyone is a believer. The stage is such a magical space. It takes strength to enter into it every time. Faith helps a person a lot. Everyone goes on stage with their guardian angel.
Diana Vishneva and Svetlana Bondarchuk
And if Bad mood, troubles or unwell and you don’t want to dance, but should you?
Of course, this happens too. We are all human. It happens that suddenly, half an hour before the start of the performance, some nerve ending is pinched, and I feel that I can’t even move, there are tears in my eyes, but I still gather my strength. There was a completely terrible incident in my life - in 2002, when I performed on the stage of the Paris Opera for the first time. It was an incredibly important event. The Paris Opera is a kind of closed society: performances by foreign artists are rather rare here. At least before, such cases could be counted on one hand. I had to dance Kitri in Don Quixote, one of my most successful roles. I was getting ready to go on stage, and suddenly I got a call from the hospital. I was told that a person close to me was in intensive care. It was such a blow that I couldn’t even say anything in response. I just hung up... What should I do in this case? Cancel the show? Impossible. Therefore, you gather yourself, concentrate, “bury” this pain inside yourself, realizing that later it will manifest itself even more strongly.
I once watched your husband and producer Konstantin Selinevich backstage when the play was on, and I was surprised how worried he was!
Sometimes it seems to me that he worries even more than me. But I’m glad that he replaced my parents in this “post.” Konstantin, how a real man, knows how to hide her emotions, and her parents simply got sick from all this stress. One day my mother told me: “I can’t go to your performances anymore. I’m so worried that I still can’t see anything.” She sighed with relief only when the performance ended.
Diana Vishneva with her husband, businessman Konstantin Selinevich
When the performance ends, Konstantin also breathes a sigh of relief. He stands behind the scenes - happy, proud.
The most important thing is that he does not become my fan. And he doesn’t perceive ballet as his life.
How you spend free time? Are you traveling?
We have everything clearly planned. The profession has made me very disciplined. I am preparing for the holiday carefully to see as much as possible more cities, attractions, museums, exhibitions. When I talk about how much I managed to see during the holidays, they say to me: “God, you’re so ambitious!” This surprises me: what's wrong with that? If I had not been ambitious, I would not have become a prima ballerina. I don't have time to swing for a long time. Time flies quickly. This applies to my career and life in general. Therefore, I try to be as organized as possible in absolutely everything.
Do you have any hobbies or interests?
Drama theater and films. I watch a lot of films. When you need to switch gears or when you only have enough strength to lie motionless, cinema helps a lot.
And something everyday, purely feminine... For example, could you cook dinner?
If I want, I'll do it. And yet, if I have free time, I would rather go to the theater or to an exhibition. I hate wasting time preparing dinners. True, someone once told me: “When you have children, you will love all this.”
I rarely cook myself, but if I have an impulse, I do everything with such love, which, it seems to me, turns out very tasty.
That's how it should be. Everything must be done with love, putting your soul into it. I don’t find this love in myself. It seems to me that if I start cooking, I will simply spoil the food.
There is a stereotype that ballet people limit themselves in food. I know many ballet dancers - they have a wonderful appetite and they are all of normal build.
The ballerina must feel her muscular corset, which is needed for balance. If you're too thin, you simply won't be able to do anything. There are those, you know, ballerina girls, thin as pods, but, unfortunately, with their body weight they are not able to perform the elements that are required in classical choreography and in modern. Ballerina experiences physical exercise, often greater than in sports, but at the same time emotional condition it should be light and airy. The viewer should not see how much effort all this costs her. He must see that for her, dancing is as natural as breathing.
I would like to compliment you. I consider you one of the most stylish women in Russia. You and Renata Litvinova, my friend. You both have an absolutely unique, completely unusual style. When I hear from someone: “Is this fashionable?” - I want to answer: “It’s not fashionable. It’s chic!” Where do you get this special understanding of style?
Probably since childhood. I was still very little, stomping my feet, waving my arms, but I was already asking my mother to sew me something unusual. My mother is a real needlewoman. She sewed and knitted amazingly, dressed herself with taste and tried to make sure that my sister and I were dressed with a twist. Mom sewed for me herself school uniform. It differed favorably from the standard one - both in shade and silhouette... I refused to wear ugly things. And if it was impossible to buy nice boots in St. Petersburg, we went to Moscow and waited in line at " Children's world", but they bought what looked better. I really was a rather capricious child in this regard. And now to my outfits and stage costumes I take it very seriously.
Diana, do you have friends among representatives of your profession?
Certainly. Choreographers and partners are people with whom you communicate very closely, and over time they become friends. A scene partner is almost dear person. You know him closely, all the circumstances of his life, you feel his mood. This is both friendship and a kind of professional “marriage”. In general, the world of ballet and modern choreography is quite narrow, and human contacts are very important. If we go back to festival Context. Diana Vishneva... I would never be able to organize such a complex event by communicating by phone or e-mail. Reputation is more important than ever here. I worked with many dance companies, they saw me, as they say, in action, and a certain opinion and trust appeared about me. This is the only way I was able to get the best modern dance troupes to want to come to us and perform at our festival.
Soft and shy in life, Diana admits that she is very principled and demanding of herself and her colleagues during rehearsals. And working with her can be difficult. Although there are times when Vishneva hates ballet. After all, a leading lady in the theater must always be strong. But next to close people she knows how to be completely different: fragile, weak and very tender.
I often find myself hating ballet.
- Do you allow the idea that something more important than ballet will appear in your life?
I don’t just admit it, I probably dream about it. The life of a ballerina is short enough, and I hope that I will have a completely different life after I leave the stage.
- Do you ever have situations when you realize that you hate ballet?
Often.
- Do you have to intrigue in the theater, because it is believed that life in ballet is very closely intertwined with intrigues and intrigues?
Of course, this is there, but I have absolutely no time to weave intrigues. I'm busy with something completely different. But I always feel very sorry for people who waste themselves on intrigues against their colleagues.
- How do you react if you understand that a person is clearly jealous of you and wants to do something nasty?
I'm not doing anything, I know that time will pass and this person will either understand that he was wrong, or something will happen and it will only get worse for him because of his intrigues.
Best of the day
My mother dreamed of becoming a ballerina
- Whose idea was it to send you to a ballet school?
It was my mother’s dream; she herself wanted to become a ballerina since childhood, but her parents did not send her to ballet school.
- Did you have any internal resistance during the first years of ballet training?
No, it was not. I entered the school, I liked studying there. Moreover, there were always successes and results. I was the leader in the class, and this spurred me on. Therefore, it did not bother me at all, it was not in dissonance with my worldview. Besides, if I wanted something different, I probably would have changed everything, but I liked it.
- However, you entered the ballet school only the third time...
But it's not because I didn't have the data. I always had the highest grades and was among the first students. But they didn’t take me, because then everything was very complicated, and you had to have friends in ballet circles. And I don't come from an artistic family. My parents are chemists, people of science. When I entered, the competition was 90 people per place, a lot of them from out of town. I think the stories about the obstacles that awaited me when entering the ballet school are a figment of the imagination of journalists. The teachers really wanted to take me, but it didn’t work out. Nowadays they take everyone, but before it was difficult to get into ballet. At least, of those people who entered me with the highest grades, not a single person made it to the graduating class. And that's it.
I don't depend on my family's opinion
- What is your relationship with your family? You made a career very early, how dependent do you now feel on the opinions of your parents?
I have probably never been dependent; another thing is that I was - both in childhood and now - quite obedient. And I always listened to the opinions of parents and teachers. But I never depended on him. They understood this and welcomed it. I believe that it is very important to have your own opinion, taste, principles and goals.
- Please tell us about your family. Who are your parents and what do they do?
I have an amazing family. I grew up in a very warm home, where there was only positivity. My dad for me is the absolute ideal of the head of the family, father, support.
- You do not only child in family. Are you close to your sister?
Oksana is 5 years older than me and now she lives in Australia. She got married and left. She always wanted to live abroad. Unfortunately, we communicate little. It so happened that we have completely different interests.
- What are the main lessons you learned from communicating with your parents? family values do you think are the main ones?
Nobility, intelligence, kindness, love. In my family they didn’t talk about it, but they showed their feelings through their actions.
In ballet you always need to show your strength
- In what situations do you feel weak woman and when do you have to show that you still have the character of a real ballerina?
Basically, you always need to be strong. Although I want to be weak, I somehow can’t. Every time, on the contrary, you need to be stronger and stronger, and the weak one, of course, wants to be close to her loved one.
- Do you admit the idea that next to you there will be a person not from the ballet sphere? Isn’t this an obstacle, because dancers travel a lot and are rarely at home?
Life is long, so I don't see this as a problem.
- What comes second to you after ballet?
Love comes first for me, and ballet is a different life. No, ballet is completely separate for me. This is self-affirmation, probably growth in human and professional terms. But he is neither in first nor second place.
- If you like a man, can you take the first step towards him?
I can, but it will be very neat and the person may not even notice it.
-Has unrequited love ever happened in your life?
No never.
- How quickly can you understand that this is “your” person?
I guess I need a day for this.
- What should happen during this day?
Just a chatting. Yes, anything can happen. The main thing is that when the day ends, I don’t want to part with this person or I want to meet him again tomorrow.
- What are the craziest things your fans have done for you?
Well, huge baskets of flowers are a fairly common display of attention. Many people follow me around the world. They come to the embassy for a visa and when asked where the invitation is, they say: “We’re going to Diana Vishneva’s play.” They are given a visa immediately.
- Do you communicate with these people?
Insofar as. I wouldn't say it's communication. Neither I nor they need rapprochement.
I am grateful to the men with whom we were close
- With what feeling do you now remember the men who were with you before?
I don’t regret anything and am grateful to them.
- Do you think that friendship between a man and a woman is possible?
Possible, but rare. But, probably, in terms of exceptions it happens.
- Do you have male friends?
Yes, but there are very few of them.
- On stage you are a volcano of passions, but what are you like in life?
You know, this is too general a phrase - “volcano of passions”... I have completely different roles, repertoire, I cannot say that about myself. But in life I am quite closed. I’m probably not a very sociable person, but among friends and family I’m very open.
- In one of your recent interviews, you said that you recently broke up with your loved one. What should a man be like for you to pay attention to him and perhaps want to be with him?
I don't even know how to say it. You probably immediately feel compatibility when you are infinitely comfortable, cozy with this person, when he gives you joy in life, a concept of the meaning of life that you want to feel together.
-Have you ever had a situation when your personal decisions did not find support from your parents?
My parents never interfered in my destiny. Even if they don’t like something, they always rely on me or my head, my feelings. I know that even if I have difficult conditions, they will still help and support me. But in principle, in difficult moments, on the contrary, I always leave and retire.
I accept my mistakes as well as my victories.
-Have you often made mistakes in your personal life?
To be wrong... I do not consider any of my actions to be wrong. Whatever is done is for the better. I always understood and knew this. There are feelings and there is reason, they sometimes go in different directions. You draw your own conclusions from everything and get to know yourself better. I don’t regret anything, because I still do everything very openly, with all my heart, and first of all, I don’t lie to myself. And I accept my mistakes, even if they were, as well as my victories.
- Is it necessary that the person who would go to your premieres with you should be interested in ballet?
This is necessary, but I must be as interested in his life as he is in mine, otherwise we will quickly go our separate ways.
- Nowadays the idea of free love is very popular, and children are not necessarily born in marriages. How do you feel about this idea?
No, it's not for me. I grew up in a normal family and I believe that children should be born in marriage.
- So free love is unacceptable for you?
No, it's acceptable. But this is not a family.
- There probably were and are quite a lot of people around you who are ready to buy your love. Have you ever been approached with such indecent proposals?
Yes, this can be both as gifts and as flowers, but on my part it ends very quickly.
- What do you think destroys relationships between loving people?
I guess relationships die when mutual respect is lost.
- Could you just be a wife, or do you think that you could open your own business in the future?
No, I just never wanted to be a wife, I am a freedom-loving person.
- Do you know how to obey?
- What is happening in your personal life now?
Everything is fine. But I wouldn't like to talk about it. Keep it personal.
I'm not ready to support my husband
- Do you admit the idea that a man can live at your expense, at least for some time?
This cannot be, because for me this is simply not a man.
- So he must earn more?
He must provide for his family. What I earn can help the family, but it is not the main source of income. Maybe if I were 18 years old, I would think differently. And at 18 years old this is normal. This didn’t happen to me, so now I’m more strict about financial stability. A man must be absolutely self-sufficient both professionally and financially. I have such a level that a man will simply feel uncomfortable in my shadow. And the relationship will quickly end.
- What is money to you?
Money is comfort, coziness, the ability to afford to create comfort in your home, to buy beautiful clothes.
- What are the most pleasant gifts you gave yourself with your own money, realizing that this was an obvious whim?
I rarely treat myself because I have to earn money for an apartment and for certain things that I would like to have. But I don’t consider this to be the main thing; another thing is that I don’t know how to count money or manage it somehow. When I received my first cash prize at a competition in Lausanne, they asked me about two hours after the end of the banquet: “Where is your prize?” And only then did I remember that I had left my bag on the table. Oddly enough, the bag with the money was in the place where I had forgotten it. This is such a miracle. Very typical for me.
- Do you ever humiliate yourself in order to receive some kind of monetary contract?
No. I have so many proposals that such a problem does not exist for me.
- In general, have you ever been humiliated in ballet?
No, I have so much work that, on the contrary, I don’t even have time to implement everything.
- What could make you refuse to work together?
Mutual misunderstanding. If I see that a person is not close to me, that we do not have enough time to realize his creative vision, or it seems to me that the professional level of the choreographer is not high enough. There are quite a lot of reasons why I won't do this.
Only a loving person can criticize me
- Many artists say that directors, in order to achieve the desired “color” from the artist, sometimes behave harshly and even cruelly during rehearsals. Have you ever had such situations and with what heart do you remember such directors, if so?
Such situations happened, I was even removed from the premiere, like Forsythe, but I don’t think that he acted harshly or in any way wrong. It's just the way things turned out. And this did not affect my worldview in any way. It seems to me that more often I behave harshly at rehearsals. I am a very demanding person, especially in my profession. I’m not so demanding in life, in everyday life I’m quite soft and non-conflicting, but in the profession, if something doesn’t suit me, I can’t restrain it and not talk about it. Therefore, it is very difficult to work with me.
There are quite a lot of people, I can’t tell you that someone is an idol for me, but there are a lot of people you want to emulate and respect.
- Who can criticize you?
The person who has known and loved me for a long time. For example, my teacher.
- Do you have any time frame regarding the duration of a ballerina’s career?
Of course, you want to dance more and longer, but it’s still important to understand that you don’t just show off your name, but really live up to the given goal. high bar. When I get the feeling that my professional level does not live up to my name, then I will understand that I need to leave.
- How do you imagine your life after ballet? Many sports stars who also end their careers receive higher education. Do you have any such plans?
Probably, if my career had not been so stellar, I would, of course, have gone to study. And when you are so “torn” in all the theaters of the world, when you give your all in ballet, I’m afraid that it will be too late for me to go to study after finishing my career. I think I'll definitely do it foreign languages. I dream of learning French and Italian. But studying something is fundamental new profession I'm unlikely to. It seems to me that when I leave the stage, I will have done so much during my career that I will then want to just rest, if there is such an opportunity. Or maybe I'll open my own ballet school.
- Is there any area in which you feel deeply mediocre?
No, I won’t be mediocre in any area; another thing is that I don’t have enough time for everything. I have a computer, but I don’t even turn it on, it stands on its own, like a piece of furniture. However, I'm a novice in the computer field only because I don't do it.
Diana Viktorovna Vishneva was born on July 13, 1976 in Leningrad in the family of chemical engineers Viktor Gennadievich and Guzali Fagimovna Vishnev. At the age of six she began studying in a choreographic circle at the Palace of Pioneers, and in 1987 she entered the Leningrad Choreographic School named after A. Ya. Vaganova (since 1991 - the Academy of Russian Ballet).
In 1994, she participated in the international competition for students of ballet schools “Prix of Lausanne”: having performed in the finals a variation from the ballet “Coppelia” and the number “Carmen”, choreographed especially for the competition by Igor Belsky, she won the Gold Medal.
While still a student at the Academy, she performed the role of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater as an intern. In 1995, after graduating from college in the class of teacher Lyudmila Kovaleva, she was accepted into the theater’s ballet troupe, and since 1996 has been its soloist. Rehearsed with Olga Chenchikova.
In 1995, she performed for the first time on the stage of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater, performing the number “Carmen” at the final concert of the “Prize of Lausanne” as the winner of the previous competition. Then, together with Farukh Ruzimatov, who became her permanent partner, she was invited to perform in the Bolshoi Theater play “Don Quixote”.
In 1996, for her performance of the role of Kitri, she was awarded the Benois Dance Prize, and for her performance of one of the movements of the ballet Symphony in C Major, she was awarded the Golden Soffit Prize. In the same year, she performed the role in the play “Romeo and Juliet”, dedicated to Galina Ulanova (Romeo - Viktor Baranov).
Vishneva has repeatedly performed on the stages of the world's largest theaters, both with the Mariinsky Theater ballet and independently. In 2001 she performed the main roles in plays Bavarian Ballet“Manon” and La Scala Theater “The Sleeping Beauty” (edited by Rudolf Nureyev). IN next year performed on the stage of the Paris Opera, performing the role of Kitri in the ballet “Don Quixote” (edited by Rudolf Nureyev, Basil - Jose Martinez). While on tour ballet troupe At the Mariinsky Theater in New York she performed on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, soloing in the ballets La Bayadère (reconstruction by Sergei Vikharev), Don Quixote and Rubies.
Since 2002, she has been a guest soloist with the Berlin State Ballet: Vladimir Malakhov invited her to dance with him in the play “Giselle” in this theater. Then they performed together on the stage of the theater in Mikkeli, performing parts in the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” and a pas de deux to the music of Tchaikovsky (choreographed by George Balanchine).
Since 2005, she has been a guest soloist with the American Ballet Theater, where she performed the coveted main roles in the ballets Swan Lake and Raymonda, which she could not perform on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater due to her role.
In 2007, at the age of 30, she was awarded the title of People's Artist of Russia. In October of the same year, the premiere of Diana’s first personal project, Silenzio (director Andrei Moguchiy, choreographer Alexey Kononov), took place on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. In the same year, she became the “face” of the fashion house “Tatiana Parfenova”.
In 2007, Vishneva began collaborating with American producer Sergei Danilyan and his agency Ardani Artists - together they prepared several solo projects for the ballerina (“Beauty in Motion”, “Dialogues”, “On the Edge”). The first program, Beauty in motion, which premiered on February 13, 2008 in California, was created in collaboration with Alexei Ratmansky (Pierrot Lunaire), Moses Pendleton (F.L.O.W. - For Love of Women). love for a woman") and Dwight Rhoden ("Turns of Love").
In 2010, she established the Diana Vishneva Foundation for Promoting the Development of Ballet Art. The same year she starred in short film"Diamonds" directed by Rustam Khamdamov.
In 2011, she worked with choreographer Edouard Lok, performing with his troupe La La La Human Steps in a ballet to the music of Purcell and Gluck.
In October 2011, the premiere of Vishneva’s next solo project, “Dialogues,” took place on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. For this program, choreographer John Neumeier created "Dialogue" for the ballerina - a duet to the music of Frederic Chopin (partner - Thiago Bordin. Also in this program, Diana was the first Russian ballerina to perform the choreography of Martha Graham ("Labyrinth") and dance a production by Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon Subject to change (partner - Andrey Merkuryev)
In 2012, she was the chairman of the jury of the project “ Bolshoi Ballet"on the TV channel "Russia-Culture".
On February 17, 2013, in Lausanne, together with Maurice Bejart's troupe, Diana performed in Bolero, becoming the first Russian ballerina after Maya Plisetskaya to perform a solo role in this ballet.
In November 2013, in California, at the Segerström Center, the premiere of Vishneva’s third solo project, On the Edge, took place, which included choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Caroline Carlson.
In 2013 she became one of the organizers international festival modern choreography Context, within which she performed for the first time the choreography of Jiri Kylian (“Clouds” to the music of Claude Debussy, partner - Marcelo Gomez). In November 2014, the Festival took place again. Vishneva performed in three productions: in the premiere work for herself by Hans van Manen “The Old Man and I” (partner Eric Gautier) and Marco Goeke “Killed”, as well as in the production of Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon “Object of Change”.
On February 7, 2014, she participated in the Opening Ceremony of the winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi, where she performed the “dance of the dove of peace” - a paraphrase of Moses Pendleton’s choreography for the program “Beauty in Motion” (Waters Flowers - “Water Flowers”, 3rd part of the ballet F.L.O.W.). Commentators on the live broadcast of the ceremony introduced Vishneva to television viewers as one of greatest ballerinas modernity.
On November 7, 2014, she made her debut in John Neumeier's new ballet Tatiana. The premiere took place on June 29, 2014 in Hamburg.
Personal lifeOn August 27, 2013, Diana Vishneva married her producer Konstantin Selinevich, with whom the ballerina has a long-term relationship. wedding ceremony took place in the Hawaiian Islands.
RepertoireBallets classical repertoire
"Don Quixote" (Kitri); Pas de quatre (Fanny Cerrito); "Grand pas classique", "Giselle" (Giselle); "Corsair" (Gulnara); Grand pas from the ballet Paquita (variation); "La Bayadère" (Nikia); "Sleeping Beauty" (Princess Aurora); "Swan Lake" (Odette and Odile); "Raymonda" (Raymonda).
20th century choreography
“The Nutcracker” by Vasily Vainonen - Masha
"Scheherazade" (Zobeide), "The Firebird" (Firebird), "The Vision of a Rose" (Girl) and "The Swan" by Mikhail Fokin
"Romeo and Juliet" by Leonid Lavrovsky - Juliet
“The Legend of Love” by Yuri Grigorovich - Mekhmene-Banu
"Onegin" by John Cranko - Tatiana
“Apollo” (Terpsichore), “Symphony in C major” (III movement), Pas de deux to the music of Tchaikovsky, “Rubies”, Ballet Imperial by George Balanchine
“In the Night” by Jerome Robbins - I duet, partner Viktor Baranov
“Carmen” (Carmen, Don Jose - Farukh Ruzimatov); "Young Man and Death" by Roland Petit
"Manon" by Kenneth MacMillan - Manon
Spring and Fall, “Lady with Camellias” (Marguerite Gautier), “Tatiana” (Tatiana Larina[* 5]) by John Neumeier
"Ring Around the Ring", "Bolero" by Maurice Bejart
"Cinderella" (Cinderella), "Poem of Ecstasy", "Anna Karenina" (Anna Karenina), "Lost Illusions" by Alexei RatmanskyModern choreography
Steptext, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated by William Forsythe
“Apartment” by Mats Ek
Vertigo Mauro Bigonzetti (partners - Vladimir Malakhov, then Marcelo Gomez)Solo projects
“Diana Vishneva: Beauty in Motion” (choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, Dwight Rhoden, Moses Pendleton)
“Diana Vishneva: Dialogues” (choreography by Martha Graham, John Neumeier, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon)
“Fringes” (choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot and Caroline Carlson)Awards and prizes
1994 - Gold medal of the international ballet competition “Prix of Lausanne” (Switzerland)
Diana Vishneva is a famous Russian ballerina, prima of the Mariinsky Theater (since 1996), guest artist of the American Ballet Theater (2005-2017). Winner of the prestigious international competition"Prix of Lausanne" (Prix de Lausanne, 1994). Winner of many theater awards, State Prize Russian Federation (2000), People's Artist of the Russian Federation (2007).
1995 - Benois Dance Prize
1996 - “Divine” award from the artistic agency “Ardani”, “Golden Sofit” award in the category “Best female ballet part”
1998 - Baltika Prize
2000 - State Prize Russian Federation
2001 - theater award " Golden mask»
2002 - “Dancer of the Year - 2002” (Dance Europe magazine award [specify])
2003 - “Ballet” magazine prize “Soul of Dance”
2007 - People's Artist of Russia
2009 - theater award "Golden Mask" (in the nominations "Best female role", "Contemporary Dance/Actress" and "Critics Award")
2010 - “Ballerina of the Decade” (international concert project “Ballet Stars of the 21st Century”)Childhood
Diana Vishneva was born on July 13, 1976 in Leningrad, into a family of chemical engineers. Diana’s mother, Guzali Fagimovna, dreamed of becoming a ballerina in her youth and was passionate about ballet all her life. According to Vishneva, it was her mother who instilled in her a love of ballet. And her father, Viktor Gennadievich, taught her to self-discipline - he and his daughter went in for sports since childhood, together they skied and swam.
Parents enrolled 6-year-old Diana in choreography classes at the Palace of Pioneers, and at the age of 11 the girl was already able to enter the choreographic school named after. Vaganova.
In 1994, at the age of 18, Vishneva won the Gold Medal at the international ballet competition “Prix of Lausanne”. The girl received a standing ovation, gracefully performing a variation from the ballet “Coppelia” and the number “Carmen”, choreographed especially for the competition by Igor Belsky.
Ballet career
There were still many awards and victories to come in the ballerina’s life, but it was the triumph at the competition in Switzerland that became the starting point in her success story. The following year, while still a student, Diana performed the role of Kitri in the ballet Don Quixote on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. Also, during her internship at the famous theater, she received main party in "Cinderella" and the role of Masha in "The Nutcracker".
There is an opinion that not a single ballerina can succeed without performing on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. Diana Vishneva managed to conquer main theater countries at the age of 20. In 1995, showing great promise young ballerina successfully performed there with her signature number “Carmen”.
In 1996, Diana Vishneva became a prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater and played main character in the production of "Romeo and Juliet", dedicated to Galina Ulanova. For this part, performed with her characteristic professionalism, Vishneva was awarded the “Divine” prize. In the same year she received the prestigious theater awards “Benois of Dance” and “Golden Spotlight”.
At the end of 1996, Vishneva went on tour with the Mariinsky Theater to London, where she successfully opened the season with The Nutcracker. A year later, she was invited to Lausanne as a guest of honor and allowed to open a gala concert in a duet with Carlos Acosta. In London productions of the Mariinsky Theater, the girl played exclusively leading roles in such ballets as “Symphony in C,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “The Vision of a Rose.”
At the end of the year, the girl went on tour to New Jersey and then to New York. Despite numerous roles in classical ballet, the ballerina dreamed of trying her hand at more modern choreography. In 1999, she finally had the opportunity - she performed in the production of Giselle. This was followed by participation in the performances “Jewels” and “Ruby”.
In 2001, the ballerina's performance on the stage of the Bavarian Theater created a sensation. Having transformed into the sensual and desirable Manon, the ballerina amazed critics and spectators with her performance in the play of the same name. The following year, she managed to become famous in Washington thanks to her leading role in the already familiar production of “Sleeping Beauty.”
Trips to America were not in vain for Diana, and in 2005 she officially became a prima ballerina of the American Ballet Theater, where she worked until 2017. By this time, Diana had already managed to attract the attention of millions of fans who had long considered her the best dancer in Europe.
In the USA, the ballerina finally managed to realize her long-time dream - to perform the main roles in “Swan Lake” and “Raymonda”. On the stage of her native Mariinsky Theater, these roles were not given to the dancer, since they allegedly did not suit her role - everyone saw her in the image of the passionate Carmen.
Having dispelled the doubts of the Mariinsky directors, the following year Diana opened the season “ Swan Lake"and left no one in doubt about the versatility of her talent. To play the role of Odette, she was also invited to the Bolshoi Theater for long-term cooperation.
In 2006, Diana Vishneva became People's Artist Russia. At that time, she had already received the unofficial title of one of the greatest ballerinas of our time. A few months later, another significant event for her career occurred - the launch of her own project “Silenzio”.
The purpose of this production was to succinctly combine on one stage classical ballet and drama. The premiere of the play on the stage of the native Mariinsky Theater created a sensation among critics and spectators. Subsequently, Vishneva staged many other interesting performances, such as “The Legend of Love” (2007), “Park” (2011) and “Grani” (2011).
Diana Vishneva visiting Ivan Urgant
In 2006, Diana Vishneva played minor role in the documentary musical “Ballerina”, and in 2007 she became the face of the fashion house “Tatyana Parfenova”. In 2010, Diana founded charitable foundation, aimed at popularizing ballet. By her own admission, Vishneva will forever remain devoted to ballet. “Our profession is wonderful, but at the same time it requires colossal strength of character and iron will,” Diana once admitted.
Personal life of Diana Vishneva
In the late 1990s, Diana was in a romantic relationship with her stage partner Farukh Ruzimatov. They were united not only by love, but also by joint fruitful creativity and hard work in ballet and cinema. The couple separated in the mid-2000s.
