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Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
Rudolf Nureyev
at the cncs

Twenty years after his death, Rudolf Nureyev
remains a legend. Thanks to a large donation
by The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation and
to the precious aid of this foundation, on
October 19, 2013 the Centre national du
costume de scène will have the privilege
of opening a permanent space, a place of
memory, The Nureyev Collection, which
presents the exceptional career and unique
life of this dance star.
Delphine Pinasa
Director of the Centre national du costume de scène
Contents
Rudolf Nureyev at the cncs- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 3
Rudolf Nureyev, insatiable collector- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 5
A guide to the exhibition – Ezio Frigerio and Giulano Spinelli- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 6-7
Rudolf Nureyev in a few dates- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 11
The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation and the cncs- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 13
Practical information- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 14
Graphics available for the press- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p. 15
Rudolf Nureyev’s life and career were a reflection of his ballets: theatrical and
fast-paced. The greatest dancer of the 20th century along with Nijinsky had an
dazzling career, became an international star, contributed to the evolution of
the codes of classical ballet and gave it new brilliance. Twenty years after his
death, Rudolf Nureyev remains a dance icon, a legendary figure with a whimsical character and an iron will.
Rudolf Nureyev was born on March 17,
1938 in the province of Bashkir, and his
childhood was precarious. His father who
was in the military was often absent, and
his mother brought up her three daughters and her youngest child, her only son.
Very early on young Rudolf showed an
interest in music. When he was 6 years
old he attended a performance of the
ballet The Song of the Storks and decided
he would become a dancer. Despite his
father’s opposition he took dance classes,
first folk dance and afterwards, classical ballet. His teachers, aware of the
promising talent of their young student,
encouraged him to pursue his training
at the ballet school in Leningrad. After
passing the entrance exam in 1955 it
was predicted that he would be “either […] an exceptional
dancer or the model of failure, and most probably the model
of failure.” Despite his late entry into the school, three years
later, thanks to his iron will and unique talent, he became
soloist with the Kirov Ballet, the best dance company in
the ussr.
In 1961 Nureyev danced for the first time on stage at the Palais
Garnier during a tour of the Kirov Ballet. Worried about
his career, he took the irrevocable decision to choose exile
and freedom, and demanded political asylum in France. His
defection aroused the anger of the Russian authorities, who
condemned him incessantly and it made world headlines at
the height of the Cold War. A legend was born.
The dancer without a country was then hired by the Grands
Ballets du Marquis de Cuevas before flying off to study
Bournonville technique with Erik Bruhn in Copenhagen
the year after. In 1962 he danced for the first time with the
prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn at Covent Garden in London.
Magical and improbable (she was 42 and he was 23), the
duo with its harmonious style became a legendary couple.
Nureyev danced as guest artist with The Royal Ballet until
1977. This status permitted him to dance in theaters around
the world – the Rome Opera, the Paris
Opera and at La Scala in Milan – which
considerably heightened the durablity of
his reputation. His insatiable appetite for
dance led him to dance with dozens of
companies (The Australian Ballet, The
National Ballet of Canada, American
Ballet Theater...) and to perform more
than one hundred classical and contemporary roles, many of which were created
especially for him by famous choreographers including Ashton, Balanchine,
Béjart and MacMillan.
Parallel to his career as a dancer, Nureyev
remounted the choreographies by Marius
Petipa which he had learned at the Kirov:
Raymonda, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don
Quixote, Nutcracker. He choreographed
fourteen ballets for the most important theaters around the
world, and many of these choreographies are still being performed today.
From 1983 to 1989 he was dance director at the Paris Opera.
Drawing on his own experiences, he enlarged the repertoire
of the company by programming classical ballets, creating
his own ballets, and inviting many contemporary choreographers to work with the company. He was both encouraging and demanding, and gave a new generation of dancers
from the Opera ballet school their chance. He thus contributed in restorating the image of this company, making
it one of the best in the world. After this period, Nureyev
performed in the musical comedy The King and I, conducted
orchestras, and continued his activity as choreographer.
Although he was already weakened by illness, Nureyev fulfilled his dream of remounting La Bayadère for the Paris Opera
Ballet. October 8, 1992, date of the first performance of this
ballet, was Nureyev’s last appearance in public. He died on
January 6, 1993 at the age of 54. He is buried at the Russian
cemetary of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, and his grave, conceived by his friend, the designer Ezio Frigerio, is covered
in mosaics representing a kilim rug covering a travel trunk.
a Rudolf Nureyev in Marguerite and Armand,
at Covent Garden, in 1963. © Eve Arnold, Magnum Photo.
3
Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
Rudolf Nureyev,
insatiable collector

An insatiable dancer, Nureyev travelled hectically around the world to dance
in all the great theaters. This energy and enthusiasm were characteristic of his
career and were also to be found in his private life. An insatiable collector, he
amassed hundreds of paintings, sculptures, prints, engravings, pieces of furniture, exotic fabrics and musical instruments to decorate the properties which
he bought during his travels and following his fancies. He frequented auction
houses and bazaars and was acquainted with antiques dealers and traders, and
slowly created an impressive patrimony.
After his defection in 1961, Rudolf Nureyev found himself
alone and penniless in Paris. However, the international
repercussions of his act at the height of the Cold War gave
him a certain degree of fame which allowed him to work
with several companies. He danced everywhere, every day,
several times a day, and quickly was able to ask for high
fees for each performance. In a few years Nureyev became
extremely wealthy. Starting in the 1980s Nureyev began to
invest in real estate, offering himself splendid properties in
Monaco, Paris, London, New York, Saint-Barthélémy, the
I Galli islands… Many of these properties remained empty
due to a lack of time, but others spilled over with treasures of
all kinds. This was the case of his apartments in New York
and Paris. The first, filled with furniture of the imperial
style of the 16th century, resembled a museum. To decorate
the second, Nureyev hired Emilio Carcarno, a designer for
theater and an interior decorator, who created an opulent
interior, a true stage set, using the eclectic objects belonging to the dancer. In a late 19th century atmosphere with
Gothic and medieval allusions, flamboyant gilt work and
old parquet flooring live together with velvet sofas, precious
wood and Cordovan leather covering the walls.
A compulsive and impassioned collector, Nureyev bought
more and more and spent the little free time he had hunting
for bargains in antique shops. As a poor child, Nureyev collected postcards of the paintings he saw in the museum in
Ufa. As a worshipped star, he bought all that he had not been
able to offer himself before. Each trip was the occasion for
new finds from Europe, the United States, Japan, Turkey –
wherever he went.
Passionate about music, he acquired several instruments:
organs, harpsichords, piano-fortes, spinets, harmoniums,
hammered dulcimers, and a portable keyboard for his tours.
He covered his walls with hundreds of paintings, from the
16th to the 19th century: portraits and male nudes, Biblical and
mythological allegories, engravings, perspectives of Italian
cities and Japanese prints. The Orient, which reminded him
of his childhood and his country, is particularly present in
his fabric collection. Nureyev adored kilims which covered
the floors, furniture and beds of his various properties;
luxurious kimonos and Japanese silks, Chinese silk dresses,
paisley shawls from India, and fabric of all kinds.
After Nureyev’s death, the Foundation which he had created
and to which he willed his entire fortune, donated a portion
of the archives (books, magazines, programs, photos, recordings, articles…) to the Centre national de la Danse in Paris
just after 2000. Eight years later, the Foundation decided
to divide the collection among three institutions: the Ufa
Museum in Russia where Nureyev grew up received a part of
his stage costumes, posters, programs, photos and commemorative objects; the Music Department at the Bibliothèque
national de France received the personal and professional
documents linked to Nureyev’s activities in Paris; and the
cncs received the major part of the collection, with the
mission of opening a space commemorating the heritage left
by Rudolf Nureyev – dancer, choreographer, ballet master
and company director.
In presenting The Nureyev Collection, the cncs invites
the public to discover the intimacy and the career of this
great Russian dancer through paintings, prints, furniture,
musical instruments and sculptures, but also through Eastern
and Western street
clothing, accessories
Catalogue of the
and stage costumes.
a Rudolf Nureyev’s apartment, quai Voltaire in Paris.
© Fritz von der Schulenburg.
Nureyev Collection
Authors: Martine Kahane
and Delphine Pinasa.
Beautiful, richly illustrated book.
Format: 16.5 x 24 cm, 128 pages,
French/English.
Selling price: € 29 (including tax)
isbn : 978 2 84975 313 2
Editions cncs
Distribution:
Fage éditions
tel: +33 (0)4 72 07 70 98
fage.editions@free.fr
www.fage-editions.com
5
Nureyev Collection
Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
A guide to
the exhibition
Biographical elements

“I would like […] my name to be perpetuated in the form of a museum or gallery commemorating my lifestyle and my career…” Responding to the wishes
of Rudolf Nureyev expressed in his will, The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation donated
a large part of the possessions of this immense dance figure to the cncs. The
cncs has created a 350-square meter area dedicated to the career and memory
of this dance star. The exhibition rooms will be open on a permanent basis.
After this immersion in Rudolf Nureyev’s career, the exposition continues in the following room with a presentation
of personal photographs illustrating his childhood in Ufa
and his training at the Vaganova ballet school in Leningrad;
his first steps as soloist at the Kirov Ballet (1958-1961) up to
his defection in 1961. Facing these photos, a chronological
frieze connects the important dates in Rudolf Nureyev’s life
to the historical, political and cultural events of the second
half of the 20th century. An interactive terminal presenting
the entirety of the Collection on line as well as complementary information will be available for free consultation.
Nureyev, collector
The third and final room plunges the visitor into Nureyev’s
private life. Prints, paintings, furniture, musical instruments,
fabrics and historical and oriental clothing are on exhibit here,
material traces of the life, above all nomadic, of the dancer.
Far from the spotlights, in the shelter of his numerous retreats
– Paris, New York, Saint-Barthélémy – Rudolf Nureyev
amassed collections of hundreds of personal effects and
works of art, and presented them with an innate taste for
staging. Revealed to the public today, they bear witness to
the extraordinary personal aesthetics of this man.
 The quai Voltaire apartment
6
a Warrior, France,
19th century. Bronze.
© cncs / Pascal François.
a Theater costume, China,
beginning of the 20th century.
© cncs / Pascal François.
Following the path
of an exceptional dancer
The first room presents the exceptional international career
of the dancer and choreographer with two showcases devoted
to the ballet costumes of Nureyev and his partners. For conservation reasons, the costumes of the Collection will be
exhibited on a rotating basis, changing every six months.
The first showcase displays several of the most significant
stage costumes in Nureyev’s career, such as the doublet worn
for the role of the Prince in the pas de deux from Nutcracker
(1962) which was one of the first costumes worn by Nureyev
after his defection; the Italian-inspired costume designed
by Ezio Frigerio for the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
(1977, London Festival Ballet); that for the role of Brienne
for Act III of Raymonda (1983, Paris Opera) designed by
Nicholas Georgiadis – these are the material traces of his
stage performances.
This showcase highlights the remarkable course of the
dancer and emphasizes the essential contribution, both
vestimentary and choreographic that he made to classical ballet. Effectively, from his first appearances on stage,
Nureyev abandoned the short pants worn for modesty’s sake,
a Regency style teapot and
base. © cncs / Pascal François.
a Gold leather jacket with
wide lapels. Second half
of the 20 th century.
© cncs / Pascal François.
keeping only the tights, and he modified the doublets. Over
the years he shortened them, tightened the waist, opened
the neckline and raised the sleeves.
Nureyev intensified the male roles he danced himself,
enriching them with technical difficulties. He was a prolific
choreographer, mounting no fewer than fourteen productions, some of which had never before been seen in the
West, and were danced by some of the most prestigious
ballet companies in the world, including The Royal Ballet
of London, the Paris Opera Ballet, the ballet of La Scala in
Milan, and The Australian Ballet. The second showcase
therefore presents the costumes designed for Nureyev’s
choreographies and worn by his partners.
Among others can be seen the costumes for Sylvie Guillem,
Noëlla Pontois and Laurent Hilaire designed by Hanae Mori
and Franca Squarciapino for Cinderella (1986), Swan Lake
(1984) and La Bayadère (1992), choreographed by Nureyev
and presented at the Paris Opera.
Reproductions of set models as well as an auditorium
where documentaries retracing the career of the dancer
and many dance extracts can be seen, allow the costumes
to be put into context and recreate the general atmosphere
of each ballet.
The staging conceived by Ezio Frigerio allows us to enter
Nureyev’s universe thanks to the reconstruction of a part of
the living room of the apartment at 23 quai Voltaire in Paris
which the dancer bought in 1979. This space, composed of
paintings which lined the walls of his Paris living room, furniture: a banquette and pedestal table in Karelia birch, a
sofa, his coat rack and many diverse objects, is conceived as
a “period room”, aiming to bring to life in their context the
different elements from the Paris and New York apartments.
This immersion in the daily life of the dancer is the occasion
for the public to perceive the links between the artistic
creations of this man and the aesthetics of his personal life.
 Engravings and prints
The Collection contains more than a hundred items including
twelve engravings of theater sets by Burnacini (1636-1707),
twenty-five by Coypel (1694-1752) based on the story of
Don Quixote, and four Japanese woodcuts. This abundance
bears witness to the very pronounced taste which Nureyev
had for engravings. The walls of his Paris bedroom were
covered with engravings from the 16th century to the middle
of the 17th century, representing architectural monuments
including cathedrals, or panoramas of large European cities
– Paris, Amsterdam, London, Rome, Verona, Florence –
and his native country.
 Fabrics
We find here the trace of the dancer’s passion for oriental
fabrics with one woolen piece from his enormous collection
of kilims as well as some superb Japanese kimonos which
he wore in the intimacy of private soirées. Highly colored
items of his street clothing are also part of the Collection: a
fitted gold leather jacket typical of the “peacock revolution”
which influenced London fashion in the 1960s, a multicolored
shawl by Kenzo, the tailcoat from Anderson and Sheppard…
 Musical instruments
Passionate about music, at the end of the 1980s Nureyev
began to think about a career as orchestra conductor even
though he was already ill. He was encouraged by three of
the most gifted conductors of the 20th century: Karl Böhm,
Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein. He committed
himself to this new discipline with the same dedication he
had had for dance. This part of his life is recounted through
the presence of his conductor’s baton, his metronome, a 20th
century Hofberg harmonium and an English spinet (sort of
small harpsichord) made of walnut dating from the beginning of the 18th century.
 And also…
This final room also contains the model of Nureyev’s grave
conceived by his friend Ezio Frigerio. Composed of thousands of mosaic tiles, it represents a kilim, the ultimate
homage paid to the Orient from which Nureyev originated,
thrown over travel trunks, an evocation of his nomadic
life and his sentiment of being without a country. This life
of travel is also made concrete thanks to the presentation
of his Austrian passports, his travel bag and many other
objects which Nureyev unearthed during his many travels
around the world.
Ezio Frigerio and Giuliano Spinelli
Ezio Frigerio is one of the greatest designers in the world
of theater and he has worked for the most prestigious institutions and the most famous directors: Giorgio Strehler,
Luca Ronconi, Roger Planchon, Jorge Lavelli, Claude
Régy and Nicolas Joël for opera; Rudolf Nureyev, Roland
Petit and Yuri Grigorovitch for ballet; Vittorio di Sica,
Liliana Cavani, Bernado Bertoluccci, Jean-Paul Rappeneau and Volker Schlöndorff for film. He has designed
some three hundred productions, and some of his sets
for the Comédie-Française, the Paris Opera, the Piccolo
Theatro and La Scala of Milan have entered history. Ezio
Frigerio designed his first sets at the request of Rudolf
Nureyev for his 1980 production of Romeo and Juliet at
La Scala. The choreographer then commissioned sets
for Swan Lake, La Bayadère and Sleeping Beauty. During
these collaborations the two artists became close friends.
When Rudolf Nureyev died, Ezio Frigerio designed his
friend’s grave. Twenty years after the death of the dancer,
Ezio Frigerio accepted to conceive the scenography for
the first space in the world dedicated to the memory of
Rudolf Nureyev.
Giuliano Spinelli was born in Bologna in 1970 and
studied art at the La Brera Academy in Milan where his
award-winning work was regularly selected for expositions such as that of the Mozart Laboratorium at the Lyric
Theater in Milan. After graduating, he participated in
exhibitions and television films and then devoted himself
to scenography. He became assistant stage director for
many opera productions at the Rome Opera, the Massimo
Theater in Palermo and at the new theater La Mirandola
in Modena, and he has directed fifteen productions. He
has collaborated with Ezio Frigerio since 1998 on scenographies in the greatest theaters in the world, and today
has added his collaboration to the design of the exhibition space for The Nureyev Collection.
7
a 1. Fanny and Thérèse Elssler. Print by Firmin Salabert (1811-1895).
2. Male nude known as wounded Achilles. Oil on canvas. Paul Delaroff collection.
18th century, French school. Circle of François Boucher, circa 1760.
3. Spinet made by Stephen Keene, London, 1703. Walnut.
a 1. Ikat silk tchapan edged with green ribbon with white overstitching.
2. Karelian birch banquette, early 19th century.
© cncs / Pascal François.
Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
Rudolf Nureyev
in a few dates

1938 Rudolf Nureyev is born on March 17 aboard the Transsiberian Express near Lake Baikal. Childhood and youth in
Ufa, capital of the Soviet Republic of Bashkir.
1955 Admission in the School of Dance in Leningrad.
1958 Named soloist at the Kirov Ballet (current Mariinsky
Theater) in Leningrad, the best dance company in the ussr
after dancing a pas de deux from Le Corsaire during the performance at the end of his studies.
1961 Tour of the Kirov Ballet in Paris. May 19, immediate
success at the Palais Garnier in the Kingdom of the Shades
Act from La Bayadère. June 16, Nureyev “chooses liberty”
and demands political asylum. June 17, hired by the Grands
Ballets du Marquis de Cuevas.
1962 Studies Bournonville technique with Erik Bruhn in
Copenhagen. February 21, first performance of Giselle with
Margot Fonteyn at Covent Garden in London. Becomes guest
artist with The Royal Ballet and remains as such until 1977.
1963 The dance star is invited by all of the most important dance companies in the world. March 12, premiere of
Marguerite and Armand by Frederick Ashton for Margot
Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. November 27, for the first time
remounts the Kingdom of the Shades Act from La Bayadère by
Marius Petipa for The Royal Ballet. Later remounts several
great ballets by Petipa: Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Don Quixote,
Swan Lake and Raymonda. Premiere of Tancrède and Manfred.
1983 Becomes director of dance at the Paris Opera.
1989 Leaves his position at the Paris Opera. He dances La
Sylphide at the Kirov Theater 28 years after his departure.
1990 Performs in the musical comedy The King and I in the
United States.
1992 October 8, first performance at Palais Garnier of La
Bayadère, ballet by Marius Petipa, remounted by Nureyev.
1993 January 6, death of Rudolf Nureyev at the age of 54,
at the Hôpital de Perpetual Secours in Levallois-Perret.
11
Choreographies
La Bayadère (Kingdom of the Shades
Act) Based on the ballet by Marius
Petipa, music by Minkus
1963, for The Royal Ballet in London 1974, for The Paris Opera Ballet
Don Quixote
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa,
music by Minkus
1966, for The Vienna Opera
1970, for The Australian Ballet
1977, for The Zurich Opera
Raymonda
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa, 1981, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1985, for The Central Ballet in
music by Glazounov
1964, for The Royal Ballet in London Beijing and The Matsuyama Ballet
in Tokyo
1965, for The Australian Ballet 1987, for La Scala in Milan
1972, for The Zurich Opera Ballet 1975, for American Ballet Theater Tancrède (creation)
1983, for The Paris Opera Ballet
Music by Henze
Swan Lake
1966, for The Vienna Opera
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa,
Nutcracker
music by Tchaikovsky
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa,
1964, for The Vienna Opera
music by Tchaikovsky
1984, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1967, for The Royal Swedish Ballet
1990, for La Scala in Milan
1968, for The Royal Ballet in London
Sleeping Beauty
1969, for La Scala in Milan
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa, 1979, for The Berlin Opera
music by Tchaikovsky
1985, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1966, for La Scala in Milan 1972, for The Canadian National Ballet Romeo and Juliet
Music by Prokofiev
1975, for The London Festival Ballet
1977, for The London Festival Ballet
1980, for The Vienna Opera
1980, for La Scala in Milan
1989, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1984, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1992, for the Staastoper in Berlin
Manfred (creation)
Music by Tchaikovsky
1979, for The Royal Ballet in London
1981, for The Paris Opera Ballet
The Tempest (creation)
Music by Tchaikovsky
1982, for the Royal Ballet in London
1984, for the Paris Opera Ballet
Bach Suite (creation)
Music by J.S. Bach
1984, with the collaboration
of Francine Lancelot
Washington Square (creation)
Based on the short novel by Henry
James, music by Charles Ives
1985, for The Paris Opera Ballet
Cinderella (creation)
Music by Prokofiev
1986, for The Paris Opera Ballet
1991, for the Naples Opera Ballet
La Bayadère (in three acts)
Based on the ballet by Marius Petipa,
music by Minkus
1992, for The Paris Opera Ballet
a Rudolf Nureyev in 1974 in Apollon Musagète,
choreography by George Balanchine. © Francette Levieux.
Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
The Nureyev Foundation
and the cncs

The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation
Rudolf Nureyev created his foundation in 1975 under
the name “The Ballet Promotion Foundation”. It was first
designed to help his family in the Soviet Union, but as well
to support dancers, dance companies, ballet schools and the
organization of theater productions. In 1994, after Nureyev’s
death, it became The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation, keeping
the same objectives but expanding to include other actions as
specified in Nureyev’s will, notably the attribution of scholarships to promising young dancers from the territories of
the ex-ussr , for them to study for a year in the West, with
the condition that they return to their country afterwards to
contribute to the development of dance there. Actions were
also forseen in medical, humanitarian and medical fields.
The responsibility of establishing a space dedicated to the
memory of the dancer was also assigned to the Foundation.
Thanks to different aid and action programs The Rudolf
Nureyev Foundation thus supports diverse organizations, but
always following the guidelines traced by Rudolf Nureyev
in the fields of teaching, theater production, promotion and
medical research.
The Centre national du costume de
scène et de la scénographie (cncs)
The Centre national de costume de scène et de la scénographie (cncs) is situated in Moulins in the Allier department
and occupies a part of the Quartier Villars, a cavalry barracks
dating from the end of the 18th century. The site was saved
in 1984 thanks to its designation as a Historic Monument.
The building underwent renovation during ten years to
restore its original aspect and to become the cncs. In 1997
a new building was constructed for the reserves of the collection, designed by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
This building, with an area of 1,700 square meters includes
a conservation area on the ground floor and three floors
of costume reserves. Installed in “compactus”, or rolling
closets, the costumes are kept in optimal conservation conditions (sheltered from light, at a constant temperature of
18° C and a 50% level of hygrometry). The cncs opened in
July 2006 and is the first conservation center in France or
abroad entirely devoted to material theatrical heritage. It
has become a place not to be missed for all lovers of theater
arts. After appearing in their final productions at the Paris
Opera, the Comédie-Française and numerous other theater
companies, the costumes arrive at the center for a second
life during which they will never again be worn but will be
conserved, studied and exhibited.
The Nureyev Foundation has chosen
the cncs to present the Collection
A final project remained to be realized, and this will become
a reality on October 19, 2013 when the space dedicated to
the memory of Nureyev opens at the Centre national du
costume de scène in Moulins. The Foundation considered
that this new institution, dedicated to the conservation and
valorization of the material patrimony of theaters – a public
institution supported by the Ministry of Culture, and with a
direct link with the Paris Opera – would be the most capable
of including in its mission the museographic and scientific
work necessary to bring to life the memory and actions of
Rudolf Nureyev – dancer, choreographer, ballet master
and dance director.
The Foundation therefore donated to the cncs all the objects
belonging to Nureyev that it had held in trust since his death
– furniture, paintings, costumes, fabrics… A large number
of the films and documentaries were given to the Centre
national de la Dance, and Nureyev’s personal papers were
given to the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The entirety
of the donation is thus found in France, the country where
Rudolf Nureyev chose liberty, that of his final resting place.
Support by the Ministry of Culture and Communi cation and The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation for the
realization of the permanent space.
The overall cost totals € 574,080 (including tax) financed
by the Ministry of Culture and Communication in the
context of the plan Museums in the Regions (€ 478,080)
and by the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation and the cncs
(€ 96,000). The project management was led by the city
of Moulins and the architectural and engineering team
was led by Sylvie Jodar, architect.
Support for The Nureyev Collection also came from
European funding through the Leader program, managed
by gal Sologne and Bocage Bourbonnais for the development of a tourism policy in the area.
The cncs has also launched a sponsorship campaign
around the Collection (www.cncs.fr) as well as for
the restoration of a doublet by the designer Nicholas
Georgiadis worn by Rudolf Nureyev in 1964 in the role of
Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake. (www.mymajorcompany.com)
Management Board
Chairman: Thierry Le Roy, Councillor of State
Honorary President: Christian Lacroix
Delphine Pinasa: Director / Vincent Foray: Administrator
cncs
a Doublets for Gayane, Sleeping Beauty,
La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Giselle, and Romeo and Juliet.
© cncs / Pascal François.
13
Nureyev Collection
Practical
information
f
Centre national du costume
de scène et de la scénographie
Quartier Villars, Route de Montilly,
03000 Moulins
Tel: +33 (0)4 70 20 76 20
Fax: +33 (0)4 70 34 23 04
info@cncs.fr / www.cncs.fr
14
Opening hours
Open 7 days a week.
Starting on October 19, 2013
the cncs will be presenting
a permanent collection, the
Nureyev Collection, as well as two
temporary exhibitions per year.
During the period between each
temporary exhibition the Nureyev
Collection will remain open to
the public.
10 am - 6 pm during the temporary
exhibitions. 2 pm - 6 pm between
temporary exhibitions. Closed
on December 25 and January 1.
Exceptional early closing at 4 pm
on December 24 and December 31.
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)4 70 20 76 20
Visitor reception: info@cncs.fr
Group reception: groupes@cncs.fr
School groups and others:
pedagogie@cncs.fr
Annual membership
Permanent access to the Nureyev
Collection and temporary exhibitions,
reduced entrance fees for
accompanying persons, reduced
entrance fees for partner institutions
and many more advantages.
Full price: € 20 / Reduced price*: € 10
Individual entrance fees
The Nureyev Collection
+ temporary exhibition
Full price: € 6 / Reduced price*: € 3
Supplement audio-guide:€ 1
The Nureyev Collection
(between temporary exhibitions)
Full price: € 4 / Reduced price*: € 2
Supplement audio-guide: € 1
*12-25, the unemployed, rsa,
old age minimum.
Free entry for children under 12
accompanied by an adult; disabled visitors
and accompanying persons.
Opening of The Nureyev Collection at the cncs, October 19, 2013
Visuals available
for press use
Group fees
10-30 people, by reservation
Unaccompanied visit: € 4 per person
Diaporama visit*: € 4 per person
+ € 60 supplement
Guided visit of temporary exhibition:
€ 60 supplement per group
Private evening visit: € 300 flat fee
f
at www.heymann-renoult.com
(during temporary exhibitions only)
Fees for school groups and others
Maximum 25 people, by reservation
The Nureyev Collection +
temporary exhibition
Unaccompanied visit: € 3 per person
Diaporama visit*: € 80 flat fee
Workshop: € 100 flat fee
(during temporary exhibitions only)
Guided visit + workshop: € 160 flat fee
The Nureyev Collection
(between temporary exhibitions)
Unaccompanied visit: € 2 per person
Diaporama visit*: € 80 flat fee
*The Diaporama visit, proposed in the form
of a conference in the auditorium presented
by conference guides, is a voyage into the
heart of the Collection through the aid of
detailed photographs of different works. This
presentation is adapted for each group and
allows for a better appreciation of the
exceptional quality of the contents of the
Collection.
© cncs
The Café-Brasserie
Welcoming, tailor-made service
for lunch, cocktails and dinner or
for morning and afternoon snacks.
Wi-fi access. Shaded terrace.
Decoration by Christian Lacroix.
Open from 11 am to 6 pm.
Closed Monday but open daily
during Zone A school holidays.
For information and reservations:
+33 (0)6 44 06 81 46
lerestaurant@cncs.fr
A 100-seat auditorium, restaurant
with catering service and many
meeting rooms are available
for rental. Further information:
Stéphanie Laporte, slaporte@cncs.fr
Bookshop-Boutique
Books, objects, educational games,
textile items, ideas for presents,
dvd/cds, postcards and catalogues.
Special children’s section. Free
access during cncs opening hours.
Further information: www.cncs.fr
Couverture:
© Eve Arnold, Magnum Photos – © Michael
Peto / University of Dundee – © Francette
Levieux – © Photo Roger Pic / BnF – © Fritz
von der Schulenburg – © cncs / Coll. Rudolf
Noureev / Photos Pascal François.
Graphic design: Atalante-Paris.fr
Rudolf Nureyev, role
of Rothbart in Swan Lake.
© Francette Levieux.
Rudolf Nureyev, Le Corsaire,
1978. © Francette Levieux.
Rudolf Nureyev, Moments,
by Murray Louis, 1977.
© Francette Levieux.
Cape for Prince Albert,
Act I, Giselle, 1960.
Costume by James Bailey.
Doublet for the role of Basilio
in Don Quixote, 1979. Costume
by Nicholas Georgiadis.
Doublet for the role of Romeo,
Acte II, Romeo and Juliet, 1977.
Costume by Ezio Frigerio.
Doublet for the role of Prince
Siegfried, Acte I, Swan Lake,
1984. Costume by Franca
Squarciapino.
Doublet for the role of Solor,
La Bayadère, Kingdom of the
Shades Act, 1974. Costume by
Martin Kamer.
Theater costume, China,
beginning of the 20th century.
Gold leather jacket with wide
lapels. Second half of the
20th century. Tailor Mr. Fish.
Karelian birch gueridon
pedestal table.
Apartment, quai Voltaire.
Metronome, made by Maëlzel.
Wood, copper, metal.
Rudolf Nureyev’s second
Austrian passport, 1990.
Paris
Moulins
Bordeaux
Lyon
Clermont-Ferrand
Marseille
Access map available on www.cncs.fr
Access for the disabled, wheelchair
accessible areas; wheelchairs available
at reception with advance reservation.
Special advice is available to help plan
group visits for the disabled. Further
information: pedagogie@cncs.fr
Tourist information
© cncs
Rudolf Nureyev, Apollon
Musagète, choreography
by George Balanchine.
© Francette Levieux.
Access
On-site parking for cars
and tour buses; easy access.
Facilities for rent
During temporary exhibitions only
Rudolf Nureyev, La Bayadère,
Kingdom of the Shades Act.
© André Chino.
Moulins tourist office
Tourism in Moulins and in the
Bourbon region: introductory
weekends with a visit to the cncs
offered by Moulins tourist office.
www.pays-bourbon.com
Tel. +33 (0)4 70 44 14 14
Departmental tourism committee
of the Allier
www.allier-tourisme.com
Tel. +33 (0)4 70 46 81 50
Regional tourism development
committee for the Auvergne
www.auvergne-tourisme.info
Tel. +33 (0)4 73 29 49 46
Rudolf Nureyev ( Jean de Brienne)
and Noëlla Pontois (Raymonda),
Raymonda, Palais Garnier, 1983.
© André Chino.
Rudolf Nureyev and Noëlla Pontois,
Kingdom of the Shades Act, La Bayadère.
Palais Garnier, 1974. © André Chino.
Rudolf Nureyev during a rehearsal
of Manfred at the Paris Opera;
Violette Verdy is at his right, 1979.
© Francette Levieux.
Male nude known as wounded Achilles.
Oil on canvas. Paul Delaroff collection.
18th century, French school. Circle
of François Boucher, circa 1760.
Karelian birch banquette, early
19th century. Apartment, quai Voltaire.
Sofa. Apartment, quai Voltaire.
Kilim rug, West Anatolia, 20th century.
Leather cap.
a Images rights: Except written otherwise, all photographs
are signed Pascal François /cncs.
15
Quartier Villars
Route de Montilly, 03000 Moulins
Tel. 00 33 (0)4 70 20 76 20 / Fax 00 33 (0) 4 70 34 23 04
info@cncs.fr / www.cncs.fr
Press relations
Heymann, Renoult Associées
Sarah Heymann – Eleonora Alzetta
Tel. +33 (0)1 44 61 76 76 / Fax +33 (0)1 44 61 74 40
e.alzetta@heymann-renoult.com
www.heymann-renoult.com (downloadable documents and images)