Ballet's ANNA PAVLOWA (Pavlova) Harcourt Algeranoff 1927 London Souvenir Program

Description

This is a rare souvenir program from one of many 1920's engagements of the legendary Russian Premiere Ballerina ANNA PAVLOWA at the Covent Garden in London. (Based on the names of those in the company, I believe it is from the September 1927 engagement, but there is no date published in the program.) The engagement included the ballet "CHOPINIANA" and Divertissements included "MAZURKA", "DRAGONFLY", "BOLERO", "PASTORALE", "CHINESE DANCE", "ANITRA'S DANCE", "CHRISTMAS", "GOPAK", "THE SWAN", "CHARDACH", "PAS de TROIS", "SCENE DANSANTE", "PRIMAVERA" and "VALSE CAPRICE". Among the company were MM. ALGERANOFF, DOMOSLAVSKI, MARKOWSKI, LASCELLES, DOLINOFF, SERGEEFF, VARZINSKY, PIANOWSKI and HITCHINS and Mlles. STUART, FAUCHEUX, D'ARCY, NIKITINA, BURK, WHITE, ANDERSON and ROGERS ..... Biographical Note: Mlle. ANNA PAVLOVA (1881-1931) is widely regarded as one of the finest classical ballet dancers in history and was most noted as a Principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. Pavlova is most recognized for the creation of the rôle "The Dying Swan" and with her own company, would become the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world. Pavlova's passion for the art of ballet was realized when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipa's original production of
The Sleeping Beauty
at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. The lavish spectacle made an impression on the young Pavlova, and at the age of eight her mother took her to audition for the renowned Imperial Ballet School where she was finally accepted at age ten. Upon graduating, she began to perform at the Maryinsky Theatre, debuting on September 19th, 1899. In 1907, Anna Pavlova began her first tour, to Moscow, and by 1910 was appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House in America, making her debut in "Coppelia" in March 1910. In 1914, she was traveling through Germany on her way to England when Germany declared war on Russia. At that time, her connection to Russia was for all intents broken. For the rest of her life, Anna Pavlova toured the world with her own company and kept a home in London, where her exotic pets were constant company when she was there. While her contemporary, Isadora Duncan, introduced revolutionary innovations to dance, Anna Pavlova remained largely committed to the classic style. She was known for her daintiness, frailness, lightness and both wittiness and pathos. Her last world tour was in 1928-29 and her last performance in England in 1930. Anna Pavlova appeared in a few silent films: one,
The Immortal Swan,
she shot in 1924 but it was not shown until after her death. Anna Pavlova died of pleurisy in the Netherlands in 1931. (Reprinted in part from the website About.com.) ..... PROGRAM DETAILS: The 20 page program measures 8 7/8" X 11 1/2" inches, is enclosed in an onion skin wrap and includes list of ballets and divertissements, a number of individual and group photos of ANNA PAVLOVA and LAURENT NOVIKOFF and members of the Corps de Ballet and wonderful related advertising ..... CONDITION: With the exception of soiling along the edges, rust marks at the staples and some tearing and creasing to the outer onion skin wrap, this rare program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or dance historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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