TitleInterview with Natasha Deakin, 1978-1979
NamesDeakin, Natasha (Interviewee)Conway, Peter (Interviewer)
CollectionDance Oral History Project
Dates / OriginDate Created: 1978-10-11 - 1979-05-08
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZTO 5-1766
TopicsHurok, Sol, 1888-1974Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983De Mille, AgnesSpessivtzeva, Olga, 1895-1991Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979Lifar, Serge, 1905-1986Fonteyn, Margot, 1919-1991Riabouchinska, TatianaSlavenska, MiaDeakin, IrvingDenham, Sergei, 1896-1970Ballet Theatre (New York, N.Y.)Ballet Russe de Monte CarloBallets russes du Col. W. de BasilSan Francisco BalletSadler's Wells BalletAmerican Ballet TheatreRodeo (Choreographic work : De Mille)
GenresOral historiesInterviews
NotesAdditional physical form: For transcript of interview see *MGZMT 5-1766.Source characteristics: Sound quality is good overall. The recording is marred by extraneous noise including "tape hiss," but for the most part, the speakers' voices are clear and easily intelligible.Bibliographic history: Title supplied by cataloger.Venue: Recorded by Peter Conway for The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 1978-1979 New York (N.Y.)Funding: The processing and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.
Physical DescriptionAudiotape reelExtent: 2 audiotape reels (approximately 4 hr., 46 min.) ; polyester; half-track; 1.875 ips; 5 in.
DescriptionStreaming audio file 1, October 11, 1978 (approximately 52 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about her husband, Irving Deakin, including his background; her background; reminiscences of Alicia Markova including an anecdote about her first performance of Giselle at the New York Metropolitan Opera; her husband's dedication to ballet; her interest in ballet as originating with her husband; more on Markova; Lucia Chase including as a dancer; the founding of Ballet Theatre [later American Ballet Theatre]; Alexandra Danilova; her reminiscences of Mia Slavenska and her mother; Anton Dolin; the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo including the commissioning of Agnes de Mille's Rodeo; David Lichine including an anecdote about him and his brother; Irving Deakin's admiration for Leonide Massine; Nini Theilade; Alexandra Danilova [short gap]; Bronislava Nijinska [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 2].
Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 46 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about various people she know from the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Ballet Theatre including Bronislava Nijinska; Barbara Karinska; Tatiana Riabouchinska; Agnes de Mille; the relative lack of popularity of Ballet Theatre with American audiences compared to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Original Ballet Russe [also known earlier as the Ballets russes du Col. W. de Basil]; Sol Hurok; the Original Ballet Russe; seeing the Sadler's Wells Ballet's junior company in the United States [ends abruptly].
Streaming audio file 3, November 14, 1978 (approximately 52 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about Olga Spessivtzeva; touring [with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo]; more on Spessivtzeva; Serge Lifar; Leonide Massine; her husband's impressions of [Serge] Diaghilev; Sol Hurok including his relationship with her husband; her memories of Sergei Denham; her reminiscences of various dancers in the company including Alexandra Danilova [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 4].
Streaming audio file 4 (approximately 45 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about dancers in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo including Nina Stroganova, Alexandra Danilova, Mia Slavenska, and Nini Theilade; life on tour; more on Leonide Massine; other dancers including Irina Baronova, André Eglevsky, and Tamara Toumanova; her impressions of Margot Fonteyn, in Giselle and in The sleeping beauty.
Streaming audio file 5, May 8, 1979 (approximately 52 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about her husband and the San Francisco Ballet, in particular the problems with the attempted expansion of the company; various choreographers and dancers who worked with the company including Rosella Hightower and her ballet Henry VIII; Bronislava Nijinska and her ballet Harvest time; John Taras including his work Persephone; the last tour of the de Basil company [Original Ballet Russe; also known earlier as the Ballets russes du Col. W. de Basil]; the U.S. tour of the Sadler's Wells Ballet, with Margot Fonteyn and Moira Shearer; Marie Rambert; Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 6].
Streaming audio file 6 (approximately 39 minutes). Natasha Deakin speaks with Peter Conway about Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin; Mia Slavenska; Nathalie Krassovska; Agnes de Mille's Rodeo; Lucia Chase and American Ballet Theatre; Vera Nemchinova; a recent performance by the San Francisco Ballet.
Type of ResourceSound recording
LanguagesEnglish
IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: 78913062NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b12119135Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 00632fe0-e426-0135-f693-093a63564b1f
Rights StatementThe copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
Item timeline of events
-
-
-
-
