Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. June 14, 2000 [sound recording].

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013.

Publication

2000.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Kraft, Susan, 1961-
• Aloff, Mindy, 1947-
• Reynolds, Nancy, 1938-
• George Balanchine Foundation.

Description

2 sound cassettes (ca. 112 min.) +

Summary

• Cassette 21, side A (ca. 38 min.). The recording includes Frederic Franklin's comments on photographs shown to him at the interview. Franklin speaks about his first time dancing, as a hunter, in Swan lake, with Anton Dolin and Alicia Markova, in a Camargo Ballet Society production; relates an anecdote about Markova's first time dancing the 32 fouet̋ees in Act III; reasons Markova was well-suited for the role of the Swan queen; Markova as an actress; Markova's and Alexandra Danilova's sharing of the role of the Swan queen in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's production; their dismay that Franklin was teaching Mia [Slavenska] this role; the role of Siegfried as the start of a new stage in his career; the one-act version of Swan lake in Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's repertory; Franklin's learning the full story of the ballet only later; his thoughts regarding the current state of ballet in Russia and various Russian ballerinas; differences between Markova's and Danilova's Swan queens; reasons he likes Matthew Bourne's Swan lake; the financial necessity of having Swan lake in the repertory. [Ends abruptly.]
• Cassette 21, side B (ca. 37 min.). Franklin speaks about dancing in The nutcracker at the Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.) on the Opera's last night in its former home at 39th Street; comments on photographs of dancers in Swan lake; speaks about Michel Fokine's ballet Les sylphides, including seeing it for the first time, in 1929; the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo production, including the roles danced by Markova, Danilova, Slavenska, and Nini Theilade; Fokine's frequent changing of the choreography of his ballets in order to receive additional fees; the many versions that have been made of Les sylphides, including the version staged by the Kirov Ballet [now the Maryinsky Ballet]; high royalties as a possible reason Les sylphides and other Fokine ballets are almost never performed today; Franklin's performing an unusual version of Les sylphides on tour in South Africa with Danilova; his many stagings of the ballet; comments on photographs of Les sylphides.
• Cassette 22, side A (ca. 37 min.). Franklin speaks about his ballet Tribute, which he created for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, including the music and the choreography; different versions of the costumes; the influence of Massine; his thoughts on several of Frederick Ashton's ballets, including Symphonic variations and Cinderella; speaks about Massine's ballet Three-cornered hat [also referred to in the interview as Tricorne], including reheasal and performance anecdotes; the collaborative creation of the ballet, including the sets and costumes by [Pablo] Picasso; problems he encountered when working on a revival of this ballet; revivals staged by the Joffrey Ballet and the Royal Ballet; compares Massine with Leon Danielian as character dancers; comments on photographs of Three-cornered hat.

Series Statement

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Alternative Title

Dance Oral History Project.

Subject

• Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013
• Danilova, Alexandra, 1907-1997
• Markova, Alicia, Dame, 1910-2004
• Massine, Leonide, 1896-1979
• Bourne, Matthew, 1960-
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
• Swan lake (Choreographic work)
• Swan lake (Choreographic work)
• Sylphides (Choreographic work : Fokin)
• Sylphides (Choreographic work)
• Tribute (Choreographic work : Franklin)
• Three-cornered hat (Choreographic work : Massine)

Note

• Interview with Frederic Franklin conducted by Mindy Aloff, Susan Kraft, and Nancy Reynolds, at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City on June 14, 2000. This interview was 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.21-22.
• 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. 21-22

OCLC

NYPY05-R1

Author

Franklin, Frederic, 1914-2013. Interviewee

Title

Interview with Frederic Franklin. June 14, 2000 [sound recording].

Imprint

2000.

Series

Frederic Franklin Oral History Project

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2253 nos. 21-22

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2253 nos. 21-22

Archival transcript: *MGZMTO 3-2253 no. 21-22

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

Kraft, Susan, 1961- Interviewer

Aloff, Mindy, 1947- Interviewer

Reynolds, Nancy, 1938- Interviewer

George Balanchine Foundation.

Research Call Number

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 21-22 sound cassettes

*MGZMT 3-2253 no. 21-22 transcript

*MGZTC 3-2253 nos. 21-22