Breathing life into Rudolf Nureyev's legacy

RUDOLF Nureyev was one of ballet's first male superstars, a panther-like creature that could leap and soar like few before him. He made the traditional parts played by men more graceful than anyone had imagined they could be. And his legacy endures today in the dance classes and theatres of the world.

A small glimpse of that legacy can be had at the Alliance Francaise Singapore from now till Sept 15.

The cultural organisation is exhibiting 14 costumes from his most famous ballets as well as 49 photographs capturing him in performance - all from the collection of Nureyev's protégé Charles Jude.

Though the exhibition is relatively small in size, it makes an impact memorialising the Russian-born talent who changed the face of ballet.

There is his ornate costume from La Bayadere (The Temple Dancer), a significant work that marked his debut in Paris with the Kirov Ballet in May 1961.

He fell instantly in love with the city and decided right then and there to defect from the USSR, eventually serving as the director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1983 to 1989.

There are his pastoral costumes from 1974's Le Fils prodigue (Prodigal Son) choreographed by George Balanchine, Nureyev's favourite choreographer.

There's also his playful bodysuit for L'Apres-midi d'un faune (Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun) choreographed to the music of Claude Debussy by Vaslav Nijinsky - the other male ballet superstar of the 20thcentury other than Nureyev.

Besides the costumes, there are also the evocative black-and-white photographs taken by Francette Leveieux that artfully capture Nureyev's unmistakable bravura on stage. Among them are pictures from Apollon Musagete, a Balanchine creation that metaphorically mirrors Nureyev's own journey from the USSR to the West.

Fabian Forni, executive director of Alliance Française Singapore, says: "Nureyev was a character of his time. He was explosive on stage, but he was also glamorous and charismatic off stage.

He turned ballet into something popular and accessible by making appearances in TV shows and films. He even appeared in The Muppet Show.

"He didn't take his success for granted - he worked very hard and, in his prime, danced in about 100 shows a year around the world. He never stopped working."

That unparalleled work ethic is captured in the 2018 biographical film The White Crow directed by Ralph Fiennes.

The film will be screened alongside other films about ballet in a programme that also includes a conference on costume design led by Leonard Choo, a Singapore costume designer who previously worked for the New York City Ballet, as well as a meet-the-author session with Ariane Dollfus who wrote a biography of the dancer. Nureyev died of AIDS complications in 1993 when he was only 54. These costumes, photographs and films go some way in illustrating his greatness.

• For more information, visit alliancefrancaise.org.sg