Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. June 7 and 13, 2000 [sound recording].

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013.

Publication

2000.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

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

Description

2 sound cassettes (ca. 133 min.) +

Summary

• Cassette 19, side A, 06/07/00 (ca. 23 min.). Frederic Franklin comments on photographs of George Balanchine's ballet Serenade shown to him at the interview; speaks about the reason Leonide Massine did not require him to use a Russian stage-name; ballets to be discussed at the next interview; the musical comedy Song of Norway.
• Cassette 19, side B, 06/13/00 (ca. 38 min.). The interview begins approximately 3 min. into the recording. Franklin speaks about Massine's ballet Seventh symphony; including Massine's working method; Franklin's learning his role, the Spirit of creation; other characters in the ballet, including Adam and Eve, the snake, and rocks; his costume; the ballet's story; Massine's unhappiness with the choreography set to the fourth movement; performing the ballet on tour; becoming sick from the make-up applied to his body; his friendship with the accompanist Rachel Chapman; reason he enjoyed dancing in Seventh symphony; more on the fourth movement; the engaging of Nini Theilade to dance in Seventh symphony; comments on photographs of the ballet. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 20, side A, 06/13/00 (ca. 38 min.). Franklin speaks about Bronislava Nijinska's ballet Sleeping beauty [after Marius Petipa; referred to as Aurora's wedding in the interview], including first seeing it in Liverpool in 1929; the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's performance of the ballet, in Chicago; comments on drawings of costume designs for the ballet and photographs of the dancers; speaks about Nijinska's ballet Snow maiden, including the cast and the choreography; comments on photographs of Snow maiden; Michel Fokine's ballet Spectre de la rose, including his first seeing it, as staged by Anton Dolin; tells anecdotes about an accompanist Dolin employed [a woman, known as Turner]; begins to comment on photographs. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 20, side B, 06/13/00 (ca. 34 min.). Franklin continues to comment on photographs; speaks about the attempted murder of Paul Petroff; the musical comedy Song of Norway, including the recruiting of dancers from the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; how George Balanchine came to be hired as the choreographer; Balanchine's innovation of ending the show with a ballet; Alexandra Danilova's enjoyment of her speaking role in Song of Norway; similarities between the choreography of Song of Norway and Danses concertantes; comments on photographs of Song of Norway; ballets to be discussed at the next interview.

Series Statement

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subject

• Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013
• Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997
• Dolin, Anton, 1904-1983
• Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
• Sleeping beauty (Choreographic work : Nijinska after Petipa, M)
• Seventh symphony (Choreographic work : Massine)
• Snow maiden (Choreographic work : Nijinska)
• Spectre de la rose (Choreographic work : Fokine)

Note

• Interview with Frederic Franklin conducted by Mindy Aloff, Monica Moseley, and Nancy Reynolds, at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City on June 7 and 13, 2000. 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.19-20.
• The recording is marred by occasional extraneous noise.
• 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.

Access (note)

• Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 19-20

OCLC

NYPY05-R0

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. June 7 and 13, 2000 [sound recording].

Imprint

2000.

Series

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2253 nos. 19-20

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2253 nos. 19-20

Archival transcript: *MGZMTO 3-2253 no. 19-20

Restricted Access

Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Connect to:

Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material

Local Subject

Musical comedies. Song of Norway.

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. 19-20 sound cassettes

*MGZMT 3-2253 no. 19-20 transcript

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 19-20