Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Kathryn Mullowny. November 6, 1976.

Author

Mullowny, Kathryn

Publication

1976

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Cohen-Stratyner, Barbara Naomi

Description

3 sound discs (approximately one hour and 55 minutes): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1 (approximately 46 minutes). Kathryn Mullowny speaks with Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner about studying ballet in Paris with Vera Trefilova and with [Lubov Nikolaevna] Egorova; her teacher [Serafima Aleksandrovna] Astaf'eva; moving to New York City to dance professionally; an anecdote about Albertina Rasch; the circumstances leading to her first professional job as a dancer; publicity stunts she had to perform; briefly, touring with Chester Hale; her first job on Broadway, in the musical comedy Flying colors including Tamara Geva's help in her obtaining it; an anecdote about Agnes de Mille; how she came to study at the School of American Ballet including her audition for George Balanchine; her quick progression from beginner to advanced class; an anecdote about Balanchine and his choreographing of Serenade; continuing to dance professionally while a student; briefly, Muriel Stuart; briefly, [Edward] Warburg; joining Ballet Caravan; Balanchine's ballet Divertissement, performed at the Brooklyn Museum; ballets in which she danced including Erick Hawkin's work Show piece; touring with American Ballet [Company] including her problems with the management; various anecdotes about Balanchine [ends abruptly but continues on disc 2].
• Disc 2 (approximately 46 minutes). Kathryn Mullowny continues to speak with Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner about George Balanchine including his wide-ranging curiosity; [Balanchine's] Baiser de la fée including [Igor] Stravinsky's helping her with the counts and a performance anecdote; briefly, her thoughts on various ballets including Eugene Loring's Yankee clipper and his Harlequin for president; the musical comedy The great waltz; working with Albertina Rasch; other choreographers with whom Mullowny has worked; taking class in the Humphrey-Weidman technique; the use of piano accompaniment rather than an orchestra when on tour with the American Ballet [Company]; Balanchine's ballet Alma mater; Balanchine's ballet Errante; anecdotes about Balanchine's ballet for the Three Graces in the opera Tannhäuser, at the Metropolitan Opera; dancing in the opera Die fledermaus; briefly, her partners when dancing in the Metropolitan Opera ballet; a performance anecdote about dancing in William Dollar's ballet Concerto [Constantia]; the motion picture Goldwyn Follies including anecdotes about Samuel Goldwyn and William Dollar, respectively [ends abruptly but continues on disc 3].
• Disc 3 (approximately 23 minutes). Kathryn Mullowny continues to speak with Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner about working in Hollywood; her experience with the motion picture The Broadway melody [of 1936]; classes she is teaching now; her brief study of modern dance with Ethel Butler; her study of Spanish dancing;her interest in character dancing; a performance anecdote about Edward Caton; her career after having her first baby; briefly, the audience response to Ballet Caravan at the YMHA [92nd Street. Y].

Subjects

• Balanchine, George
• Mullowny, Kathryn
• Ballet Caravan, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
• Rasch, Albertina
• American Ballet Company
• Audiotapes > Mullowny, K
• Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.) > Ballet
• Astaf'eva, Serafima Aleksandrovna
• Dance teachers
• Egorova, Lubov Nikolaevna, 1880-1972
• Balanchine, George > Baiser de la fée
• Trefilova, Vera, 1875-1943

Note

• Interview with Kathyrn Mullowny conducted by Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner, on November 6, 1976, in California.
• Sound quality is fair. The recording is marred by extraneous noise including "tape hiss" and occasional short gaps, but the speakers' voices are easily audible.

Funding (note)

• The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2979

OCLC

867639668

Author

Mullowny, Kathryn, interviewee.

Title

Interview with Kathryn Mullowny. November 6, 1976.

Production

1976

Type of Content

spoken word

Type of Medium

audio

Type of Carrier

audio disc

Event

Recorded by Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner 1976, November 6 California

Funding

The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Original Version

Original format: two sound cassettes (approximately one hour and 55 minutes); 1 7/8 ips., originally recorded on December 11, 1976; transferred to wav file and compact disc formats in 2013.

Added Author

Cohen-Stratyner, Barbara Naomi, interviewer.

Cohen-Stratyner, Barbara Naomi, donor

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2979