Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. Apr. 19 and 25, 2000 and Nov. 28, 2001 [sound recording].

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013.

Publication

2000-2001.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Moseley, Monica.
• Aloff, Mindy, 1947-
• Reynolds, Nancy, 1938-
• George Balanchine Foundation.

Description

3 sound cassettes (ca. 172 min.) +

Summary

• Cassette 2, side A, 04/19/00 (ca. 37 min.). This recording consists in substantial part of Frederic Franklin's comments as he looks at photographs of dancers and drawings of set designs shown to him at the interview. He also speaks about musical scores he examines at the interview and the film of Leonide Massine's ballet Bacchanale. Franklin speaks about the costume worn by Alexandra Danilova in the role of the Street dancer in Massine's Le beau Danube; her hairdos; the score for Le beau Danube; Frederick Ashton's ballet Devil's holiday; the score for George Balanchine's ballet Le baiser de la fée, especially its many discrepancies from the score as he knew it; ballets he would like to discuss at the next interview.
• Cassette 2, side B, 04/25/00 (ca. 38 min.). Franklin speaks about the film of Massine's ballet Bacchanale shown to him at the previous session; Bronislava Nijinska's ballet Bogatyri, including the costumes, the original cast, the story of the ballet, performance anecdotes, and production history; the dancer Lubov Roudenko; regret that Bogatyri is no longer performed, Massine's ballet La boutique fantasque, his first time seeing the ballet, as performed by the Ballet Russe du Col. de Basil; the cast, the set, and the blocking. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 3, side A, 04/25/00 (ca. 38 min.). Franklin speaks about the finale of Boutique fantasque [the follow-up interview of Nov. 28, 2001, contains his revised account of his description of Boutique fantasque; see cassette no. 3a]; roles he has performed; the role of the Can-Can dancer; his wearing of Massine's costume; other productions, including that of the Ballets Russes [of Sergei Diaghilev]; begins speaking about the dancer Argentinita's and Massine's ballet Capriccio espagnol; tells an anecdote about Michel Fokine and his ballet Jota Aragonesa; continues to speak about Capriccio espagnol, including his learning of the ballet, his admiration for Argentinita, the use of the sets from Jota Aragonesa; performing at the Hollywood Bowl; Warner Bros.' filming of Capriccio espagnol and Massine's ballet Gaîté parisienne [as performed by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo]; Nijinska's ballet Chopin concerto and Nina Youshkevitch; Youshkevitch as a teacher; his dancing in Chopin concerto at Nijinska's request, cast members. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 3, side B, 4/25/00 (ca. 36 min.). Recording begins with Franklin's identifying cast members in photographs. Franklin describes the difficulty of Chopin concerto for Alexandra Danilova; Maria Tallchief's joining the cast; the male roles; his admiration for Rachel Chapman [the accompanist]; Fred Fehl's photographs of the ballet; origins of titling ballets according to their scores; the origins of the "Fred step" [a signature step used by Frederick Ashton, described in detail in the transcript at p. 29]; markings on musical scores; the costumes for Chopin concerto; Nijinska as a person; the ballets to discuss at the next session; his thoughts on Balanchine's ballets Concerto barocco and Opus 34; speaks briefly about Fokine's ballets Don Juan and L'épreuve d'amour.
• Cassette 3a, 11/28/01 (ca. 23 min.). Franklin, in a follow-up interview with Mindy Aloff, speaks about Boutique fantasque, revising his earlier description.

Series Statement

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subjects

• Balanchine, George > Baiser de la fée
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
• Bogatyri (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013
• Nijinska, Bronislava, 1891-1972
• Beau Danube (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Youshkevitch, Nina
• Capriccio espagnol (Choreographic work : Argentinita and Massine)
• Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997
• Ballets Russes du Col. W. de Basil
• Bacchanale (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Argentinita, 1898-1945
• Chopin concerto (Choreographic work : Nijinska)
• Boutique fantasque (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Jota aragonesa (Choreographic work : Fedorova-Fokine)
• Audiotapes > Franklin, F

Note

• Interviews with Frederic Franklin conducted by Monica Moseley and Mindy Aloff at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City on Apr. 19 and 25, 2000; a follow-up interview on Nov. 28, 2001 revises a description of Boutique fantasque. These interviews were recorded for the Frederic Franklin Oral History Project; the Project is a collaboration between the George Balanchine Foundation and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
• For transcript see: *MGZMT 3-2253, no. 2-3.
• The transcripts were prepared by the George Balanchine Foundation. The transcripts are edited versions of the recordings and may include material such as follow-up interviews, in person and by telephone, and explanatory notes, which are not included in the recording. In the case of this recording (*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 2, 3, and 3a), however, one follow-up interview, conducted on Nov. 28, 2001, is contained on cassette 3a.
• The recording is marred by occasional extraneous noise.

Access (note)

• Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2253, nos. 2, 3 and 3a

OCLC

NYPY04-R62

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. Apr. 19 and 25, 2000 and Nov. 28, 2001 [sound recording].

Imprint

2000-2001.

Series

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Performer

Nancy Reynolds was present at a follow-up interview on Sept. 21, 2001 contained in the transcript.

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2253 nos. 2-3 and 3a.

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2253 nos 2-3.

Archive transcript: *MGZMTO 3-2253 no. 2-3.

Restricted Access

Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Connect to:

Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material

Local Subject

Audiotapes -- Franklin, F.

Added Author

Moseley, Monica. Interviewer

Aloff, Mindy, 1947- Interviewer

Reynolds, Nancy, 1938- Interviewer

George Balanchine Foundation.

Research Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2253, nos. 2, 3 and 3a sound cassettes

*MGZMT 3-2253, no. 2-3 transcript

*MGZTC 3-2253, nos. 2, 3 and 3a