On October 10 and 12, 2024 (at 15:00 and 19:00) the Great Hall of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will be hosting one of the most striking and sophisticated performances of the Ballet Company, A Thousand and One Nights by Fikret Amirov. The evening performance on October 12, 2024 will mark the anniversary of the artistic career of the Ballet Artistic Director of the Primorsky Stage Eldar Aliev. This autumn he is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his artistic career.
Eldar Aliev is an Honored Artistic Creator of Russia, laureate of the Soul of Dance prize in the Knight of Dance nomination. His creative effort is inextricably linked with the Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre. He graduated from the Baku Choreography Academy, and later, from the Pedagogical Department of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St Petersburg.
Between 1979-1992, Eldar Aliev was a principal dancer in the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet. He proved to be not only a technically outstanding classical and contemporary dancer but a talented interpreter of the roles he performed. His repertoire included leading roles in Don Quixote, The Legend of Love, Le Corsaire, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Spartacus, and many more. Eldar Aliev’s touring career spans over 40 countries and the most prestigious stages of the world.
Eldar Aliev has worked as guest consultant, coach, choreographer, and artistic director with leading companies and ballet academies of Europe, Asia, and America, including National Ballet of China, Royal Swedish Ballet, Slovak National Ballet, Serbian National Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, National Ballet of Argentina, Hungarian National Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Colorado Ballet (USA), Universal Ballet (Korea) in Seoul, Hong Kong Ballet, Beijing Dance Academy, Teatro Massimo (Italy), and Ballet Nacional de España.
Since 2014, Mr. Aliev has been deputy chairman of the jury at the Varna International Ballet Competition.
Since February 2015, he has been Head Ballet Master at the Primorsky Opera and Ballet Theatre; since 2016 – Head Ballet Master at the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre; since 2021 – Ballet Artistic Director of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.
In June 2016, Eldar Aliev was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the Shenyang Conservatory of Music (China) in the field of dance. In 2017, he was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Legislative Assembly of the Primorsky Territory and in 2018, the Diploma of the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. In April 2021, by decree of the President of Russia, he was awarded the title of Honored Artistic Creator of Russia.
In 2022, Eldar Aliev was awarded the title of laureate of the Soul of Dance prize in the Knight of Dance nomination.
In April 2022, on direction of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Eldar Aliev was decorated with the “Dostlug” Order (the Order of Friendship) for his special contribution to international friendship.
With his direct participation, the Ballet Company of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre has been established, and a repertoire has been created including both classical ballets (transfers of the Mariinsky Theatre productions) and original stage works choreographed by the Ballet Master.
