BOOK ON BARYSHNIKOV PUBLISHED IN RUSSIA.

MOSCOW--For the first time, a book about Mikhail Baryshnikov has been published in Russia, for Russian ballet aficionados. The Unknown Baryshnikov, a 320-page, oversized book of photographs of the renowned dancer, was published by the Magisterium Publishing Company in Moscow and printed by Print & Art in Graz, Austria.

The book's title is addressed to Russians, many of whom know little about Baryshnikov's life since his defection to the West in 1974. Videocassettes of Don Quixote, the 1980 TV special with Liza Minnelli, and the feature film White Nights have been the only glimpses of the artist that Russians have had over the years.

The album consists of photographs of the dancer performing in works by twentieth-century choreographers, with identifying captions in Russian and in English. There are few pictures of Baryshnikov's classical repertory, but one of the first, and perhaps most poetic, is of him and Natalia Makarova in Giselle.

The works of twenty-six American, European, and Japanese photographers are featured. All of the photographs, except one, are black and white. Most were taken during performances and hence hold unique value for Russians, as the documentary-style character of the photographs creates the illusion of actually being at the performances. Some of the performance stills convey emotional moments of the great artist's work more poignantly than "live" video.

The album's vignettes of choreographic works are the product of the book's designer, Gvidon Agayants. In some cases, various photographer's images are placed side by side to snow the development of Baryshnikov's creative process.

Many notable photographers have contributed to the book, including Nina Alovert, Tom Brazil, Steven Caras, Mark Enguerand, Gary Friedman, Lois Greenfield, Paul Kolnik, Annie Leibovitz, Francette Levieux, Serge Lido, Dina Makarova, Colette Masson, Herbert Migdoll, Mira, Jacques Moatti, Paul Pasquarello, Alberto Ramella, Beatriz Schiller, Yasuhiko Shirota, Sichov, Martha Swope, Trippet, Linda Vartoogian, Jack Vartoogian, Max Vadukul, and Max Waldman.

The jacket photograph is a studio shot taken by Leibovitz. At the end of the book is a valuable bibliographic reference: a chronological list of all of Baryshnikov's performances throughout Europe and the United States from 1974 to 1998. The foreword was written by Vera Krasovskaya, the late ballet historian.

Valery Golovitser, who with Alexander Shein is listed as originator of the project, ushered the book to completion. Golovitser assembled the photographs and worked with Baryshnikov to make the final selection. The Unknown Baryshnikov is being sold at the Bolshoi and the Maryinsky Theatres. At Baryshnikov's request, the fee for his contribution to this venture will go to the Maryinsky's senior dancers.