Anna Pavlova is an amazing ballerina - history in photographs. The tragic love story of Anna Pavlova
Russian ballerina, teacher, stage director Anna Pavlovna (according to other sources, Matveevna) Pavlova was born on February 12 (January 31, old style) 1881 in St. Petersburg in the family of a soldier and a washerwoman. According to some sources, she was the illegitimate daughter of a Jewish banker.
In 1891 she entered the ballet department of the St. Petersburg Theater School (now the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet), where she studied with Ekaterina Vazem and Pavel Gerdt.
In 1899, after graduating from college, Pavlova was accepted into the corps de ballet of the Imperial Ballet of the Mariinsky Theater.
She made her debut in a small role in the ballet “A Vain Precaution”, then in “La Bayadère” by Ludwig Minkus. In 1903, she was entrusted with the role of Giselle in Adolphe Adam's ballet of the same name, where the young ballerina was able to amaze the audience with the depth of the psychological interpretation of the image and the beauty of the dance. Following this success, Pavlova received leading roles in “The Naiad and the Fisherman” by Cesar Pugni, “Paquita” by Edouard Deldevez, “The Corsair” by Adam, and “Don Quixote” by Ludwig Minkus.
In 1906, Anna Pavlova became a ballerina of the Imperial Stage.
Legends of Anna PavlovaThere is a photograph with two swans, an “immortal” and a living one. The first swan is Anna Pavlova, a regal, sickly, despotic, fragile great ballerina, performer of the “swan” ballet miniature by Mikhail Fokine to the music of Saint-Saëns. The second swan is Pavlova's favorite bird at her estate near London...The ballerina's individuality, her dancing style, and her soaring jump prompted her partner, the future famous choreographer Mikhail Fokin, to create "Chopinians" (1907) to the music of Fryderyk Chopin - a stylization in the spirit of a revived engraving from the era of romanticism. In this ballet she danced the Mazurka and the Seventh Waltz with Vaslav Nijinsky. Pavlova's flying arabesque was immortalized by artist Valentin Serov on the poster for the first "Russian Seasons" in Paris (1909).
The ballerina's tour with Fokine's troupe in Moscow in 1907 brought all-Russian fame. For her, Fokine staged a concert (later “The Dying Swan”) to the music of Camille Saint-Saëns, which later became a poetic symbol of Russian choreography and the ballerina herself.
Pavlova also danced in Fokine's productions of "Pavilions of Armida" to the music of Nikolai Tcherepnin and "Egyptian Nights" to the music of Anton Arensky in 1907.
On January 23, 1931, Anna Pavlova died in The Hague (Netherlands). Her ashes were buried in Golders Green Cemetery, near her home, Ivy House, London.
For a long time, Anna Pavlova had a personal relationship with mining engineer Victor Dandre, who in 1910 was accused by the authorities of St. Petersburg of embezzlement of funds allocated for the construction of the Okhtinsky Bridge. Anna Pavlova had to pay bail to be released from prison. Despite a written undertaking not to leave, Dandre fled Russia and lived without a passport for many years. Abroad, Dandre became an impresario and administrator of a ballerina troupe. In 1932, Dandre's book "Anna Pavlova. Life and Legend" was published in London.
The feature and documentary films “Anna Pavlova” (1983 and 1985) are dedicated to the ballerina. French choreographer Roland Petit staged the ballet "My Pavlova".
In the Ivy House estate, which currently houses the London Jewish Cultural Centre, the ground floor hall has been turned into a memorial museum for the ballerina. On the territory of Ivy House there are two monuments to Anna Pavlova - one is located near the lake, the other, representing the ballerina in the guise of a dragonfly, is near the terrace of her house.
The prize of the St. Petersburg International Ballet Dance Open Prize - a crystal pointe shoe, created in 1913 by the artist Boris Fredman-Cluzel from the ballerina Anna Pavlova, is one of the respected awards of ballet art.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Anna Pavlova was incredibly popular, but at the same time modest and reserved. Each of her dances brought huge fees, but this was not why the artist went on stage. She was obsessed with the idea of telling the whole world about the art of ballet, so she was absolutely indifferent to where and in front of which audience she performed. How the genius Pavlova lived, who she loved and why she died so early, tells AiF.ru.
The Mystery of Birth
Little Anya was born premature. Her mother Lyubov Fedorovna Pavlova I thought that my daughter would not survive. However, the grandmother of the future ballerina carefully looked after the child for a whole year. As a result, the girl recovered, although her health problems remained with her for the rest of her life. She caught cold easily, was fragile and very sick.
It is not known exactly how the Pavlov family lived; there are two legends about this. The first says that the girl’s mother worked as a laundress and could barely make ends meet. Her husband is a retired soldier Matvey Pavlov- died when the child was only two years old. It was from him that Anna got the last name, which she glorified throughout the world.
Anna Pavlova. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The second legend - the girl was allegedly born from the relationship of Lyubov Fedorovna with the famous banker Lazar Polyakov. When the man found out about his mistress’s pregnancy, he paid her good compensation, but for obvious reasons did not recognize paternity.
One way or another, Anna herself always avoided questions about her family and really did not like being called by her patronymic: for some she was Matveevna, and for others - Lazarevna. The ballerina preferred to be addressed exclusively by her first name.
In her memoirs, Pavlova adhered to the first legend, talking about a poor, very difficult childhood. All journalists in the world knew the story of her acquaintance with ballet. The artist has repeatedly told how her mother, despite her more than modest income, once bought tickets to the Mariinsky Theater. That evening they showed "Sleeping Beauty". Pavlova was only 8 years old, but everything that happened on stage struck her to the core. Despite her young age, she firmly decided to become a ballerina and immediately informed her mother about it. Lyubov Fedorovna did not share her daughter’s views, remembering her fragile health. The woman hoped that soon all fantasies about the scene would be forgotten, but Anna became more and more persistent every day. The mother gave up and took the girl to the Imperial Ballet School. There Pavlova was in for great disappointment; they refused to enroll her in her studies, citing her age, and in order to fulfill her dream, the ballerina had to wait two whole years.
Kiss of the Sovereign
Iron discipline reigned at the Imperial Ballet School, but it was the best training ground for dancers in the world! One day was similar to the next: getting up at 8 a.m., praying, studying in class, walking, studying, a short break and more lessons and rehearsals. The only things that added variety to the life of the pupils were baths on Fridays, visits to church, rare balls and visits from the sovereign. One of them was especially memorable for Pavlova. After the aspiring ballerinas performed in front of Alexander III, the emperor sat one of the students on his lap. Anna burst into tears, declaring that she also wanted to sit on the king’s lap to console the child, who fulfilled her request. But this was not enough for Pavlova. She declared: “I want the Emperor to kiss me!” Everyone present laughed for a long time at the brave girl’s trick.
At school, the ballerina worked hard and soon became one of the best students in both dance and general education subjects. At the same time, Pavlova was not distinguished by strong technique; acrobatic tricks were not her strong point. Anna took on others: grace, lightness, drama. This talent noticed her teacher Pavel Andreevich Gerdt, It was he who said very important words to the aspiring ballerina: “What seems to be your shortcoming is actually a rare quality that sets you apart from thousands of others.”
Nikolai Legat and Anna Pavlova. Photo: Public Domain
At that time, thinness was considered the real enemy of beauty. The dancer tried to fight this “defect” as well - she conscientiously swallowed fish oil, monitored her diet, but she did not gain weight. Outwardly, Pavlova retained the fragility of an 18-year-old girl throughout her life.
After graduating from school in 1899, Anna was immediately enrolled in the troupe of the Imperial Mariinsky Theater. In 1902 she became the second soloist, in 1903 - the first, and in 1905 - prima ballerina. Of course, among all Pavlova’s roles, the main one was the choreographic miniature “The Dying Swan”, staged especially for her choreographer Mikhail Fokin. In this number, the dancer’s natural grace was revealed 100% and did not leave anyone in the hall indifferent.
Anna Pavlova. Photo: Public Domain
“You gave me a moment of happiness!”
In 1907, Pavlova began touring abroad. The first train was to Riga, then to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin. Everywhere the ballerina was a tremendous success. But her visit to Stockholm made a special impression on her. After the concert, a huge crowd accompanied Anna from the theater to the hotel. These were a variety of people: workers, saleswomen, dressmakers. They all silently followed the carriage, without uttering a sound, and then stood for a long time under the artist’s balcony. When the girl decided to go out to people, she was greeted with thunderous applause. Pavlova was at a loss, not knowing how to respond to such a confession. The idea came by itself: the dancer rushed into the room, brought baskets of donated flowers from there and began throwing bouquets into the crowd. Already in the evening, touched by the warm welcome, the ballerina asked her maid: “Why did I charm them so much?” The woman’s answer remained in her memory for the rest of her life: “Madam, you gave them a moment of happiness, allowing them to forget their worries for a moment.”
The following year, Anna visited Leipzig, Vienna and Prague, and then joined Diaghilev’s troupe, where she became a leading artist. And although her relationship with the entrepreneur did not work out, even after the ballerina left, her image was associated with the “Russian Seasons” for a long time, because it was Pavlova’s silhouette that was depicted Valentin Serov as the troupe's emblem Diaghilev.
The news of the outbreak of the First World War overtook the dancer in Berlin, through Belgium she was able to leave for England. Foggy Albion became a second home for Anna, it was there that the ballerina bought a luxurious house and created her own troupe. Together with her team, Pavlova traveled all over the world, visiting the USA, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, China, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Japan, etc. The world-famous artist often had to perform not only at prestigious venues, but also and in places absolutely unsuitable for this: on the wooden platform of a rural fair, in a shearing shed. But Anna was so eager to bring art to ordinary people that nothing could stop her. For example, Pavlova’s troupe was supposed to travel to Ecuador, where a yellow fever epidemic broke out. The ballerina was persuaded to postpone the trip, but it was all in vain. Fortunately, no one from the team got sick.
Getting a job with Pavlova was considered a great success. Parents with a calm soul gave their daughters into Anna's hands, knowing that she would take care of them. By the way, her team mainly consisted of Englishwomen. Some ill-wishers slandered this matter, claiming that the artist specifically invited mediocre dancers to work in order to stand out from them. But one can hardly take such statements seriously when we are talking about a ballerina of Pavlova’s level.
Anna Pavlova in Sydney. Photo: Public Domain
Without rest and “gloss”
All her life, Anna Pavlova was extremely demanding not only of herself, but also of her dancers, and could not stand laziness and idleness. Sometimes, in order to maintain discipline, the artist had to resort to extreme measures. A very revealing case was told by one of her students. After several months of tedious touring, the troupe arrived in Washington. The performance was supposed to take place the next day, but the choreographer forgot to schedule classes and a rehearsal. Taking advantage of the moment, the corps de ballet walked around the city all day and arrived at the theater just before the performance. When Anna saw the girls, she began to ask one after another: “Did you study today?” Naturally, each answered: “No.” Then Pavlova went to the middle of the stage and forced everyone to start practicing, despite the fact that the performance was supposed to start any minute. Burning with impatience, the audience tapped their feet, but the artist did not pay any attention to the strikers. She held the lesson to the end and only after that allowed everyone to go change clothes. The fact is that the ballerina considered daily training one of the main keys to success in the profession.
Anna also kept an eye on what her dancers did outside of work. During long trips, Pavlova walked around the train and looked at who was reading what. Of course, stupid women's magazines did not belong to her permitted list of literature, so the girls resorted to cunning. They put “gloss” into serious books, pretending that they were studying them with great interest.
For all her severity, Pavlova treated the troupe members as if they were her own children. Once in Montreal, she organized a real Russian Christmas for them, with sleigh rides and a luxurious dinner. The ballerina not only set the table, but also prepared a special gift for everyone. She loved to please her “children” because she understood how difficult it was for them to withstand endless travel and her difficult character.
Anna Pavlova. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Was there a husband?
Finding out the truth about the personal life of a ballerina is not easy. She herself claimed that she had never been married, moreover, she promoted the idea that quiet family happiness and the stage are incompatible things. However, her partner and part-time impresario Victor Dandre after Pavlova’s death he tried to prove that they were legal spouses.
The relationship between the ballerina and the hereditary aristocrat Dandre began when she was twenty years old and he was thirty-one. Victor was in no hurry to marry Anna. If rumors are to be believed, the couple tied the knot under very interesting circumstances. Dandre fell into a hole of debt, Pavlova agreed to rescue him in exchange for a legal marriage, which, however, had to be kept in the strictest confidence, because, following the once spoken words of Anna herself, the artist cannot be an ordinary happy woman. If such an agreement really took place, then Victor kept his word. During the life of his beloved, he never raised a taboo topic.
Ballerina Anna Pavlova in the choreographic sketch “The Dying Swan” to the music of C. Saint-Saens. Photo: RIA Novosti
Dandre was a brilliant impresario who knew how to “stir up” the public’s interest. He often held press conferences and invited newspapermen and photographers to the troupe’s concerts. When Anna died, he published his memories of the great ballerina. Pavlova’s efficiency, dedication and discipline always amazed Dandre. This delight is easily read on the pages of his book. Of course, having shouldered all the economic and financial affairs, Victor became for the artist not only a beloved man, but also a business partner who had to listen to the hysterics and whims of the fickle star. With her lifestyle, it was difficult to maintain peace of mind: constant work on herself, worries about the troupe, a busy schedule - all this did not add to her health.
Excessive busyness played a decisive role in Pavlova's early death. At 49, she continued to appear on stage. During a tour in the Netherlands, doctors discovered pleurisy in the ballerina. Unable to get out of bed, the artist did not lose her good spirits - she gave orders to the dancers, wanting the troupe’s planned performances to take place. On January 23, 1931, the great ballerina died. It is noteworthy that long before the fateful day, Anna asked her relatives that after her death her ashes would return to their homeland. She never stopped missing Russia and constantly sent provisions, medicine and money there for young ballet dancers. However, this request was never fulfilled. Anne's ashes still rest in the closed columbarium of Golders Green Crematorium in London.
She was the very Soul of Dance.
With your favorite tame swan
There is a lot of information about the ballerina Anna Pavlova on the Internet. Her biography is woven from legends. And it's hard to find the truth. But maybe it’s not necessary? After all, Anna Pavlova herself is the personification of the legend. I would like to dwell a little on the biography of Anna Pavlova and show many photos of the ballerina. And not just photos)
Anna Pavlova - biography
Anna Pavlova, the future ballerina, was born in the winter of January 31, 1881 in the northern capital of Russia. Even as a girl, Anya knew that she would dance. In her autobiography, she recalls that, despite poverty, her mother tried to pamper her daughter on holidays. And one day, when Nyura was 8 years old, her mother went with her to the Mariinsky Theater. From the very first sounds of the orchestra, the girl was captivated by beauty, and after the performance she declared that she would dance like the “sleeping beauty” herself from the ballet.
The beginning of Anna Pavlova's creative journey
For two years she was not accepted into the Imperial Ballet School (she was too young), but at the age of 10 she realized her dream. Few could withstand the harsh rules of the school and iron discipline, but Anna was the best student. Hardworking and persistent. After graduating from school, the girl ended up at the Mariinsky Theater. Ballet lovers admired her dance. Thin ankles, high leg lifts, fragile physique - all this set her apart from other ballerinas.
There have never been such “aerial” ballerinas in the history of ballet. This fragility and unusualness allowed her to bypass the corps de ballet (all graduates started with it) and even get minor solo roles. There were laudatory speeches and comparisons in the press: “Fire and ashes”, “Enchanting tenderness and grace”, “This is sparkling champagne and heady air”, “Pavlova seemed to have fled from the engravings of the 19th century”...
“The Dying Swan” by Anna Pavlova
A great creative friendship connected the ballerina and Mikhail Mikhailovich Fokin. Mikhail Fokine is considered the founder of romantic ballet. He created a completely new type of performance: a dramatically intense one-act ballet. His “Swan”, this dance about the fragility of happiness, became the ballerina’s calling card. The dance was born very quickly - a few minutes before the charity concert. In the original concept, the ballerina simply floated serenely across the stage. Her talking hands were mesmerizing.
But then Anna blew up these 130 seconds of dance, coloring it with the tragedy of death. The fluttering of wings and hands made an indelible impression on everyone. The ballerina pinned a ruby brooch on her chest as a symbol of the wound, and the dance became known as the Dying Swan.
Saint-Saëns, after watching the performance, admitted to Anna: “It was after I saw you in “The Swan” that I realized that I had composed very beautiful music.”
Anna Pavlova Video “The Dying Swan”
Another famous performance created by M. Fokin specifically for Anna Pavlova is a stylization in the spirit of an amazing animated engraving of romanticism. The ballerina danced in this ballet with Vaslav Nijinsky. Her soaring leap, her complete dedication to the dance, and amazing improvisations on the fly made this performance unforgettable.
Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova
Only five graduates of that time received the title of “ballerina” and Anna was among them. The highest spirituality and amazing plasticity made her a great world-class ballerina. Each dance was unique, since the ballerina could never repeat all the “steps” that were born to her impulsively.
Anna Pavlova began touring abroad in 1908. She gained worldwide fame in Paris, becoming the main participant and public favorite of all the “Russian Seasons” of Sergei Diaghilev. A dancer of the Diaghilev troupe, the famous Sergei Lifar, recalled that he “saw a revelation of the sky...”, “never in my life have I seen anything like that not human, but divine beauty and lightness, completely weightless airiness and grace...”
They said that everything the ballerina touched took on the characteristics of sophistication.
Anna Pavlova very soon wanted a free flight and in 1909 she independently staged the play. This performance was “Night” by Rubinstein. The audience greeted the monologue about passion and crazy love with an ovation. In 1910, the ballerina left the Mariinsky Theater and created her own troupe. In addition to her performances, she included ballets by Glazunov and Tchaikovsky in her repertoire. The tour was a triumph. She set herself the goal of making the whole world aware of Russian ballet, which is perhaps why the ballerina found herself in corners of the world where her “foot in pointe shoes” had never gone before.
Portrait of Anna Pavlova as a Muse. V. Shtemberg, 1909
In India, they knelt before her and showered her with lotus petals, considering her to be the deity of dance (after all, she forced even elephants to do “steps”)
Mexicans threw sombreros at her feet as a sign of admiration, in Australia they came up with a luxurious dessert, Pavlova cake, the monarch of Spain himself sent her bouquets, in Holland they bred the most delicate white tulips and named the variety “Anna Pavlova”. It was Anna Pavlova's troupe that introduced Russian ballet to the world
Her dance had the fire of life, awe, grace and inspiration. She lived in dance.
Ballerina character
The ballerina had a very difficult character. There are many rumors, sometimes contradictory... Some say that she was extremely capricious and exalted, her emotions overflowed, she could drive conductors to a nervous breakdown, stamp her feet, be angry with her partners and keep the entire troupe under a tight rein.
Others claimed that she was attentive and kind, she looked after all members of her troupe and could personally apply iodine mesh to the dancers’ feet. But the troupe adored her and touchingly protected her, like a beloved child.
Anna Pavlova and Victor Dandre
Anna Pavlova went through life with Victor Dandre, a descendant of an old French family. He was distinguished by restraint, composure, but most importantly, great love for the ballerina; he could withstand any quirks of his beloved. But the life of the lovers was still stormy. They quarreled, made up, separated. In 1910, Dandre fled St. Petersburg because he was accused of embezzling funds. Anna helped rescue him and facilitated his escape abroad; from there he never returned to Russia. She paid a huge amount. Perhaps this is also why she did not spare herself, the contracts were enslaving, the tours were endless and intense. Over 22 years of constant touring, the ballerina gave almost 9 thousand performances. Sometimes a year she was short of two thousand pairs of pointe shoes, which were made for her by an Italian master.
After her death, Victor Dandre wrote a book, the lines of which are full of tenderness and pain from the loss of his beloved. He attributed Anna’s mood swings to her strong emotional stress and forgave her everything.
Victor Dandre was a famous impresario of his time. He organized real photo sessions of the ballerina. In the outskirts of London, an ivy-covered house with a lake and, of course, swans was bought,
Anna often posed for magazines here.
The ballerina loved animals very much,
her pet dogs were always with her even on tour,
and her beloved bird slept on her chest under a duvet.
Anna, even on tour, chose a house surrounded by a garden and loved to take care of flowers.
by © Bettmann/CORBIS
Anna Pavlova knew how to create ephemeral creatures on stage that could float in the air.
She gave her whole soul to dance. It was unusual and it was amazing.
She could go on stage completely sick, with a fever, and once she came out with a broken leg. And she danced at full strength, according to eyewitnesses. Art, she believed, brings only beauty and the viewer should not see a mortal man with his problems on stage. She lost herself in the dance.
During the tour, Pavlova caught a cold and fell ill with pleurisy. The ballerina refused the operation, because she had a performance ahead of her. The disease turned out to be fatal. On the night of January 23, 1931, 7 days before her fiftieth birthday, the ballerina left. According to a beautiful legend, her last words were “Prepare my Swan costume.” She was preparing for her next appearance on stage...
Quotes from Anna Pavlova
“For a wife, a husband is like music for a dance.”
A real actor must know everything about love, and if necessary, be able to live without it.
A true actress must be able to sacrifice herself to art.
She, like a nun, has no right to live like this,
how most women want to live their lives.
When I was a child and walked among the pines, I thought that happiness was success. How wrong I was!
Happiness is a small butterfly that enchants for just a moment and immediately flies away.
Success does not lie in the applause of the audience, but in the joyful satisfaction
which you experience when you are approaching perfection.
Anna Pavlova is a great ballerina, a symbol of the era, a creative personality, without whom Russian ballet would never have gained numerous fans around the world. This fragile woman sacrificed everything in the name of love for art, and her charitable activities saved many human lives.
In her honor, the Dutch developed a beautiful variety of dazzling white tulips, and the Australians created a delicious dessert called “Anna Pavlova”; Pavlova became the famous sculptor’s muse and the inspiration for many generations of dancers. She knew how to absorb the culture of other countries and embody it through her dance, without deviating from the canons of classical ballet. Ballerinas with such a wide range are a real treasure of the world dance art.
The childhood of the great prima
Despite her fame, Anna Pavlova did not like to talk about herself, believing that her personal life should remain a secret to others. The ballerina tried not to give interviews, she lived quite closed, considering only ballet the meaning of her life. The most famous book about her will be written by her unofficial husband Victor Dandre - “Anna Pavlova. Biography”, where she will reveal the nobility of soul and self-sacrifice of the great prima of Russian ballet.
The exact date of birth of Anna Pavlova is unknown - according to the church book of records, it was February 12, 1881, and birth records contain the date January 31 of the same year. There is also no certainty about the ballerina’s patronymic: according to some sources, she was Lazarevna, according to others, Matveevna. Anna Pavlova's mother was Lyubov Fedorovna Pavlova, an incredibly beautiful, intelligent woman who served as a laundress for the wealthy banker Lazar Polyakov.
Anya was born a weak, premature girl, she was often sick, and therefore was incredibly pale and thin. In her memoirs about childhood, Anna Pavlova says that she and her mother lived extremely poorly, but she always found a way to please her beloved daughter. One day, when the ballerina was eight years old, she and her mother went to the Mariinsky Theater for the wonderful performance “The Sleeping Beauty.” The action taking place on stage so charmed Pavlova that she decided to become a dancer and connect her life with ballet forever.
When her mother brought young Anna to the ballet school, the director resolutely declared that he would accept the girl only when she turned ten years old. According to the ballerina’s recollections, this waiting time became a real test for her: the dream of being on stage and dancing like a magical fairy did not leave her for a minute.
The ballerina’s poor health was not making itself felt in the best way, but Anna’s fighting spirit did not allow her to give up and give up dancing. In 1898, a graduation concert took place, at which the ballerina inspiredly danced the role of the butler’s daughter in the ballet “Imaginary Dryads”.
The examiners were fascinated by the unusualness, precision of her movements, and the ability to express her individuality within the framework of the classical approach. Having mastered the classical technique of ballet dance, upon graduating from college Pavlova received a diploma with the title of best dancer, and then was enrolled as a full-time ballerina at the Mariinsky Theater.
Prima's creative path
Her debut on the big stage took place in the ballet “Vain Precaution,” where Pavlova danced with two other ballerinas. Anna Pavlova was wonderfully built: her long arms and legs, high rise, and incredible fragility of the ballerina enchanted and delighted fans, and her masterful steps on stage made even the most demanding ballet connoisseurs freeze.
Anna Pavlova, who had no patronage, had to achieve everything herself, making her way to the stage with her own perseverance and skill. And so, in 1900, she was entrusted with performing the part of Flora in Flora’s Awakening, where the famous choreographer Fokine became her partner. The ballet was a resounding success, and offers to perform leading female roles followed one after another:
- Pavlova danced the role of Nikia (“La Bayadère”) in such a way that the heroine’s fate acquired a special tragedy and meaning.
- Anna's Giselle was so good that the audience gave her a standing ovation.
- Paquita, performed by Pavlova, made this ballet a world heritage.
- Kitri became one of the most successful dance roles for the ballerina; thanks to this role, Pavlova was named the first ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater.
In 1908, the ballerina began touring, recalling which she noted that the public received their troupe extremely favorably, showering them with applause and flowers. Anna Pavlova performed the main role in the ballet Swan Lake, creating an unprecedented sensation, and then in Paris the ballerina joined Diaghilev’s troupe and danced the ballet La Sylphide.
However, Pavlova did not stay long in the Russian Seasons; the soul of the ballerina demanded creative freedom, and around 1910 the prima founded her own troupe. A new stage began in the ballerina’s life and collaboration with Fokin, who staged the play “Daughters of the Mountain King” for her.
Financial disagreements with the management of the Mariinsky Theater led to the termination of the contract with the ballerina, but in 1914, after much persuasion, Pavlova returned to Russia and delighted the public with her performances. After leaving abroad, Pavlova would never return home, but after the revolution, the prima did not remain indifferent to the troubles of her homeland: she sent charitable parcels, donated significant sums to help those in need, and financially helped the ballet school in St. Petersburg.
Prima's last years
Anna Pavlova's personal life was eventful, but men were never the meaning of her life. Four of her novels are known for certain, but Pavlova was never officially married and had no children.
Pavlova’s chosen one was a certain Victor Dandre, a mining engineer who occupied a position in society much higher than hers, and therefore did not think about marrying a simple bourgeois woman. When the authorities accused him of embezzling a huge sum and put him under arrest, Pavlova, having learned about this, sent the fee for the performance to save her lover.
In 1931, the great ballerina arrived on tour in the Netherlands, but Pavlova caught a cold on the train, and on the way a trunk fell on her and hit her hard in the ribs. Pavlova did not tell anyone about the injury, however, upon arriving at the hotel, she felt overwhelmed and lost consciousness.
Queen Wilhemina immediately sent her personal doctor to her, and he made a disappointing diagnosis - pleurisy. Another doctor, who arrived from Paris, found her unconscious and tried to save her by draining the lungs, but on January 21, 1931, the ballerina died, just a couple of days short of her fiftieth birthday. Author: Natalya Ivanova
The outstanding Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova is remembered by fans of 20th century ballet as a strong personality with an amazing biography. The gifted star caused huge demand for perfume called Pavlova, which was sold out throughout the vast country. Then Manila shawls came into fashion, which the famous artist adored.
But a creatively successful woman who won the hearts of the people was never able to find happiness in her private life. The prima donna, whose performances gathered huge halls in more than 40 countries around the world, showed the true essence of the Russian ballet school. Currently, Pavlova’s name is associated with many examples of how to dance on stage. Many ballerinas strive to reach the incredible heights of a prima donna, but at present only Tamara Platonovna Karsavina is compared in terms of technique performance next to Anna Pavlovna.
Decided to become popular
The famous Anna Pavlova Pavlova was born on February 12, 1881 in the city on the Neva. The father of the brilliant ballerina served in the Russian guard and died a few years after the birth of the first and only child in the family. The burden of education falls lightly on the shoulders of Anna’s mother, the laundress Lyubov Fedorovna. The girl Anna decided to enroll in ballet school at the age of 8, but managed to fulfill her dream only at 10, having been inspired by the idea of becoming a famous and popular dancer.
This is exactly the story the artist told the press and fans. But later the girl found out that her father was the banker Lazar Polyakov, for whom Pavlova’s mother served as a maid, acting as a mistress. And then she received “compensation” for which she bought a house and opened her own laundry. But the ballerina’s family still remained poor and could not support the aspiring artist.
In 1899, Pavlova became a graduate of the Imperial Theater School in the center of St. Petersburg, having studied with the masters of the old ballet school. Immediately after receiving her diploma, Anna successfully gave a demonstration performance at the Mariinsky Theater in the city on the Neva. The gifted ballerina began dancing solo from her first days on stage.
The director of the theater saw incredible potential in the girl and decided to hone Pavlova’s precious gift.
Resounding success came to the ballerina almost instantly, after showing the anacreontic ballet in one act “The Awakening of Flora” in a duet with the artist and choreographer Nikolai Fokin. In 1902, Pavlova received her first role, playing the role of Nikiya in the four-act production of La Bayadère. This was followed by new performances, which allowed the girl to reap the first fruits of success.
At the time of 1906, Anna Pavlovna took a confident position among the leading dancers of the famous theater troupe. The ballerina's performances were appreciated by the great choreographer Marius Petipa. And in January 1907, the brilliant Anna performed the miniature “Swan”, staged especially for her by choreographer M. Fokin, later renamed “The Dying Swan”. Next, romantic Paris awaited the ballerina, where the star went to conquer the French by performing a new production at the legendary Chatelet theater.
Involvement in a scandalous story
The year 1909 was just around the corner, and the residents of majestic, cultural St. Petersburg were discussing an incredible scandal. Baron Dandre received a prison sentence for embezzlement of public money, which he spent on satisfying the whims of his kept wife Anna Pavlova. The favorite of social life himself considered the accusations to be erroneous and demanded that the ballerina return to her homeland to testify. Having learned about the scandal that broke out with Victor Emilievich Dandre, the dancer hastily left Paris, despite the fact that she was at the peak of success. But she didn’t go to meet her former patron, but to America.
Successful Anna Matveevna signed a contract with the famous Palace Theater to begin touring the world and then go to London for permanent residence. The ballerina no longer wanted to remain in the shameful fate of the rich baron’s mistress, who was fully supported by him, and decided to achieve recognition on her own by starting to earn a living on her own.
After all, at a certain moment, the dancer realized that she was no match for the noble baron, who decided to marry another woman despite his feelings for Pavlova.
Anna Matveevna and dance partner Mikhail Mordkin went on tour together. However, soon the friendly relations quickly began to decline. The selfish Mordkin could not come to terms with the fact that most of the fame goes to Pavlova, as a woman admired by the male public. Then the famous dancer began to go crazy, often talking to a portrait of his former partner, who was dressed in a ballerina's skirt and shawl.
Unusual turn of events
Pavlova’s ex-lover was sentenced to several years in prison, which could be annulled if the baron paid the stolen amount to the Russian treasury, the fact of involvement in the theft of which was proven in court. But Dandre could not afford such luxury, and the friends and relatives of the rich womanizer chose to stay away from someone else’s misfortune. Anna Matveevna, who learned about the unpleasant state of affairs of her ex-lover, contributed the required amount. Thus, according to the ballerina, she paid off her debt to Victor Dandre.
Then the baron suddenly disappeared from St. Petersburg. Later it turned out that the famous reveler went to London to visit the loving and forgiving Pavlova, who soon became his legal wife. After such a loud scandal, the young family did not have the opportunity to return to their homeland, where society condemned the relationship between a man of noble blood and a rootless dancer, who under no circumstances should have become Dandre’s wife.
In subsequent years, Anna Pavlova managed to achieve incredible success in her career as a ballerina, becoming a recognizable world-class artist and earning capital that even noble Russian gentlemen could not dream of. But on January 17, 1931, disaster happened. The ballet prima donna, who arrived in The Hague, caught a serious cold after a rehearsal, and soon the illness developed into a severe form of pneumonia.
Doctors suggested cutting out one rib to pump out accumulated fluid in the lungs, but husband Victor refused the operation, arguing that Pavlova would not be able to dance tomorrow.
On January 23, 1931, instead of a concert, a farewell to the legendary Pavlova took place. They painted a silhouette of a swan on the theater stage and turned on the music of Saint-Saëns, turning off the lights in the entire hall, but leaving the spotlight on the stage. Later, Baron Victor's ashes were placed next to Anne's urn in Golders Green, London.
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