Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. May 3 and May 9, 2000 [sound recording].

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013.

Publication

2000.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Moseley, Monica.
• Aloff, Mindy, 1947-
• Lewis, Jean Battey.
• Boris, Ruthanna.
• Tanning, Dorothea, 1910-2012.
• Reynolds, Nancy, 1938-
• George Balanchine Foundation.

Description

2 sound cassettes (ca. 161 min.) +

Summary

• Cassette 7, side A, 05/03/00 (ca. 51 min.). This recording includes Frederic Franklin's comments as he looks at photographs of dancers, drawings of costumes and set designs, and a score, shown to him at the interview. Franklin speaks about Leonide Massine's ballet Gaîté parisienne including the characters, costumes, rehearsals, and Massine's working methods; Franklin's various roles in the ballet, the dancer Lubov Roudenko; the creation of the Barcarole section; the librettist and designer Etienne de Beaumont; the conventions of the tour de role and tour de premiere; Nina Tarakanova (Natalʹ︠i︡a Ivanovna Tarakanova) and Alexandra Danilova and the role of the Glove seller; Franklin comments on photographs of the ballet; Lorca Massine's 1988 revival of the ballet for American Ballet Theatre; the score; George Balanchine's ballet Night shadow, including the circumstances of its creation; his choice of Danilova for the role of the Sleepwalker and Maria Tallchief for the role of the Coquette; rehearsals; Franklin's performance as the Poet, especially the choreography for him and Danilova. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 7, side B, 05/03/00 (ca. 51 min.). Franklin continues speaking about his performance; the costumes; Nicholas Magallanes as the Poet; the Blackamoor and Harlequin divertissements; the Hoop dance; the pas de deux for the Poet and the Sleepwalker; Franklin comments on photographs of the ballet; different sets and costumes used; the score; Pilar López's ballet Cuckold's fair; Franklin's costume; Franklin comments on photographs of the ballet and drawings for the sets and costumes; Serge Lifar's ballet Icare, including Massine's antipathy toward Lifar; performance anecdotes including the proposed duel between Lifar and Massine and Lifar's leaving the ballet unfinished; Frederick Ashton's ballet Devil's holiday, including the circumstances of its creation; Franklin's role. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 8, side A, 05/03/00 (ca. 21 min.). Franklin continues to speak about Devil's holiday, including the choreographing of the finale and the costumes and sets; Ashton's working methods; opening night in New York City immediately following the arrival of the company [Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo] from Europe in 1939; the disarray in the company due to World War II and Franklin's and the other dancers' fraught passage to the U.S.; the ballets to be discussed at the next interview [short gap]; Franklin speaks about performing Wilfrid with Lifar as Albrecht in Giselle, in London; Lifar's use of lilies. [The transcript ends here.]
• Cassette 8, side B, 05/09/00 (ca.38 min.). Recording begins abruptly after approximately 3 min. The material summarized here does not appear in the transcript. Franklin speaks about Marc Platt's ballet Ghost town, including the circumstances of its creation, the music [by Richard Rodgers] and the costumes; the company's South American tour in 1940, including the success of Ghost town; Franklin comments on photographs and the score of the ballet; Platt's career; the company's taking of the ballet Giselle [as staged by Lifar] into its repertory, in London, in 1938; Lifar's partnering of Alicia Markova in Giselle; Franklin's performing Albrecht in Atlanta; his partnering of Danilova. [Ends abruptly.]

Series Statement

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subject

• Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013
• Lifar, Serge, 1905-1986
• Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
• Gaîté parisienne (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Night shadow (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
• Ghost town (Choreographic work : Platt)
• Cuckolds' fair (Choreographic work : López)
• Icare (Choreographic work : Lifar)
• Giselle (Choreographic work : Lifar after Coralli and Perrot)
• Devil's holiday (Choreographic work : Ashton)

Note

• Interview with Frederic Franklin conducted by Monica Moseley and Mindy Aloff at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City, primarily on May 3 and May 9, 2000. Jean Battey Lewis was also present at the interview, and Ruthanna Boris, Nancy Reynolds, and Dorothea Tanning were subsequently consulted. 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. 7-8
• 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.
• 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. 7-8

OCLC

NYPY04-R69

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. May 3 and May 9, 2000 [sound recording].

Imprint

2000.

Series

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2253 nos. 7-8.

Archive transcript: *MGZMTO 3-2253 no. 7-8.

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2253 nos. 7-8.

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

Lewis, Jean Battey. Interviewer

Boris, Ruthanna. Interviewer

Tanning, Dorothea, 1910-2012. Interviewer

Reynolds, Nancy, 1938- Interviewer

George Balanchine Foundation.

Research Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 7-8 sound cassettes

*MGZMT 3-2253 no. 7-8 transcript

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 7-8