Pierre Lacotte, the French choreographer who helped Rudolf Nureyev escape the Soviet Union, has died at the age of 91.

“Pierre left us at 4 a.m.,” his wife, former dancer Ghislaine Tesmart, announced, revealing that Lacotte died of septicemia after the wound recurred.

Lacotte began his career with the Paris Opera Ballet, where he soon became a soloist, and later turned his attention to the revival of forgotten 19th-century productions presented on the world’s most famous stages, from the Bolshoi in Moscow and the Mariinsky in St. Petersburg to the State Opera. in Berlin and, of course, at the Paris Opera.

In memory of Pierre Lacotte, who passed away today. Ballet dancer, choreographer and stage designer, he entered the history of dance through his work in opening the romantic repertoire. Commemorative works created by the Rome Opera House: Video “Marco Spada” 1981. pic.twitter.com/B849EhN05U

— Rome Opera (@OperaRoma) April 10, 2023

In 1961, during a tour in Paris, he met Nureyev, with whom they became friends. His role in his friend’s famous defection is resurrected in the 2018 biopic The White Crow, directed by Ralph Fiennes.

The two friends’ trips to restaurants, bars and museums infuriated the KGB agents, who informed Nureyev that he would return home, and he feared that he would never be able to leave the Soviet Union again.

Help in the famous desertion

When he was already at the airport for his return, surrounded by agents, he listened to the instructions of Lakota, who asked the KGB officers if he and their friend Clara Sen could say goodbye to Nureyev.

#PierreLacotte
L’Opéra de Paris apprend avec grande tristesse la disparition by Pierre Lacotte. Born in 1932, founded the École de Danse, premier of dance at the Paris Opera, then choreographer Pierre Lacotte, leading the history of dance. https://t.co/k7UITnsvRW pic.twitter.com/10ppLXgvKK

— Paris Opera Ballet (@BalletOParis) April 10, 2023

“I said, listen, Rudolf, look around, there is Clara, and behind her is a policeman. You just need to go to him. You kiss me, you kiss Clara and you say you want to be free. And finally. Don’t be afraid, stay calm and do as I told you,” Lakot advised him.

Indeed, Nureyev approached two French policemen and declared that he wanted to stay in the West. Indeed, it was so, but not without great expense. Although he was one of the leading classical ballet dancers of the 20th century, he managed to return to the Soviet Union more than 25 years after his mother’s death.

Le conteur des œuvres chorégraphiques enfouies s’en est allé.

Paquita, Marco Spada, Pharaoh’s Daughter, Papillon, Sylph…

Un travail si inspirant.

In memory #PierreLacotte 🩰🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/xJWtW1gDVZ

— Marc-Emmanuel Zanoli 🦩 (@Marco_Zanoli) April 10, 2023

After an ankle injury, Lacotte turned his attention to the archives of the Paris Opera, to his grandiose arrangements, including La Sylphide, the first ballet in which the dancers wore pointe shoes.

His last work was in 2021 with the production of “Red and Black” based on the work of Stendhal.

He still worked to the end, despite his years, his wife admits. “It’s so sad. He still had so many projects while he was still writing the book,” she said.

Source: BBC