Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Russian ballet icon Maya Plisetskaya and her composer husband donated 64 boxes of memorabilia to the national archives on Wednesday, providing a rare insight into artists' lives under the Soviet regime.
The couple gave Moscow's National Archives of Art and Literature Communist-era documents, including harsh anonymous reviews and passes to leave the country, and the manuscript of Plisetskaya's autobiography as well as dancing costumes.
Rodion Shchedrin's donation included first drafts of his compositions and his Grammy Award medal.
"Our apartment is too small to keep all of these objects and these archives could prove interesting for future generations," the 80-year old ballet legend said.
Among the documents the ballerina entrusted to the nation were the permits allowing her to leave the Soviet Union for foreign performances and reviews by "anonymous readers" criticising her challenging dance style.
"Comrade Plisetskaya, your pigeon-toed footwork is unacceptable for classical dance ... taking these kinds of liberties will lead to the development of Western-style pornography," one wrote after her 1967 performance of Carmen-Suite, a modern erotic ballet directed by Alberto Alonso which was shocking to a modest Soviet society.
Plisetskaya, who lives mainly in Munich, confided she was relieved to let some of the objects go, notably a portrait of Stravinsky which he gave her during a trip to the United States.
"We kept this portrait in a cupboard with other souvenirs ... At one time Rodion felt unwell and the doctor treating him said there was an object in the apartment we needed to get rid of," the dancer explained.
"He searched in the cupboard and found the portrait," she continued. "Since then, Rodion has been fine and we are giving away the portrait."
Tatiana Gorayeva, director of the archives, said: "we have plenty of objects that give off bad vibes. They will neutralise each other."
neo/cos/shn
AFPlifestyle-Russia-culture-dance-music
AFP 081959 GMT 11 06
COPYRIGHT 2006 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved.
