Research Catalog

Interview with Michel Pavloff

Title
Interview with Michel Pavloff [sound recording].
Author
Pavloff, Michel, 1891-1981.
Publication
1976-1977.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Filter by

1 Item

StatusVol/DateFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
discs 1-5AudioUse in library *MGZTL 4-326 discs 1-5Performing Arts Research Collections - Dance

Details

Additional Authors
  • Kramer, Joan.
  • Cavett, Carrie Nye.
  • National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.
  • New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008.
Description
5 sound discs (ca. 224 min.) : digital; 4 3/4 in.
Summary
  • Disc 1, Feb. 2, 1976 (ca. 53 min.). Michel Pavloff speaks with Joan Kramer and Carrie Nye Cavett about his youth in Kiev, including anecdotes about his experiences at the local opera house and his family; the circumstances of his leaving Russia ca. 1912 and settling temporarily in Paris, including an anecdote about Isadora Duncan; leaving Paris for England after the beginning of World War I where he performed professionally as a singer and dancer; the circumstances of his joining the Ballets russes; his experiences with Diaghilev and the company on tour; performing in The sleeping beauty [in the 1921 production choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska]; performing en travesti in Leonide Massine's ballet Les femmes de bonne humeur [The good humored ladies]. [Ends abruptly.]
  • Disc 2, Feb. 2, 1976 (ca. 41 min.). Michel Pavloff continues to speak with Joan Kramer and Carrie Nye Cavett about his experiences performing with the Ballets russes; singing the tenor role in Massine's ballet Pulchinella; how his four-month engagement with the Ballets russes became 13 years; reminisces about the ballerinas; the company's The sleeping beauty, including why it was not a success; the South American tour, including meeting Nijinsky; reminisces about Diaghilev; reminisces (briefly) about [Sergei Leonidovich] Grigoriev, Boris Kochno, and Leonide Massine; Diaghilev as a person; classes at the company; reminisces about Vera Nemchinova, Anna Pavlova, and Tamara Karasavina; Waslav Nijinsky, including anecdotes about his performances in Buenos Aires; his great admiration for Baryshnikov and Nureyev; Serafima Aleksandrovna Astaf'eva and the role she played in introducing Diaghilev to Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin.
  • Disc 3, March 11, 1976 (ca. 51 min.). Michel Pavloff continues to speak with Joan Kramer and Carrie Nye Cavett about his experiences with the Ballets russes including anecdotes about their time in Milan; more on Diaghilev; the night club Casanova [in Biarritz, France], including the circumstances of his working there and the customers, who included many famous actors, dancers, and others, such as Charles Boyer, Coco Chanel, and George Balanchine; Balanchine's coaching of Pavloff when he sang in Massine's ballet Three-cornered hat; their friendship; Pavloff's introducing Olga Koklova to Picasso; an anecdote about Picasso; reminisces (briefly) about Vera Stravinsky; more about Nijinsky; Vera Nemchinova, including the reason for her departure from the company; Diaghilev's death; more about Anna Pavlova, including an anecdote about her falling into the orchestra pit. [Ends abruptly but continues directly on disc 4.]
  • Disc 4, March 11, 1976 (ca. 43 min.). Michel Pavloff continues to speak with Joan Kramer and Carrie Nye Cavett about the Ballets russes; following Diaghilev's death, his years as a night club manager in Biarritz, France and in the United States (initially, at Chester Hale's invitation), including anecdotes about Edith Piaf, Harry Richman, Frank Sinatra, Jane Froman, Josephine Baker, and Dean Martin; his sister, Sonia, including Sophie Tucker's role in helping her escape from Paris during World War II; his son; his wonderful memories of his night club years; his favorite choreographers; an anecdote about Bronislava Nijinska; his admiration for Suzanne Farrell; [sings the Tchaikovsky melody Diaghilev reputedly sang repeatedly as he lay dying in Venice].
  • Disc 5, Feb. 16, 1977 (ca. 36 min.). [This session was held to expand on the 1976 interview recorded on discs 1 - 4.] Michel Pavloff speaks with Joan Kramer further about his childhood in Kiev, including his frequent misbehavior; meeting Sarah Bernhardt; seeing Picasso in Monte Carlo and Olga Koklova in Paris; returning to the former Soviet Union in 1959 with Chester Hale's show Holiday on ice, including an anecdote about Khrushchev and his fear that he would have to remain in the Soviet Union; his love for the United States.
Alternative Title
  • Dance Oral History Project
  • Dance Audio Archive
Subjects
Note
  • Interview with Michel Pavloff in three parts: first and second sessions conducted by Joan Kramer and Carrie Nye Cavett on Feb. 22, 1976 (discs 1-2) and March 11, 1976 (discs 3-4) and second session by Carrie Nye Cavett on Feb. 16, 1977 (disc 5), in New York City for the New York Public Library Dance Collection Oral History Project.
  • Sound quality is very good although the recording is marred by occasional extraneous noise.
Funding (note)
  • Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008 and the National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.
System Details (note)
  • Transferred from 2 sound tape reels (ca. 224 min.; 1 7/8 in. per sec.; 5 in.; polyester; half track.; originally recorded Feb. 22, 1976, March 11, 1976, and Feb 16, 1977) to wav file and compact disc formats in 2008.
Call Number
*MGZTL 4-326
OCLC
83965861
Author
Pavloff, Michel, 1891-1981. Interviewee
Title
Interview with Michel Pavloff [sound recording].
Imprint
1976-1977.
Funding
Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008 and the National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.
System Details
Transferred from 2 sound tape reels (ca. 224 min.; 1 7/8 in. per sec.; 5 in.; polyester; half track.; originally recorded Feb. 22, 1976, March 11, 1976, and Feb 16, 1977) to wav file and compact disc formats in 2008.
Local Note
For transcript of interview, see: *MGZMT 5-326.
Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-326 nos. 1-5
Archival originals: *MGZTO 5-326 reels 1-2
Former call number: *MGZT 5-326
Added Author
Kramer, Joan. Interviewer
Cavett, Carrie Nye. Interviewer
National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.
New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008.
Research Call Number
*MGZTL 4-326
View in Legacy Catalog