Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Fernand Nault [sound recording]

Author

Nault, Fernand.

Publication

1991.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Conway, Peter, 1929 July 18-

Description

6 sound cassettes (approx. 9 hours).

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subjects

• Powell, Robert
• De Mille, Agnes
• Romeo and Juliet (Choreographic work : Tudor)
• Robbins, Jerome
• Kudelka, James
• Shadow of the wind (Choreographic work : Tudor)
• Eglevsky, André
• Académie des Grands Ballets Canadiens
• Youskevitch, Igor, 1912-1994
• Vilzak, Anatole, 1896-1998
• Theme and variations (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
• Babilée, Jean, 1923-2014
• Gollner, Nana
• Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983
• American Ballet Theatre
• Nutcracker (Choreographic work : Nault)
• McLaren, Norman, 1914-1987
• Nureyev, Rudolf, 1938-1993
• Firebird (Choreographic work : Béjart)
• Chase, Lucia, 1897-1986
• Hightower, Rosella
• Cantique (Choreographic work : Nault)
• Kriza, John, 1919-1975
• Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004
• Chiriaeff, Ludmilla
• Tudor, Antony, 1909-1987
• Tommy (Choreographic work : Nault)
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• Alonso, Alicia, 1920-2019
• Carmina burana (Choreographic work : Nault)

Note

• Interviewed by Peter Conway on June 18, 19, 20, 1991 at Nault's apartment in Montreal, Canada.
• For transcript of interview see: *MGZMT 3-1821.

Contents

• SUMMARY: Cassette 1. Mr. Nault discusses growing up in Montreal; his decision to become a dancer despite the objections of his family; the struggle to pay for lessons; studying with Maurice Morenoff; his first performance; performing in operettas in the 1930s; changing his name; continuing to practice while in the army; his first contacts with American Ballet Theatre; auditioning to replace the injured Todd Bolender and performing in Petrouchka that same night; performing in Broadway musicals during ABT layoffs; performing Balanchine's Theme and Variations; watching Balanchine choreograph the piece in five days; working at Radio City Music Hall; working with Antony Tudor. -- Cassette 2. Discusses Tudor's Shadow of the wind; his impressions of Jerome Robbins, Nana Gollner, Lucia Chase, Alicia Markova and Tudor; his earliest choreography as well as pieces in the 1950s and 1960s, including his first staging of Carmina Burana; moving to character parts and then deciding to stop dancing altogether; choreographing his first Nutcracker. -- Cassette 3. Continues his discussion of Ballet Theatre and its principal dancers during his tenure there, including Igor Youskevitch, Andre Eglevsky, Anton Dolin, John Kriza; taking class with Anatole Vilzak; the hardships of touring; Rosella Hightower; the importance of character and ballroom dancing; the 1958 truck fire in which all the ABT scenery and costumes were destroyed; Jean
• Babilée; Rudolf Nureyev's time with American Ballet Theatre; Alicia Alonso and Lucia Chase. -- Cassette 4. Discusses his return to Montreal in 1963; meeting Madame Chiriaeff and deciding to join Les Grands Ballets Canadiens; his repertory and experiences there; working with Robert Powell; Carmina Burana, Symphony of Psalms and other works. -- Cassette 5. Discusses the development and success of his rock ballet Tommy; Cérémonie; Aurkhie; Béjart's Firebird; working in Denver, Colorado; returning to Montreal; Cantique; The Nutcracker; La Sqouine; Seven deadly sins; Daniel Sellier; James Kudelka as a dancer; collaborating with filmmaker Norman McLaren; Narcissus with Jean Louis Moran. -- Cassette 6. Appraises his own achievements as a dancer; Tudor's Romeo and Juliet; Hugh Laing; Agnes De Mille; Radio Canada and the destruction of most of its archives; philosophical ideas on dancing and being an artist.

Call Number

*MGZTC 3-1821

OCLC

NYPY946061253-R

Author

Nault, Fernand. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Fernand Nault [sound recording]

Imprint

1991.

Added Author

Conway, Peter, 1929 July 18- Interviewer

Research Call Number

*MGZTC 3-1821