Rostislav Zakharov

Rostislav Vladimirovich Zakharov (Russian: Ростислав Владимирович Захаров; September 7, 1907 – January 15, 1984) was a Soviet and Russian choreographer, ballet dancer and opera director. He was a professor at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow (1946–1983). Zakharov was awarded the Stalin Prize twice and designated the People's Artist of the USSR (1969).

Zakharov is best known for choreographing The Fountain of Bakhchisaray with music by Boris Asafiev (1934) and Cinderella (1945).

The art of choreographer Zakharov made up an entire epoch in the history of the Soviet and world ballet and opera theater. As a choreographer Zakharov had his own unique philosophy of dance art. He influenced the art of ballet, making it a truly realistic and democratic art. At the beginning of the 20th century, the ballet theater began to move away from romanticism and get closer to the great world classical literature. Zakharov was at the origins of a new ballet direction –ballet drama. Due to his deep knowledge of Konstantin Stanislavsky theater system, choreographer Zakharov created a new ballet performance where high dance imagery and classical dance techniques were closely combined with great acting skills. Zakharov's ballet performances revealed the performing talents of Galina Ulanova, Marina Semenova, Maya Plisetskaya, Konstantin Sergeev, Mikhail Gabovich and many generations of world-famous ballet stars.