FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev (/ˈnjʊəriɛf, njʊˈreɪɛf/ NURE-ee-ef, nyuurr-AY-ef; Tatar/Bashkir: Rudolf Xämit uğlı Nuriev, Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; Russian: Рудольф Хаметович Нуреев, IPA: [rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf]; 17 March 1938 – 6 January 1993) was a Soviet-born ballet dancer and choreographer. Nureyev is regarded by some as the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation.
Nureyev was born on a Trans-Siberian train near Irkutsk, Siberia, Soviet Union, to a Tatar family. He began his early career with the company that in the Soviet era was called the Kirov Ballet (now called by its original name, the Mariinsky Ballet) in Leningrad. He defected from the Soviet Union to the West in 1961, despite KGB efforts to stop him. This was the first defection of a Soviet artist during the Cold War, and it created an international sensation. He went on to dance with The Royal Ballet in London and from 1983 to 1989 served as director of the Paris Opera Ballet. Nureyev was also a choreographer serving as the chief choreographer of the Paris Opera Ballet. He produced his own interpretations of numerous classical works, including Swan Lake, Giselle and La Bayadère.
FRIDAY’S ALMANAC
Friday, June 16, 2023
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Born
- Stan Laurel (comedian) – 1890
- Barbara McClintock (geneticist) – 1902
- Joyce Carol Oates (author) – 1938
- Laurie Metcalf (actress) – 1955
- Phil Mickelson (golfer) – 1970
- Kerry Wood (baseball player) – 1977
- Diana DeGarmo (singer) – 1987
- Bianca Andreescu (tennis player ) – 2000
Died
- Brian Piccolo (football player) – 1970
- Jack Montgomery (Medal of Honor recipient) – 2002
Events
- Spain declared war on Britain and the siege of Gibraltar began– 1779
- The first roller coaster in the United States began operation at Coney Island, New York– 1884
- First issue of Klondike Nugget published, Dawson, Yukon– 1898
- Andrew Jackson, Jr. was issued a patent for eye protectors for chickens– 1903
- Alfred Hitchcock’s film, Psycho, released– 1960
- Soviet dancer, Rudolph Nureyev, left the touring Kirov Ballet and asked for political asylum in France– 1961
- First female in space, Valentina V. Tereshkova, was launched into orbit in Soviet Vostok VI– 1963
- People were caught breaking into the United States Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate building– 1972
- A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off of California’s northern coast to become the fourth significant quake to jolt California in a week– 2005
Weather
- Hail measuring 17 inches in circumference fell in Dubuque, Iowa– 1882
- Mecca, California, recorded temperatures up to 124 degrees F– 1917
- Thunderstorms dropped 14 inches of rain at Palmer Lake and Larkspur, Colorado– 1965
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