Svetlana Beriosova

Svetlana Beriosova (born Sept. 24, 1932, Kaunas, Lithuania—died Nov. 10, 1998, London, Eng.) was a prima ballerina who danced with the Royal Ballet of England for more than 20 years.

Daughter of Nicolas Beriosoff (a Lithuanian ballet master who immigrated to England), she was brought in 1940 to the United States, where she studied ballet. She made her professional debut in 1947 with the Ottawa Ballet. In 1952, after appearing with several major companies, including the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo and the Metropolitan Ballet, she joined the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet, in which she became prima ballerina in 1955.

Notable among her leading roles there was Swanilda in Coppélia, which allowed her to showcase her rarely used comic talent. She was far better known for her eloquent and elegant classical style, which was highlighted in the many leading roles she created, such as Princess Belle Rose in John Cranko’s The Prince of the Pagodas (1957), the Fairy in Kenneth MacMillan’s Le Baiser de la fée (The Fairy’s Kiss, 1960), and Lady Elgar in Frederick Ashton’s Enigma Variations (1968). She also danced such traditional classical roles as Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and the title role in Giselle. Her interpretation of Giselle is said to rank among the greatest of all time. As well as dancing the entire classical repertoire, Beriosova created the leading part in several modern ballets, notably the title role in Cranko’s Antigone (1959). In one of her more unusual modern parts, the title role of Ashton’s Persephone (1961), she recited André Gide’s poetry in French in addition to dancing to the music of Igor Stravinsky.

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Beriosova retired in 1975 but continued to coach young dancers. She also made appearances in 1978 and 1980 in Maina Gielgud’s Steps, Notes and Squeaks.