Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Lawrence Rhodes. December 11, 1974, 1974.

Author

Rhodes, Lawrence

Publication

1974

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Gruen, John

Description

3 sound discs (approximately two hours and 21 minutes): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1 (approximately 48 minutes) Lawrence Rhodes speaks with John Gruen about his background including his early dance training; moving to New York City to study at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo school; dancing with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; studying with Robert Joffrey; the circumstances of his joining the Joffrey Ballet; Joffrey as a teacher and as a director; his four years at the Joffrey Ballet including dancing in some of Gerald Arpino's ballets; the break between Joffrey and Rebekah Harkness; his six years with the Harkness Ballet; the company's repertoire including Stuart Hodes' work Abyss; John Butler's works Sebastian and After Eden; the appointment of Brian McDonald as the company's director; Rudi Van Dantzig's Monument [for a dead boy] and its effect on Rhodes' career [ends abruptly but continues on disc 2].
• Disc 2 (approximately 48 minutes). Lawrence Rhodes continues to speak with John Gruen about his time at the Harkness Ballet including his first New York season; his persuading of Rebekah Harkness to adopt a different repertoire than had been planned; his time as director of the company including his attempts to introduce new repertoire and his hiring of Benjamin Harkarvy; increasing conflict with Rebekah Harkness and her dissolution of the company; dancing for the Dutch National Ballet [Het Nationale Ballet] including his joy in performing [Balanchine's ballet ] Apollo; his wife, Lone [Isakson]; working as a teacher and choreographer for the Joffrey Ballet's second company; guest appearances including in John Butler's dance Hara-kiri; joining the Pennsylvania Ballet; working with Eliot Feld [ends abruptly but continues on disc 3].
• Disc 3 (approximately 45 minutes). Lawrence Rhodes continues to speak with John Gruen about working with Eliot Feld; dancing with Carla Fracci in Giselle in Italy including his admiration for her; upcoming performances including in Hans van Manen's Adagio, Hammerklavier; his thoughts on his career including on being a member of a company; his not having ever danced with ABT (American Ballet Theatre) including the roles of Lucia Chase and Antony Tudor concerning this; his teacher, Maggie Black; his impressions of Mikhail Baryshnikov and of Rudolf Nureyev; his enjoyment of partnering; how he feels about his own dancing.

Donor/Sponsor

Gift of John Gruen

Subjects

• Harkness, Rebekah West, -1982
• Harkness Ballet
• Rhodes, Lawrence
• Pennsylvania Ballet
• Audiotapes > Rhodes, L
• Chase, Lucia, 1897-1986
• Joffrey Ballet
• Fracci, Carla
• Tudor, Antony, 1909-1987

Note

• Interview with Lawrence Rhodes conducted by John Gruen on December 11, 1974 in New York City, to be used as the basis for an article in Dance Magazine.
• For edited transcript, see: *MGZMT 3-541.
• Sound quality is fair. There is a continuous hiss but the speakers' voices are almost always clearly intelligible.

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.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-541

OCLC

77606725

Author

Rhodes, Lawrence, interviewee.

Title

Interview with Lawrence Rhodes. December 11, 1974, 1974.

Production

1974

Type of Content

spoken word

Type of Medium

audio

Type of Carrier

audio disc

Event

Recorded by John Gruen 1974, December 11 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: two sound cassettes (approximately two hours and 21 minutes); 1 7/8 ips., originally recorded on December 11,1974; transferred to wav file and compact disc formats in 2013.

Local Note

Former classmark: *MGZTC 3-541

Added Author

Gruen, John, interviewer.

Gruen, John, donor

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-541