Svetlana Beriosova
Encyclopedia
Svetlana Beriosova was a British prima ballerina who danced with the Royal Ballet of England for more than 20 years.
Born in Kaunas
, Lithuania
, the daughter of Nicolas Beriosoff (or Nicolas Beriozoff) (1906-1996), a Lithuanian ballet master of ethnic Russian descent who emigrated to England, Svetlana Beriosova was brought in 1940 to the United States
, where she studied ballet. Her mother died in New York when Svetlana was 10 years old. She made her professional debut in 1947 with Nesta Toumine
's Ottawa Ballet. In 1952, after appearing with several major companies, including the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo and the Metropolitan Ballet, she joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet, where she became prima ballerina in 1955.
Notable among her leading roles there was Swanilda in
Coppélia
, which allowed her to showcase her rarely used comic talent. She was far better known for her eloquent and elegant classical style, which was highlighted in the many leading roles she created, such as Princess Belle Rose in John Cranko
's The Prince of the Pagodas (1957), the Fairy in Kenneth MacMillan
's
Le Baiser de la fée (The Fairy's Kiss, 1960), and Lady Elgar in Frederick Ashton
's Enigma Variations (1968). She also danced such traditional classical roles as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake
, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and the title role in Giselle
.
As well as dancing the entire classical repertoire, Beriosova created the leading part in several modern ballets, notably the title role in Cranko's Antigone (1959). In one of her more unusual modern parts, the title role of Ashton's Persephone (1961), she recited André Gide
's poetry in French in addition to dancing to the music of Igor Stravinsky
.
Plagued by illness and injuries, Ms. Beriosova performed very little in the 1970s. She retired in 1975 but continued to coach young dancers. On her retirement from dancing, she became a popular teacher and dancers' coach, working in public onstage in Maina Gielgud
's Steps, Notes and Squeaks in 1978 and 1980.
ended in divorce in 1974 after 15 years.
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, the daughter of Nicolas Beriosoff (or Nicolas Beriozoff) (1906-1996), a Lithuanian ballet master of ethnic Russian descent who emigrated to England, Svetlana Beriosova was brought in 1940 to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she studied ballet. Her mother died in New York when Svetlana was 10 years old. She made her professional debut in 1947 with Nesta Toumine
Nesta Toumine
Nesta Toumine was a dancer, choreographer, artistic director and teacher in Canada.She was born Nesta Williams in Thonrhill Heath, Croydon, England, the daughter of Alfred Edward Williams and Agmes Mary Seivers, and was educated in Ottawa...
's Ottawa Ballet. In 1952, after appearing with several major companies, including the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo and the Metropolitan Ballet, she joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet, where she became prima ballerina in 1955.
Notable among her leading roles there was Swanilda in
Coppélia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
, which allowed her to showcase her rarely used comic talent. She was far better known for her eloquent and elegant classical style, which was highlighted in the many leading roles she created, such as Princess Belle Rose in John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
's The Prince of the Pagodas (1957), the Fairy in Kenneth MacMillan
Kenneth MacMillan
Sir Kenneth MacMillan was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977.-Early years:...
's
Le Baiser de la fée (The Fairy's Kiss, 1960), and Lady Elgar in Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
's Enigma Variations (1968). She also danced such traditional classical roles as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and the title role in Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
.
As well as dancing the entire classical repertoire, Beriosova created the leading part in several modern ballets, notably the title role in Cranko's Antigone (1959). In one of her more unusual modern parts, the title role of Ashton's Persephone (1961), she recited André Gide
André Gide
André Paul Guillaume Gide was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.Known for his fiction as well as his autobiographical works, Gide...
's poetry in French in addition to dancing to the music of Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
.
Plagued by illness and injuries, Ms. Beriosova performed very little in the 1970s. She retired in 1975 but continued to coach young dancers. On her retirement from dancing, she became a popular teacher and dancers' coach, working in public onstage in Maina Gielgud
Maina Gielgud
Maina Gielgud is a former British ballet dancer and a veteran ballet administrator. She was artistic director of the Australian Ballet from 1983 to 1996 and is that company's longest serving director to date. She had a twenty year career as a dancer in Europe and the United Kingdom. Gielgud...
's Steps, Notes and Squeaks in 1978 and 1980.
Marriage
Ms. Beriosova's marriage to psychoanalyst Mohammed Masud Raza KhanMasud Khan
Mohammed Masud Raza Khan was an Indian-born British psychoanalyst. His training analyst was Donald Winnicott.-Early life:...
ended in divorce in 1974 after 15 years.