It contained, inevitably, his own account of the airport drama, which was clearly-we now know-embellished in numerous particulars.
Some thought he might even return.Īt the time, Nureyev was in London, with no such thoughts, putting the finishing touches on his own autobiography, which was published in English later that year. The judge took evidence of Nureyev’s previous good record into account, and he was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, rather than to execution. Traitor number 50,888 was not present to defend himself against the charges, which had resulted from his dramatic defection to the West at Le Bourget airport, Paris, the year before. IN APRIL 1962, Rudolf Nureyev was convicted under Soviet article N43 of treason against the state.
