Updated: Premieres Friday, April 11, 2025 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2 / PBS app
On Oct. 15, 1964, Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev’s “Swan Lake” took the stage at the Vienna State Opera. In his novel interpretation of this iconic ballet favorite, Nureyev revolutionized the role of the male dancer in the ballet with his choreography, seeking to be the prima ballerina’s counterpart.
With great British ballerina Margot Fonteyn as his partner, GREAT PERFORMANCES "The Magic of Nureyev" features extensive excerpts from the production that was captured for posterity two years after its 1964 stage premiere.
In new interviews, dancers Michael Birkmeyer and Gisela Cech, who danced alongside Nureyev at the premiere of “Swan Lake,” share personal insights on Nureyev’s peerless virtuosity as well as his mercurial off-stage personality. In addition, contemporary experts look back at Nureyev groundbreaking technique from a modern-day perspective.
Watch On Your Schedule: GREAT PERFORMANCES "The Magic of Nureyev" will be available to stream with the PBS app. Watch the best of PBS anytime, anywhere on the free PBS app. Stream your favorite PBS shows on-demand and livestream shows from your local station, all from your favorite device.
Credits: A production of Sounding Images in cooperation with Unitel and co-production with ZDF and ARTE. A film by Anne-Kathrin Peitz and produced by Claus Wischmann and Maximilian Geschke. For GREAT PERFORMANCES, Stephanie Dawson is producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
