Nijinsky (English spelling) Vatslav Fomich Nizhinskiy

A Russian ballet dancer. Her parents were Polish dancers, and she was born on March 12th (February 28th in Russian calendar) in Kiev, where she was performing. She graduated from the Imperial Choreographic School in St. Petersburg and became a member of the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1909, she joined Diaghilev's Russian Ballet Company (Ballets Russes), which was launched in Paris, and danced in "Les Almides" and "Les Sylphides" in the same year, "Scheherazade" in 1910, "The Fairy of the Rose" and "Petrushka" in 1911, and received high praise. She also choreographed and performed "Afternoon of a Faun" in 1912, and "Les Jours" and "The Rite of Spring" in 1913. She married Romola during a tour of South America in 1913, which angered Diaghilev, and she was fired, but she returned in 1916 and danced in the United States, where she choreographed "Till Eulenspiegel." After his final performance in Buenos Aires in 1917, he severed his ties with the ballet company and settled in Switzerland, but in 1919 he was diagnosed with schizophrenia (now known as schizophrenia), and after that he traveled around various places to recover, before dying in London on April 8, 1950.

Nijinsky is said to be the most shocking dancer of the 20th century. His leaping power was so amazing that when he danced "The Fairy of the Rose," he was praised in mythical terms, with people saying things like, "When he leaped, he would never come back to earth," or, "The air was heavy, but his body was light." Masculine sensuality and bestiality were also his characteristics, as exemplified by the Golden Slave in "Scheherazade." His choreography of "Afternoon of a Faun" and "The Rite of Spring" surprised audiences by completely ignoring his specialty leaps and classical ballet techniques.

His book "Nijinsky's Notes," written in the early stages of his illness, was published, and his wife Romola wrote "Nijinsky." Dance works themed on him include M. Béjart's "Nijinsky: The Clown of God," L. Kemp's "Nijinsky," and the film "Nijinsky" (1982) directed by H. Roth.

[Masa Ichikawa]

"Nijinsky's Notes, translated by Masaru Ichikawa (1971, Gendai Shichosha)" ▽ "Nijinsky Afterwards, by R. Nijinsky, translated by Masaru Ichikawa (1977, Gendai Shichosha)" ▽ "Nijinsky, by Tsuneo Ishifuku (1979, Kinokuniya Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシアのバレエ・ダンサー。両親はポーランド人の舞踊家で、公演先のキエフで3月12日（露暦2月28日）に生まれる。サンクト・ペテルブルグの帝室舞踊学校を卒業、マリンスキー劇場の団員となる。1909年パリで旗揚げしたディアギレフのロシア・バレエ団（バレエ・リュス）に参加、同年『アルミードの館(やかた)』『レ・シルフィード』、1910年『シェヘラザード』、1911年『バラの精』『ペトルーシュカ』などを踊って絶賛を博した。また、1912年『牧神の午後』、1913年『遊戯』『春の祭典』を自ら振付け上演。1913年の南米巡業中にロモラと結婚したため、ディアギレフの怒りを買い解雇されるが、1916年には復帰してアメリカで踊り、『ティル・オイレンシュピーゲル』を振付けた。1917年ブエノス・アイレスでの舞台を最後に同バレエ団との関係を絶ち、スイスに落ち着いたが、1919年に「精神分裂病」（現在の統合失調症）と診断され、その後療養のため各地を転々とし、1950年4月8日ロンドンに没した。

　ニジンスキーは20世紀におけるもっとも衝撃的なダンサーといわれる。彼の跳躍力はすばらしく、『バラの精』を踊ったとき、跳ぶと二度と地上に戻ってこないのではないかとか、空気は重く肉体は軽いなどといった神話化された賛辞が捧(ささ)げられた。男性的な官能性、野獣性も彼の特徴で、『シェヘラザード』の金の奴隷などはその例である。振付け作品の『牧神の午後』『春の祭典』は、得意な跳躍をまったく使わず、しかもバレエの古典技法を無視したもので観客を驚かせた。

　著書に病気の初期に書かれた『ニジンスキーの手記』があり、妻ロモラは『ニジンスキー』を著した。彼をテーマにした舞踊作品に、M・ベジャールの『ニジンスキー神の道化』、L・ケンプの『ニジンスキー』、映画にH・ロス監督『ニジンスキー』（1982）がある。

［市川　雅］

『市川雅訳『ニジンスキーの手記』（1971・現代思潮社）』▽『R・ニジンスキー著、市川雅訳『その後のニジンスキー』（1977・現代思潮社）』▽『石福恒雄著『ニジンスキー』（1979・紀伊國屋書店）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例