Evgeni Scherbakov was really an extraordinary person. I first met Genya in February 2001. His nephew Vasili was already my favorite of the Kirov’s male roster.
Tchernichova and I attended the inauguration of the annual winter international ballet festival at the Kirov, which I covered for The New York Times. We were waiting inside the stage door–we were going to watch a dress rehearsal of the company’s new Nutcracker. A dark-haired woman bustled in–impossible not to notice that energy and that gypsy-like face. “Alisa Strogoya!” Elena cried, and pulled her over. That was Genya’s wife, who survives him. Elena had not seen her since 1976!