Research Catalog

Interview with P.W. Manchester

Title
Interview with P.W. Manchester, 1975
Author
Manchester, P. W. (Phyllis Winifred)
Publication
1975.

Available Online

NYPL Digital Collections

Details

Additional Authors
  • Vaughan, David, 1924-
  • Harris, Dale, 1928-1996
Description
6 streaming audio files (approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes): digital
Summary
  • Streaming audio file 1 (approximately 16 minutes). P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about the influence on the ballet world of Serge Diaghilev's death; briefly, René Blum; more on the death of Diaghilev; early ballet audiences including at the London revival of Sacre du printemps [Rite of spring]; Olga Spessivtzeva; discussion of dancers who performed with the Diaghilev company [Ballets russes]; Diaghilev's plans for the 1930 season; the Camargo Society and other companies that appeared between 1929 and 1933 [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 2].
  • Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 16 minutes). P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about Col. W. de Basil and the first London season of his and René Blum's company [Ballets russes de Monte Carlo], including the composition of the audience, opening night, and the dancers; Ballet trente trois [Les Ballets 1933]; George Balanchine's ballets Cotillon and Concurrence; Irina Baronova; the level of technique of the company, including as compared to the Ballets russes [ends abruptly].
  • Streaming audio file 3 (approximately 48 minutes). [Begins abruptly.] P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about the level of technique of the male dancers in the Ballet russes de Monte Carlo, including an anecdote about André Eglevsky; [Leonide Massine's] Choreartium and his Présages including a description of Nina Verchinina; Alexandra Danilova in Choreartium; Col. de Basil, Massine, and the "baby ballerinas:" Irina Baronova, Tatiana Riabouchinska, and Tamara Toumanova; costumes including the use of head pieces and wigs; Massine as a choreographer and as a dancer including how roles and dancers have changed since his time; Danilova as a dancer; Col. de Basil as a company director; the 1935 season of the Ballets russes de Monte Carlo, including the opening night performance of Aurora's wedding; Arthur Haskell's review of the performance; the revival of [Michel Fokine's] Schéhérazade; the 1936 season and Massine's Symphonie fantastique [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 4].
  • Streaming audio file 4 (approximately 48 minutes). P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about Leonide Massine's Jeux d'enfants; his Union Pacific [; or The golden spike] including Massine in the role of the bar man; his Jardin public; Col. de Basil's failure to discover new choreographers and designers of talent; David Lichine as a choreographer; René Blum and the Ballets russes de Monte Carlo; some of the dancers and the repertoire including Michel Fokine's L'épreuve d'amour; Massine's Gaîté parisienne; his Nobilissima visione (also know as St. Francis); the long decline of de Basil's company [Ballets russes du Col. de Basil]; Massine's Beau Danube; the Festival Ballet; the reliance of Massine's works on dancers of a specific type; her evaluation of Col. de Basil as a company director; Serge Diaghilev and the commissioning of George Balanchine's ballet The prodigal son; Serge Lifar including as a choreographer and as a dancer [ends abruptly].
  • Streaming audio file 5 (approximately 46 minutes). P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about Serge Lifar as a dancer including his Siegfried and his Albrecht; his strong technique as a young dancer; steps Lifar danced in [George Balanchine's] Apollo that are rarely seen today; some of Lifar's roles; Mia Slavenska; briefly, Olga Morosova; Michel Fokine's ballet Paganini; Bronislava Nijinska's ballet Les cent baisers and Irina Baronova; the increase in the number of virtuoso male dancers since Diaghilev's time; Nana Gollner; George Balanchine's ballet Cotillon including its reception by the public; Balanchine's tendency to choreograph for his star dancers; Yurek Shabelevsky; revivals of Ballets russes repertoire by Col. de Basil's company including [Michel Fokine's] Prince Igor; Arthur Haskell as a historian and critic and as a fan; anecdotes about Cyril Beaumont and his descriptions of particular steps [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 6].
  • Streaming audio file 6 (approximately 44 minutes). P.W. Manchester speaks with Dale Harris and David Vaughan about Michel Fokine's Les sylphides [original title: Shopeniana]; more on Col. de Basil's failure as an impresario; Bronislava Nijinska and some of her ballets; Tamara Toumanova and the other "baby ballerinas;" more on Yurek Shabelevsky, in particular his virtuosity; Leonide Massine's ballet Beach; the gradual decline in attendance at the London seasons of Col. de Basil's company; the rivalries among the various ballet companies in the 1930s and 1940s; briefly, Margot Fontyen and Alicia Markova; Balanchine's Gods go a-begging; ballet audiences including discussion of ticket prices [ends abruptly].
Donor/Sponsor
Oral History Archive. Gift of Dale Harris.
Subjects
Genre/Form
  • Interviews.
  • Sound recordings.
Note
  • Interview with P.W. Manchester conducted by Dale Harris and David Vaughan, on 13 and 28 June 1975 in New York City.
  • For edited transcript of this interview see Ballet review, v. 6, nos. 3 & 4, 1977-78.
  • Sound quality is fair overall. The recording is marred by extraneous noise including "tape hiss."
  • 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)
  • Dale Harris
Call Number
*MGZTCO 3-943
OCLC
78174388
Author
Manchester, P. W. (Phyllis Winifred), interviewee.
Title
Interview with P.W. Manchester, 1975
Imprint
1975.
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 David Vaughan and Dale Harris 1975, June 19 and 28 New York (N.Y.)
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: 3 sound cassettes (approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes); quarter-track; 1.875 ips; transferred to wav file and streaming file format in 2015: myd_mgztco3943_v01f01_sc, myd_mgztco3943_v01f02_sc, myd_mgztco3943_v02f01_sc, myd_mgztco3943_v02f02_sc, myd_mgztco3943_v03f01_sc, and myd_mgztco3943_v03f02_sc.
Local Note
Former class mark: *MGZTC 3-943
Source
Gift Dale Harris
Connect to:
NYPL Digital Collections
Added Author
Vaughan, David, 1924- interviewer.
Harris, Dale, 1928-1996, interviewer.
Research Call Number
*MGZTCO 3-943
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