Nureyev, the Empirikos family and kisses on the mouth with Stavros Niarchos – unseen aspects of the exciting life of the Russian dancer with Greek tycoons… (photos, video)

Theodoros Kritas- Producer and close partner of the Russian dancer:

“I have written on other occasions that Nureyev was a combination of a musician and a Russian prince. This Tatar, who arrived one day very young from Dushanbe (the Bashkir capital) to Leningrad, with the aim of perfecting his style at the famous Vaganova dance school, did not take long to become the person Most popular in elite circles in Russia. All capitals in the world. In “Maxim” in Paris, “Krone” in Zurich, “Imperial” and “Sacher” in Vienna, “Russian Tea Room” in New York, and “Savoy” ” In London, the chefs always kept a table for Nureyev. Because Rudy always arrived unannounced in his worn jacket, leather hat and torn trousers. When he appeared at the entrance he was greeted with applause.

The scion of the tsarist family signed autographs and harassed him. He was bending down and kissing the hand of an old lady he knew. Other times, when he’s not in a good mood, he comes across as sulky and sullen. He didn’t say hello to anyone, and it seemed like he wrote all these words on his old shoe. Let me remind you that the legend of Nureyev fascinated not only the common people, but also many wealthy people, such as, for example. Stavros Niarchos, who was flattered by Nureyev’s friendship. Although Niarchos was tired of money and fame, he not only sought Rudy’s friendship, but liked to show it off at every opportunity.

He was often hosted in Spetsopola and had a helicopter to go back and forth from Athens to his island. One summer when I held a luncheon in his honor at my country house, “Apolonio” in Porto Raftes, Rudy arrived from… heaven, in the helicopter that Niarchos had given him. As we say…onward! When Herodio gave him his last performance with Raymonda (that night he was dancing Don Quixote in Stockholm), Niarchos provided him with his own plane. He called me from Stockholm Airport saying that he had forgotten in his room at the Great Britain Hotel the costume he was going to wear that night to the performance of Don Quixote.

I sent it to Hellinikon Airport, where Niarchos’ plane returned to pick it up and take it to Stockholm. When he rehearsed with the Zurich Opera Ballet in Manfred for Herod, after rehearsal we went to eat at the earthly Krone restaurant. When we finished eating, he wanted us to go to the Odeon to drink our coffee at the same marble table on which Lenin, when he was in exile, wrote his famous statement. In Milan he preferred modest restaurants, while in Vienna he liked to be served champagne in the restaurant of the Imperial Hotel, from whose balcony Hitler announced to the people of Vienna Austria’s “ally” with Germany.