The laying of flowers at the bas-relief of Rudolf Nureyev took place today at the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater. The traditional event was timed to coincide with the 83rd birthday of the legendary dancer.

The ceremony was attended by the theater's general director, Ilmar Almukhametov, art director of the ballet troupe, People's Artist of the Russian Federation and RB Leonora Kuvatova, ballet dancers and students of the Rudolf Nureyev Bashkir Choreographic College.

Rudolf Nureyev was born on March 17, 1938. During the Great Patriotic War, his family was evacuated from Moscow to Ufa. On December 31, 1944, Farida Nureyeva, having only one ticket, took her four children, including little Rudolf, to the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater to the ballet "Crane Song", which featured Zaytuna Nasretdinova. Rudolf Nureyev saw a real ballet for the first time, which literally charmed by it. Later he admitted: it was then that he realized that he would be a dancer.

In 1953, Rudolf Nureyev was admitted to the ballet studio at the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater. In  1955 he got his first episodic solo part in the same "Crane Song" ballet.

From 17 to March 19, the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater will host the «Nureyev Days» dedicated to the birthday of the brilliant dancer and choreographer, our fellow countryman Rudolf Nureyev. This year the date is celebrated with special attention since the Ufa ballet troupe was named after Rudolf Nureyev.