Soloist of the ballet Andrey Merkuriev: biography, photo, private life

Ballet is one of the most beautiful kinds of art. But he is very deceptive. After all, looking at the dancers fluttering in an imponderable dance, it is impossible to believe that behind all this is hard labor. Despite this, thousands of boys and girls dream of becoming ballet dancers. Unfortunately, only a few of them manage to make their way to the big stage. Among such lucky ones is the soloist of the ballet Andrey Merkuriev. How did an ordinary boy from a family of workers manage to become a star?

Andrey Merkuriev: family

The future artist was born in October 1977 in the city of Syktyvkar in an ordinary working family. In addition to Andrew, parents brought up two more sons. Like many other Soviet families, the Merkurievs lived amicably together five times in a small two-room apartment. Despite the cramped and busy workplace, parents tried to help children develop their talents. And although only Andrei was successful in his career, his brothers also found their place in life and are happy with it.

early years

Since childhood, a special love for the theater, and especially for the ballet, Andrei Merkuriev did not differ. When the future artist was still very small, Mom took him to a dance studio. I did not like dancing young Merkuriev. He often missed classes. However, his teacher convinced the parents that their child had an extraordinary talent. So they insisted that the son continue to learn how to dance. Gradually the guy was so carried away by dances that he could not imagine life without them.

In ten years the talented boy was offered to change the profile and concentrate on the ballet. At first he was skeptical about this. But after a while he managed to achieve such success in this field, that no one known boy from the working family was invited to study at the choreographic school in Ufa.

The first two years of study was not yet fully confident in his vocation, Andrei Merkuriev. He liked the ballet, but he did not fully feel his involvement in this art. Moreover, at this time he skipped absolutely all the performances that were put in the school. However, in the third year, Merkuriev was imbued with ballet. And he became his main passion.

First successes

After graduating from college with a red diploma at age 19, the artist immediately found work in the State Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Komi. However, he danced there only a year, after which Andrei Merkuriev was invited to St. Petersburg. Here he worked in the legendary Mikhailovsky Theater of Opera and Ballet. Here, for four years, he was the soloist of the ballet troupe, participated in many productions. Among his most famous parties of that period were Prince Siegfried from Swan Lake, Nutcracker from Tchaikovsky's same ballet, Prince Desiret from The Sleeping Beauty, Phoebus from Esmeralda, Paris from Faust and Count Albert of Giselle.

Merkuriev - soloist of the Mariinsky Theater

Extraordinary talent, multiplied by incredible diligence, helped the beginning artist from the province to hone his skills. The bright, passionate manner of performing dance parties captivated spectators all over the country and beyond. Soon, Andrei Merkuryev began to talk. And in 2001 he received an invitation to go to the Mariinsky Theater. Here the talented dancer was a partner on the stage of almost every leading ballerina.

For five years of work in this theater became the real star of the ballet Andrey Merkuriev. The biography of the artist in these years is filled with numerous events. So, he not only danced the same parties as in the Mikhailovsky Theater, but also got the opportunity to embody new characters on the stage. This is Jose from Carmen, Prince from Cinderella, Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and many others. For his skill in performing his party in the ballet production "Where the golden cherries hang" in 2005, Andrei Merkuriev was awarded the Golden Mask, the national theater prize of the Russian Federation.

In parallel with work in the theater, the artist toured a lot. He took part in foreign gala concerts. So, in 2003 he participated in the filming of the Vienna New Year's concert, and a year later in a duet with Polina Semionova performed in Japan. Also, the dancer became a constant touring partner of the famous Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova.

Merkuriev in the Bolshoi Theater

While still an artist of the Mariinsky Theater, the dancer took part in individual projects of other institutions. So, in 2006, Merkuriev performed the role of Jose in the production of the Bolshoi Theater "Carmen Suite". And having acquired great fame not only in Russia, but also abroad, in 2006 Andrey Merkuriev was officially invited to work there.

The Bolshoi Theater accepted a new soloist with open arms. The debut part of the dancer was the role of Jan in the ballet "Bolt". Later the film of the same name with the participation of Merkuryev was filmed. Soon a talented dancer began to offer a variety of different parties, each of which he performed with brilliance. For 10 years of work in the Bolshoi Theater, the artist performed more than thirty parties, for which in 2014 he received the title of Honored Artist of Russia.

Among the new characters embodied by Andrey Merkuriev on the Bolshoi stage are the fisherman from the "Daughter of the Pharaoh", the toreador of "Don Quixote", Birbanto from the "Corsair", James from the "Sylphide", Jerome from the "Flame of Paris", Crassus from Spartacus , Lucien from "Lost illusions", Peter Leontievich from "Anyuta", Monsieur Duvall from "The Lady with the Camellias" and Pechorin from the "Hero of Our Time".

Among other things, the dancer actively participated in less formal theater projects. So, he performed in several productions ("+2", "Dramatic Poem") for the "Workshop of New Choreography" of the Bolshoi Theater. As one of the leading soloists, after several years of work, the artist received from his native theater a studio apartment where he could not only rest, but also independently rehearse. Since 2016, Andrei Merkuriev has been working at the Bolshoi Theater on a contract basis.

Career Merkuryev today. Future plans

In 2014, the man was able to realize his dream - he became choreographer Andrei Merkuriev. The ballet "Scream" (based on the plot of A. Zinoviev's novel "Go to Calvary") was staged in Odessa. And he really liked spectators and critics. In the future, the artist is not averse to lead any other production. Moreover, he has several ideas, but while he is looking for a sponsor. Also, the dancer is not against trying himself as a teacher. But because of the employment in various projects, he does not have the opportunity yet to translate this dream.

Participation in public life

In addition to his career, Merkuriev does not miss the chance to take part in the destinies of others. So, he believes that you need to take care of artists, support them, and materially including. Therefore, in 2011, he established a scholarship for talented students of his native school, hoping that this will help them to succeed in the profession in the future. Since 2015, the artist is a member of the jury of the Golden Mask.

Andrey Merkuriev: personal life

Popularity has its drawbacks. For example, many fans are more interested in the personal life of idols, rather than their professional achievements. Andrei Merkuriev was no exception. Do you have a wife or a girlfriend? This question is asked by many. However, the artist himself persistently keeps silence and does not give answers to such questions.

But he is happy to talk about his family. So, despite his mature age, Merkuriev managed to maintain a close relationship with his mother, who is his counselor in many matters, including financial matters. When the artist just started to make good money, he gave his parents a separate apartment in their hometown so that they could live in their old age for fun.

Interesting facts

There are several interesting facts in the biography of the artist:

• In 2014, chef Alexei Berzin named in honor of Merkuryev cream brulee with white chocolate, strawberries and mangoes.
• In everyday life, the ballet dancer Andrei Merkuriev is quite unpretentious. According to him, the main thing is to have a comfortable bed for rest and shower, with a good head of water.
• Merkuriev is also indifferent to clothes. He seldom spends money on buying it. Moreover, the artist considers shopping a waste of time.
• The soloist of ballet is also unpretentious in eating. Although he does not mind occasionally pampering himself with exotic delicacies. But at the same time he is not pereborchiv, so he eats with the usual dishes.
• In 2009, the artist took part in an unusual project. He played the main role in the play with the choreographic elements - "Poor Lisa". His partner was the famous Russian actress Chulpan Khamatova.
• Merkuriev starred in four movies based on famous ballet productions.

A man of amazing talent and luck - Andrei Merkuriev. Ballet, personal life - everything in it develops smoothly and smoothly. Perhaps the secret of this brilliant dancer is that he is able to accept life as it is. He does not demand from her any special gifts and immensely loves his work, giving her all the strength. In any case, despite the age for the ballet dancer (almost 40 years), the admirers of Merkuriev's talent hope to see him on stage more than once in new and daring projects.