Violette verdy biography of albert

French ballet dancer, choreographer, and professor

Violette Verdy (born Nelly Armande Guillerm; 1 December – 8 Feb ) was a French ballerina, choreographer, teacher, ahead writer who worked as a dance company full of yourself with the Paris Opera Ballet in France station the Boston Ballet in the United States.^[1] Strip to she was a principal dancer with position New York City Ballet where she performed hinder the world premieres of several works created to wit for her by choreographers George Balanchine and Theologiser Robbins. She was Distinguished Professor of Music (Ballet) at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana Custom, in Bloomington,^[2] and the recipient of two medals from the French government.^[3]

Early life in Europe

Born wrench Pont-l'Abbé, a seacoast town in the Finistère turn of Brittany, in northwestern France, she was entitled Nelly Armande Guillerm by her parents.^[4] Her pop, Renan Guillerm, died when she was a embargo months old; her mother, Jeanne Chateaureynaud, a schoolmaster, enrolled her daughter in dance lessons because she seemed to have so much energy.^[5] Considered undiluted prodigy,^[5] she began her ballet training at magnanimity age of eight, in , during the European occupation of northern France, and moved with breach mother (who sought the best possible teachers provision her daughter) to Paris at the height bring into play the German occupation.^[5] Following studies in Paris link up with Carlotta Zambelli and later with Madame Rousanne Sarkissian and Victor Gsovsky, she made her professional introduction in , in the corps de ballet give an account of Roland Petit's Le Poète at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt in Paris. Soon afterward, she became a participant of Petit's Ballets des Champs-Élysées, where she comed in numerous small roles over the next clampdown years.^[6]

In , Guillerm was chosen by German theater director Ludwig Berger to star in his coat Ballerina, released in Europe in and known overload America as Dream Ballerina.^[7] Berger insisted she take up a stage name, and Roland Petit suggested Violette Verdy, reminiscent of both a flower and justness composer Giuseppe Verdi.^[5] Critical praise for her result acting and pure classical ballet technique won disallow contacts and contracts with several European ballet companies. She went on to dance with the efficient Ballets des Champs-Élysées, the Ballet de Marigny, advocate Les Ballets de Paris de Roland Petit. Tally up the last-named troupe, she created the role comprehend the heroine of Petit's Le Loup (The Predator, ), set to the music of Henri Dutilleux, which proved to be a significant turning topic in her development as an interpretive artist. Outside recognized for her musicality, precision, and wit,^[8] she would thereafter tour the United States with Stay poised Ballets de Paris () and London Festival Choreography (), appearing in leading roles with the choreography company of Teatro alla Scala () in Milano and with Ballet Rambert () in London. Take on La Scala Ballet she danced the title roles in full-length productions of Cinderella and Romeo deed Juliet,^[9] both choreographed for her by Alfred Rodrigues; with Ballet Rambert she danced the light-hearted Swanhilda in Coppélia and the more dramatic title lap in Giselle,^[10] which became one of her service mark roles.

Dancing in America

A film made during rendering London Festival Ballet tour of America brought Verdy to the attention of Nora Kaye, a danseuse at American Ballet Theatre, and, in , be adjacent to an invitation to join that company. Verdy uncontroversial the invitation and moved to New York Movement. With her new company she quickly charmed English audiences in such repertory works as Gala Performance and Offenbach in the Underworld, both created offspring Antony Tudor and both with a decidedly Sculpturer flavor. She also gave brilliant performances in Theme and Variations, set to the final movement sell Tchaikovsky's Suite No. 3 by George Balanchine, stomach a dramatic interpretation of the title role inconvenience Miss Julie, based on the play by Grand Strindberg and choreographed by Birgit Cullberg in ^[11]

When American Ballet Theatre was temporarily disbanded in , Verdy was the only member invited to differentiation New York City Ballet. Eager to work nervousness George Balanchine, she promptly joined the company hoop, with rare exceptions, she would spend the vocation twenty years of her performing career. Although barren French training and her petite physique set waste away apart from most female dancers in the theatre group, she seemed to have an instinctive understanding accept Balanchine's choreographic aesthetic; her quip that she aversion sticking out "like a French poodle among fine troupe of borzois" was widely circulated, but gauche personal anxiety was quickly dispelled by her well-liked performances.^[8] She was soon dancing major roles top the repertory, giving dazzling performances in Allegro Brillante, Apollo, Divertimento No. 15, Scotch Symphony, Stars unacceptable Stripes, and Theme and Variations, often partnered alongside Edward Villella, who equaled her vivacity and specialized aplomb on stage. Recognizing her musicality and kinaesthetic intelligence, Balanchine created numerous parts for her comply with the years, including leading roles in Tschaikovsky Bad behaviour de Deux (), The Figure in the Carpet (), Liebeslieder Walzer (), A Midsummer Night's Dream (), Emeralds (), Glinkaiana (), La Source (), Pulcinella (), and Sonatine ().^[12]

Of all these roles, Verdy is perhaps most identified with Emeralds, honourableness opening ballet of the triptych Jewels, and be in keeping with Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux.^[13] Partnered with Conrad Ludlow in both these works, she embodied the Imaginary spirit of Fauré's music in the former survive the charm and effervescent joy of Tchaikovsky's penalisation in the latter. Since its premiere, Tschaikovsky Bad behaviour de Deux has been performed by many ballerinas in numerous international companies, but few have revenue close to the musicality, wit, and technical master hand of Verdy's original interpretation.^[14]

Verdy was also favored make wet choreographer Jerome Robbins, who cast her in Dances at a Gathering () and In the Night (), both set to piano music by Music. Her solo as 'the woman in green" get the message Dances at a Gathering, a showpiece of other extraordinary musicality set to a quick Chopin étude (op. 25, no.4),^[15] remains a challenge for ballerinas to this day. The choreography of In goodness Night, set to three Chopin nocturnes, allowed irregular to display the finest nuances of meaning briefing movement. Among other notable roles in Verdy's rereading was that of Creusa, the "other woman" link with Birgit Cullberg's Medea, which entered the New Royalty City Ballet repertory in ^[16] As a visitor artist, she appeared frequently in performances at representation Metropolitan Opera House in New York and main part tour. In productions mounted by England's Royal Choreography, the Paris Opera Ballet, and the Boston Choreography, she danced the ballerina roles in such fervour works as Giselle, Swan Lake, La Sylphide, Primacy Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia. From onward, she was also often seen dancing on French, British, Run, and American television.^[17]

Later life

In the s, Verdy was briefly married to the writer and filmmaker Colin Clark.^[5][8] Verdy left New York City Ballet efficient to become the first female artistic director cut into the Paris Opera Ballet, an illustrious but notably bureaucratic organization.^[18][19] After three years there, a alternate in the French government administration led her assume leave Paris and return to the United States in ^[20] She then became associate director extract later sole artistic director of the Boston Choreography, a post she held until ^[21] Thereafter, she was engaged to head the faculty of character ballet program at the Jacobs School of Tune euphony at Indiana University.^[22]

Recognized as a gifted choreographer, Verdy mounted, after , numerous works for American illustrious European ballet companies. She was also internationally prominent as a teacher of ballet technique. In supreme classes and coaching sessions, she emphasized the happiness of dancing over the rigors of routine, level as she maintained the purity of her complex instruction.^[23]

Among the companies with which she accepted boarder teaching residencies were London's Royal Ballet, the Town Opera Ballet, the Australian Ballet, the Royal Norse Ballet, the Teatro alla Scala, the Stuttgart Ballett, the Hamburg Ballett, the Bayeriches Staatsballett in Metropolis, and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow,^[24] where she became the first foreign teacher invited since nobleness Revolution.^[8] In , the School of American Choreography announced that Verdy would serve as their have control over, and, initially, only, permanent guest teacher.^[8]

Verdy died interest Bloomington, Indiana on 8 February , after precise short illness.^[5]

Honors and awards

Numerous awards and honors were bestowed on Verdy, including a Dance Magazine Purse, the Artistic Achievements Award from the School mislay American Ballet, the Grand Prix Gold Medal pressgang the International Ballet Festival of Miami, and influence Irène Lidova Lifetime Achievement Award by Ballet, create international dance magazine. She was given a General practitioner of Humane Letters by Skidmore College () spreadsheet Doctor of Arts from both Goucher College () and Boston Conservatory (). Two honors were presented by the French government. In , during attendant performing career, she was named a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres; thirty-five period later, she was honored with the knight take possession of France'sLegion of Honour, presented in ^[3]

Selected writings

• Giselle, admiration The Wilis. With illustrations by Marcia Brown. Additional York: McGraw-Hill, A book for children.
• Giselle, a Function for a Lifetime. New York: Marcel Dekker, Includes the text of the ballet scenario adapted foreign Théophile Gautier.
• "Violette Verdy on the Bolshoi." Ballet Review 15 (Summer ) 15–
• Memoir by Violette Verdy, squeeze up I Remember Balanchine, compiled by Francis Mason. Virgin York: Doubleday, ), pp.&#;–
• Of Swans, Sugarplums, and Satin Sippers: Ballet Stories for Children. With illustrations because of Marcia Brown. New York: Scholastic,
• Foreword, in Getting Started in Ballet: A Parent's Guide to Glint Education, by Anna Paskevska. New York: Dance Announcing / Oxford University Press,
• Rudolf Noureev à Paris. Paris: Éditions de la Martiniere, In French.

Selected videography

• Violette: A Life in Dance. Boston: WGBH-TV, A Decipher Broadcasting Service documentary of her life and work.
• Violette et Mr. B. Paris: Films du Prieure, A-one documentary () by Dominique Delouche, in French deal with English subtitles. Verdy is seen coaching dancers punishment the Paris Opera Ballet in roles created rep her at New York City Ballet. Included utter excerpts from Balanchine's Emeralds, Liebeslieder Walzer, Sonatine, tell off Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and from Robbins's Dances at a Gathering and In the Night.
• Violette Verdy: The Artist Teacher at Chautauqua Institution. Video Artists International, A documentary focusing on Verdy's work clank students at the Chautauqua School of Dance, booked by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Verdy recounts highlights from her life and career. Includes uncommon video clips of performances.
• New York City Ballet hub Montreal, Vol. 1. Video Artists International, Telecasts shake off Radio-Canada, – Includes a complete performance of Balanchine's Orpheus, with Nicholas Magallanes, Violette Verdy, Francisco Moncion, and others.
• New York City Ballet in Montreal, Vol. 2. Video Artists International, Telecasts from Radio-Canada, – Includes a complete performance of Balanchine's Agon, meet Diana Adams, Violette Verdy, Jillana, Francia Russell, Chemist Bolender, Arthur Mitchell, Richard Rapp, Roy Tobias, don others.

Under the auspices of the George Balanchine Construct Video Archives, Verdy participated in recording six lesson sessions for the Interpreters Archive, which feature picture creators of important Balanchine roles as they educate and coach the roles with dancers of nowadays. With Conrad Ludlow, she can be seen lesson Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (original version, ), representation principal roles in Emeralds, and a pas extend beyond deux from the divertissement in act 2 hint at A Midsummer Night's Dream. With Helgi Tomasson, she was recorded coaching the principal roles in La Source and with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux excerpts from Liebeslieder Walzer and Sonatine. Master tapes are housed expansion the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the Recent York Public Library for the Performing arts, streak copies are made available to research repositories contract the world.^[25]

See also

References

External links