TitleInterview with Phyllis Bedells, 1976
NamesBedells, Phyllis, 1893-1985 (Interviewee)Harris, Dale, 1928-1996 (Interviewer)
CollectionDance Oral History Project
Dates / OriginDate Captured: 1976-08-26
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZTC 3-429 (former)Shelf locator: *MGZTO 5-429
TopicsBedells, Phyllis, 1893-1985 -- InterviewsGenée, Adeline, 1878-1970Pavlova, Anna, 1881-1931Novikoff, LaurentKyasht, LydiaDolin, Anton, 1904-1983Royal Academy of Dancing (Great Britain)
GenresOral historiesInterviews
NotesSource characteristics: Sound quality is good. The recording is marred by extraneous noise including "tape hiss," but the speakers' voices are easily audible.Venue: Recorded for The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Jerome Robbins Dance Division Oral History Project August 26, 1976 Henley-on-Thames, England.Funding: The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the Barbara Goldsmith Conservation Division of the New York Public Library as well as 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 DescriptionAudiocassetteExtent: 2 audiocassettes (approximately 3 hr., 12 min.) : analog, 1.875 ips, quarter-track
DescriptionStreaming file 1 (approximately 48 minutes). Phyllis Bedells speaks with Dale Harris about her early training and professional engagements including her London debut at age 12 and her classes with Theodore Gilmer; her memories of Adeline Genée and other dancers she first saw in the ballet Coppélia; her observations on the style of costume and posture prevalent at the time; her impressions of Isadora Duncan; her time at the Empire Theatre including some of her roles; a typical program at the Empire Theatre; more on Genée; performing in the ballet Belle of the ball, initially with Genée and subsequently with Topsy [Harriet Augusta] Sinden; the engaging of Lydia Kyasht and Adolf Bolm to perform in Belle of the ball and A day in Paris [ends abruptly but continues on streaming file 2].
Streaming file 2 (approximately 48 minutes). Phyllis Bedells speaks with Dale Harris about performing in the ballet A day in Paris with Lydia Kyasht; her teachers while she was at the Empire Theatre including Madame Cavallazzi, Alexander Genée, and Adolf Bolm; her memories of Kyasht; her lessons with [Enrico] Cecchetti and with [Anna] Pavlova; her memories of Pavlova as a dancer; Kyasht's partners after Bolm left; becoming prima ballerina at the Empire Theatre after Kyasht left; being required to dance in revues; leaving Empire to dance for Albert de Courville [ends abruptly].
Streaming file 3 (approximately 48 minutes). Phyllis Bedells speaks with Dale Harris about Anna Pavlova including the last time Bedells saw her perform; an anecdote about Pavlova and Mikhail Mordkin; touring with Laurent Novikoff; her impressions of Ninette de Valois; the Camargo Society; the founding of the Association of Operatic Dancing [later the Royal Academy of Dancing] and the composing of a syllabus; recognizing that standards must evolve; briefly, Nicolas Legat and Serafima [Aleksandrovna] Astaf'eva as teachers [Edouard] Espinosa [ends abruptly but continues on streaming file 4].
Streaming file 4 (approximately 48 minutes). Phyllis Bedells speaks with Dale Harris about [Edourad] Espinosa; her career as a teacher including her focus on the [Royal Academy of Dancing] syllabus; her seasons at the Coliseum Theatre with Anton Dolin; her memories of the Ballets russes; Lydia Kyasht's Sylvia including a performance anecdote; reminiscences of Frederick Ashton including his questioning her about Kyasht's Sylvia; Dolin as a partner and as a person; her injury while performing with Dolin and its aftermath; the program she produced at the Palladium including a ballet titled The three bears and reminiscences of Rupert Doone; [Ninette de Valois's] The rake's progress and Harold Turner [ends abruptly].
Type of ResourceSound recording
LanguagesEnglish
IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: 80473597 NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b12118261Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): d88687e0-b2a5-0133-fa40-60f81dd2b63c
Rights StatementThe New York Public Library holds or manages the copyright(s) in this item. If you need information about reusing this item, please go to: http://nypl.org/permissions
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