- Additional Authors
- Anderson, Jack, 1935-2023.
- Description
- 4 streaming audio files (approximately 2 hours and 44 minutes) : digital
- Summary
- Streaming audio file 1 (approximately 52 minutes). [Begins abruptly.] Frederic Franklin speaks with Jack Anderson about the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo including his joining the company in 1937 at the invitation of Leonide Massine; his camaraderie with the Russian dancers; his being cast in some of George Zoritch's roles; working with Leonide Massine; Alexandra Danilova; his relationship with Massine including Franklin's admiration and respect for him; the 1939 tour; his favorite Massine ballets including St. Francis [Nobilissima visione]; Massine's place in ballet history including possible reasons for his works' later loss of popularity; some of Massine's less successful ballets including Saratoga; Eugenia Delarova's positive artistic influence on Massine; Massine's departure from the company; the mutual enmities among Bronislava Nijinska, Massine, and George Balanchine; having to learn a new style in order to dance Agnes de Mille's Rodeo; Franklin's becoming accustomed to Americana ballets, from Rodeo to [Valerie Bettis'] Streetcar named Desire; the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's contribution to the popularity of ballet in the United States; the success of their tours; Nina Novak [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 2].
- Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 46 minutes). Frederic Franklin speaks about the closing of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and his subsequent reviving of 18 ballets for Sergei Denham; his partnership with Alexandra Danilova including her theatricality; George Balanchine's role in making Franklin a maitre de ballet with the company; Balanchine's revitalizing of the company with his ballets; the hiring of Leonide Massine for a position that apparently had been promised to Balanchine; Serge Lifar including an anecdote about performing with him in Giselle and the aftermath; rivalries in the company including an incident concerning Alicia Markova's tutu [short gap at approximately 32 minutes]; Balanchine's casting of American dancers at the company in his ballets; his ballet Mozartizana; other ballets by Balanchine in which Franklin danced while in the company including Grand adagio (a pas de deux set to music now used in The nutcracker); La sonnambula [NIghtshadow], including Alexandra Danilova's reluctance to dance the role of the sleepwalker; Franklin's later staging of Balanchine's ballets, in a more dramatic style; the original version of Serenade, Balanchine's Baiser de la fée [ends abruptly];
- Streaming audio file 3 (approximately 52 minutes). [Begins abruptly.] Frederic Franklin speaks to Jack Anderson about rehearsing a ballet [not identified] by George Balanchine with Alexandra Danilova; his good relations with the Russian company members; touring; anecdotes about Hollywood personalties including Ginger [Rogers]; the vast improvement in working conditions for ballet dancers since his touring days; the difficulty in determining the ideal frequency of performances; dancers' injuries; rooming with Balanchine during World War II; more on touring, in particular on maintaining an elegant appearance off stage; various dancers in the company with limited potential; his belief that the audience deserves to be entertained; Nina Novak including an anecdote about her brother [ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 4].
- Streaming audio file 4 (approximately 14 minutes). Frederic Franklin speaks to Jack Anderson about [Michel] Fokine's Spectre de la rose including his dislike of this ballet; the ballet Les elves; his impressions of Fokine; his impressions of Antonia Cobas; discussion of George Balanchine's Vienna waltzes.
- Donor/Sponsor
- Gift of Jack Anderson.
- Alternative Title
- Dance Audio Archive
- Subjects
- Genre/Form
- Sound recordings.
- Note
- Sound quality is very good except for occasional extraneous noise.
- Interview with Frederic Franklin conducted by Jack Anderson on July 29, in 1977, probably in New York City. Another person is present who occasionally participates in the conversation.
- Title supplied by cataloger.
- Access (note)
- Access only on site at the research libraries of The New York Public Library.
- Call Number
- *MGZTO 7-8
- OCLC
- 1091193948
- Author
Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013, interviewee.
- Title
Interview with Frederic Franklin, 1977.
- Imprint
1977.
- Type of Content
spoken word
- Type of Medium
audio
- Type of Carrier
online resource
- Digital File Characteristics
audio file
- Event
Recorded by Jack Anderson July 29, 1977 New York (N.Y.)
- Restricted Access
Access only on site at the research libraries of The New York Public Library.
- Original Version
Original format: one sound reel (approximately 2 hours and 44 minutes); polyester;half-track; 3.75 ips; 7 in.; transferred to wav file and streaming file format in 2015: myd_mgzto7802_v01f01p01_sc, myd_mgzto7802_v01f01p02_sc, myd_mgzto7802_v01f02p01_sc, and myd_mgzto7802_v01f02p02_sc.
- Local Note
Former call number: *MGZT 7-802
- Connect to:
- Added Author
Anderson, Jack, 1935-2023. nterviewer.
- Research Call Number
*MGZTO 7-8