Research Catalog

Interview with Betty Oliphant

Title
Interview with Betty Oliphant, 1977
Author
Oliphant, Betty, 1918-2004
Publication
1977

Available Online

NYPL Digital Collections

Details

Additional Authors
Gruen, John
Description
Two streaming audio files (approximately one hour and 29 minutes): digital
Summary
  • Streaming audio file 1 (approximately 46 minutes). Betty Oliphant speaks with John Gruen about her background and training including her teacher [Tamara] Karsavina; her early career as a dancer, arranger, and teacher including her work in popular entertainment and the opening of her own school when she was 18; her civilian service during World War II; her marriage and children; moving to Canada and restarting her career; teaching at and managing her school while working as the ballet mistress at the National Ballet of Canada; the curriculum at the National Ballet of Canada school and the teachers; Erik Bruhn as an artist; Celia Franca and her relationship with Bruhn [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 2].
  • Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 43 minutes). Betty Oliphant speaks with John Gruen about Celia Franca and Erik Bruhn as well as her own relationship with Franca; her time as associate director of the National Ballet of Canada including the internal power struggles; Bruhn's staging of Swan lake for the company; Alexander Grant and his directorship of the company; reorganizing the Royal Swedish Ballet School [Kungliga Svenska Balettskolan] while Bruhn was director of the Royal Swedish Ballet [Kungliga Baletten]; how Bruhn is coping with his retirement from his dancing; their continuing friendship.
Donor/Sponsor
Oral History Archive. Gift of John Gruen.
Subjects
Genre/Form
  • Interviews.
  • Sound recordings.
Note
  • For edited transcript of interview see: *MGZMT 3-780.
  • Interview with Betty Oliphant conducted by John Gruen on November 17, 1977, in Toronto, Canada, as research for his book Erik Bruhn: danseur noble (Viking Press, New York, 1979).
  • Sound quality is good. The recording is marred by extraneous noise and occasional short gaps.
  • Title supplied by cataloger.
Access (note)
  • Patrons may access streaming audio only on site at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
Funding (note)
  • The conservation 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.
Source (note)
  • John Gruen
Call Number
*MGZTCO 3-780
OCLC
80416952
Author
Oliphant, Betty, 1918-2004, interviewee.
Title
Interview with Betty Oliphant, 1977
Production
1977
Type of Content
spoken word
Type of Medium
audio
Type of Carrier
online resource
Digital File Characteristics
audio file
Restricted Access
Patrons may access streaming audio only on site at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
Event
Recorded by John Gruen 1977, November 17 Toronto (Ont.)
Funding
The conservation 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.
Original Version
Original format: one sound cassette (approximately one hour and 29 minutes); quarter-track; 1.875 ips; transferred to wav file and streaming file format in 2015: myd_mgztco3780_v01f01_sc and myd_myd_mgztco3780_v01f02_sc.
Local Note
Former class mark: *MGZTC 3-780
Source
Gift John Gruen
Connect to:
NYPL Digital Collections
Added Author
Gruen, John, interviewer.
Research Call Number
*MGZTCO 3-780
View in Legacy Catalog