Fonteyn and Nureyev

London: Orbis Publishing, 1979. To Dear Leslie..." - Rudolf Nureyev to Leslie Bricusse
A Signed Association Copy of Fonteyn and Nureyev,
with a Playhouse Theatre Archive of Nureyev in The King and I
A compelling association copy linking two titans of 20th-century performance - Rudolf Nureyev and Leslie Bricusse -enhanced by a substantial and visually striking group of theatrical ephemera documenting Nureyev's late-stage career in musical theatre.

NUREYEV, Rudolf. BLAND, Alexander. Fonteyn and Nureyev. The Story of a Partnership. London: Orbis Publishing, [1979].

First edition. Large quarto (11 3/8 x 8 7/8 inches; 289 x 226 mm.). 207, [1] pp. Profusely illustrated throughout with black & white photographs.

Publisher's black cloth, spine lettered in silver. A fine copy in the original pictorial dust jacket, with only minimal rubbing at extremities.

Inscribed on the title-page by Rudolf Nureyev:
"To Dear Leslie / my best wishes / Rudolf Nureyev"

With: A Playhouse Theatre Archive - Nureyev in Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I

An exceptional group of original material relating to Nureyev's celebrated appearance in The King and I at the Playhouse Theatre (1989-1990), illustrating his rare crossover from ballet legend to West End leading man:
Original 1989 color souvenir program (Rudolf Nureyev in The King and I), folio, 16 pp., illustrated
Playhouse Theatre program (1989-1990), 48 pp., with extensive production and cast material.
Sixteen original promotional flyers, pictorial, for the same production.
Additional printed ephemera, including a feature article titled "Two Who Transformed Their Worlds"

Context & Significance:

The inscription firmly places this volume within the orbit of Leslie Bricusse, whose extraordinary circle encompassed many of the defining figures of stage and screen. Nureyev - arguably the most electrifying male dancer of the 20th century - rarely appears in signed book form, and even less frequently in association with major figures outside the ballet world.

The accompanying archive deepens the offering considerably. Nureyev's appearance as the King of Siam in The King and I was both unexpected and widely publicized - an event that symbolized his late-career reinvention and enduring charisma. Surviving ephemeral material from this production is uncommon in such quantity, and here forms a cohesive, display-worthy ensemble.

A Crossroads of Ballet and Broadway:

A striking and highly personal association copy-uniting the legendary partnership of Margot Fonteyn and Nureyev with the theatrical world of Bricusse - augmented by a rare archive documenting one of Nureyev's most intriguing late performances.