Alexander Agadzhanov 60th birthday tribute in London

*Alexander Agadzhanov (left), in conversation with Julian Gallant (right), director of Pushkin House in London 

*Students of Alexander Agadzhanov (back of the picture) were also present

Thanks to Pushkin House in London, I made yet another discovery for myself of a talented Armenian with a colourful career in ballet. I am amazed that I have not heard of him before. Last Thursday (5 November 2009), they organised a 60th birthday tribute evening (although his actual birthday, if I remember right, in May) during which Alexander Agadzhanov talked about his career in ballet. There were also excerpts of his work with some of the greatest dancers of our age. Over the last 25 years, Agadzhanov lives and work in London, at the Royal Opera House.

Alexander Agadzhanov – has been Senior Teacher and Répétiteur to the Principal Artists at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for over 25 years.

Born in Mary, USSR, he studied with Alexander Zaitsev, Margarita Nazarova and Genrikh Maiorov in Kiev and joined Moscow Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in 1969, becoming a Principal in 1972. He danced leading roles as a guest Soloist in New York, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and at Deutsche Oper Ballet, Berlin, and as a Principal with Bonn Opera Ballet. He taught at The Royal Ballet School (1985-1988): his pupils have included Sergiu Pobereznic, Stuart Cassidy, Michael Nunn, William Trevitt and Tetsuya Kumakawa. He was Ballet Master/teacher at La Scala Ballet, Milan (1988-1989). Since 1989 he has taught and coached Royal Ballet Principals. He has also been guest Ballet Master/teacher at Scottish Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, among others. He has worked with such choreographers as Serge Lifar, Alvin Ailey, Flemming Flindt, Yuri Grigorovich, Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev and Roland Petit.

Just want to add few points from his biography which you won't normally find elsewhere. His father is Armenian, mother - Russian. He was born in Turkmenistan where his family immigrated to after the Armenian Genocide. He then grew up in Ukraine. He performed with many great world class ballet dancers. He is greatly influenced by Rudolf Nuriyev.

He has not been in Armenia yet...