, The Hague, the Netherlands) - Russian ballet dancer, one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century. After the outbreak of the First World War, she settled in Great Britain and constantly toured with her troupe around the world, presenting the art of ballet in many countries for the first time.
Biography
Anna Pavlova was born in the holiday village of Ligovo near St. Petersburg. Shortly before the birth of her daughter, her mother, Lyubov Fedorovna Pavlova, married a retired soldier of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Matvey Pavlov; this marriage soon broke up. It is not known for certain who the real father of the ballerina was. According to several contemporaries, including her two half-brothers, Anna Pavlova’s father was one of the largest Moscow bankers, landowner Lazar Polyakov. The ballerina hid her origins until her death.
As a child, she lived with her mother in her own house on Nikolaevskaya Street.
The name Pavlova became legendary during the ballerina’s lifetime.
Death
According to legend, her last words were: “Get my swan costume ready!” In 2009, these words were included in the title of a Russian film. [significance of the fact?] .
Confession
- During her Australian tour, Anna Pavlova made such an impression on the public that a very popular cake was named after her, which is still served for dessert in restaurants in Australia and New Zealand.
- A group of haptophyte algae, Pavlovophyceae, is named after Anna Pavlova.
- One of the MD-11 aircraft is named after “Anna Pavlova” ( registration number PH-KCH) the national airline of the Netherlands KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Pavlova's crown on Venus is named in her honor.
- The musical episode “The Dying Swan” appeared in Andrei Dennikov’s one-man show “Confession of a Hooligan” (Obraztsov Theater, 2002-2011), symbolizing both the image of Anna Pavlova herself and the fate of the post-revolutionary Russian emigration.
- London's Palace Theater still has two seats for which tickets are not sold: they are reserved for the ghosts of Anna Pavlova and the actor Ivor Novello.
Addresses in St. Petersburg
Memory
- In 2002, a memorial plaque was installed on the wall of house No. 5 on Italianskaya Street in St. Petersburg (sculptor V. I. Troyanovsky, architect T. N. Miloradovich) with erroneous dates in the text: “Anna Pavlova, the great Russian ballerina, lived in this house in 1909".
- In 2009, Anna Pavlova Street appeared in Lomonosov (St. Petersburg).
Film incarnation
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Notes
Literature
- Krasovskaya V. M. Anna Pavlova: Pages from the life of a Russian dancer. - L.: M.: Art, 1964. - 220 p. - (Lignites of the Russian stage). - 70,000 copies.
- N. Arkina.. - M.: Knowledge, 1981. - 56 p.
- Victor Dandre. Anna Pavlova. Life and legend. - M.: Vita Nova, 2003. - 592 p. - ISBN 5-93898-043-7.
- Aldzheranov H. Anna Pavlova: Ten years in the life of a Russian ballet star M.: Tsentrpoligraf, 2006
Links
- // Bibliographic resource “To be remembered”
- // National Portrait Gallery, London.
- // The Ballerina Gallery
- // Masters of Musical Theater
- Order of the Governor of St. Petersburg dated December 9, 1998 N 1219-r on installation memorial plaque A. P. Pavlova.
An excerpt characterizing Pavlova, Anna Pavlovna
For a long time the Rostovs had no news of Nikolushka; Only in the middle of winter was a letter given to the count, at the address of which he recognized his son’s hand. Having received the letter, the count, frightened and hasty, trying not to be noticed, ran on tiptoe into his office, locked himself and began to read. Anna Mikhailovna, having learned (as she knew everything that was happening in the house) about the receipt of the letter, quietly walked into the count’s room and found him with the letter in his hands, sobbing and laughing together. Anna Mikhailovna, despite the improvement in her affairs, continued to live with the Rostovs.- Mon bon ami? – Anna Mikhailovna said inquiringly, sadly and with a readiness for any kind of participation.
The Count began to cry even more. “Nikolushka... letter... wounded... would... be... ma сhere... wounded... my darling... countess... promoted to officer... thank God... How can I tell the countess?...”
Anna Mikhailovna sat down next to him, wiped away the tears from his eyes, from the letter they had dripped, and her own tears with her handkerchief, read the letter, reassured the count and decided that before lunch and tea she would prepare the countess, and after tea she would announce everything, if God will help her.
Throughout dinner, Anna Mikhailovna talked about rumors of war, about Nikolushka; I asked twice when the last letter from him was received, although I knew this before, and noticed that it would be very easy, perhaps, to receive a letter today. Every time at these hints the countess began to worry and look anxiously, first at the count, then at Anna Mikhailovna, Anna Mikhailovna most imperceptibly reduced the conversation to insignificant subjects. Natasha, of the whole family, most gifted with the ability to sense shades of intonation, glances and facial expressions, from the beginning of dinner her ears pricked up and knew that there was something between her father and Anna Mikhailovna and something concerning her brother, and that Anna Mikhailovna was preparing. Despite all her courage (Natasha knew how sensitive her mother was to everything related to the news about Nikolushka), she did not dare to ask questions at dinner and, out of anxiety, ate nothing at dinner and spun around in her chair, not listening to her governess’s comments. After lunch, she rushed headlong to catch up with Anna Mikhailovna and in the sofa room, with a running start, threw herself on her neck.
- Auntie, my dear, tell me, what is it?
- Nothing, my friend.
- No, darling, darling, honey, peach, I won’t leave you behind, I know you know.
Anna Mikhailovna shook her head.
“Voua etes une fine mouche, mon enfant, [You are a delight, my child.],” she said.
- Is there a letter from Nikolenka? Maybe! – Natasha screamed, reading the affirmative answer in Anna Mikhailovna’s face.
- But for God's sake, be careful: you know how this can affect your maman.
- I will, I will, but tell me. Won't you tell me? Well, I’ll go and tell you now.
Anna Mikhailovna in in short words told Natasha the contents of the letter with the condition not to tell anyone.
“Honest, noble word,” Natasha said, crossing herself, “I won’t tell anyone,” and immediately ran to Sonya.
“Nikolenka... wounded... letter...” she said solemnly and joyfully.
- Nicolas! – Sonya just said, instantly turning pale.
Natasha, seeing the impression made on Sonya by the news of her brother’s wound, felt for the first time the whole sad side of this news.
She rushed to Sonya, hugged her and cried. – A little wounded, but promoted to officer; “He’s healthy now, he writes himself,” she said through tears.
“It’s clear that all of you women are crybabies,” said Petya, walking around the room with decisive big steps. “I am so very glad and, truly, very glad that my brother distinguished himself so much.” You are all nurses! you don't understand anything. – Natasha smiled through her tears.
-Have you not read the letter? – Sonya asked.
“I didn’t read it, but she said that everything was over, and that he was already an officer...
“Thank God,” said Sonya, crossing herself. “But maybe she deceived you.” Let's go to maman.
Petya walked silently around the room.
“If I were Nikolushka, I would kill even more of these French,” he said, “they are so vile!” I would beat them so much that they would make a bunch of them,” Petya continued.
- Shut up, Petya, what a fool you are!...
“I’m not a fool, but those who cry over trifles are fools,” said Petya.
– Do you remember him? – after a minute of silence Natasha suddenly asked. Sonya smiled: “Do I remember Nicolas?”
“No, Sonya, do you remember him so well that you remember him well, that you remember everything,” Natasha said with a diligent gesture, apparently wanting to attach the most serious meaning to her words. “And I remember Nikolenka, I remember,” she said. - I don’t remember Boris. I don't remember at all...
- How? Don't remember Boris? – Sonya asked in surprise.
“It’s not that I don’t remember, I know what he’s like, but I don’t remember it as well as Nikolenka.” Him, I close my eyes and remember, but Boris is not there (she closed her eyes), so, no - nothing!
“Ah, Natasha,” said Sonya, looking enthusiastically and seriously at her friend, as if she considered her unworthy to hear what she had to say, and as if she were saying this to someone else, with whom one should not joke. “I once fell in love with your brother, and no matter what happens to him, to me, I will never stop loving him throughout my life.”
Natasha looked at Sonya in surprise and with curious eyes and was silent. She felt that what Sonya said was true, that there was such love as Sonya spoke about; but Natasha had never experienced anything like this. She believed it could be, but she didn't understand.
-Will you write to him? – she asked.
Sonya thought about it. The question of how to write to Nicolas and whether to write and how to write was a question that tormented her. Now that he was already an officer and a wounded hero, was it good of her to remind him of herself and, as it were, of the obligation that he had assumed in relation to her.
- Don't know; I think if he writes, I’ll write too,” she said, blushing.
“And you won’t be ashamed to write to him?”
Sonya smiled.
- No.
“And I’ll be ashamed to write to Boris, I won’t write.”
- Why are you ashamed? Yes, I don’t know. Embarrassing, embarrassing.
“And I know why she will be ashamed,” said Petya, offended by Natasha’s first remark, “because she was in love with this fat man with glasses (that’s what Petya called his namesake, the new Count Bezukhy); Now she’s in love with this singer (Petya was talking about the Italian, Natasha’s singing teacher): so she’s ashamed.
“Petya, you’re stupid,” Natasha said.
“No more stupid than you, mother,” said nine-year-old Petya, as if he were an old foreman.
The Countess was prepared by hints from Anna Mikhailovna during dinner. Having gone to her room, she, sitting on an armchair, did not take her eyes off the miniature portrait of her son embedded in the snuff box, and tears welled up in her eyes. Anna Mikhailovna, with the letter, tiptoed up to the countess's room and stopped.
“Don’t come in,” she said to the old count who was following her, “later,” and closed the door behind her.
The Count put his ear to the lock and began to listen.
At first he heard the sounds of indifferent speeches, then one sound of Anna Mikhailovna's voice, making a long speech, then a cry, then silence, then again both voices spoke together with joyful intonations, and then steps, and Anna Mikhailovna opened the door for him. On Anna Mikhailovna's face was the proud expression of an operator who had completed a difficult amputation and was introducing the audience so that they could appreciate his art.
“C”est fait! [The job is done!],” she said to the count, pointing with a solemn gesture at the countess, who was holding a snuffbox with a portrait in one hand, a letter in the other, and pressed her lips to one or the other.
Seeing the count, she stretched out her arms to him, hugged his bald head and through the bald head again looked at the letter and portrait and again, in order to press them to her lips, she slightly pushed the bald head away. Vera, Natasha, Sonya and Petya entered the room and the reading began. The letter briefly described the campaign and two battles in which Nikolushka participated, promotion to officer, and said that he kisses the hands of maman and papa, asking for their blessing, and kisses Vera, Natasha, Petya. In addition, he bows to Mr. Sheling, and Mr. Shos and the nanny, and, in addition, asks to kiss dear Sonya, whom he still loves and about whom he still remembers. Hearing this, Sonya blushed so that tears came to her eyes. And, unable to withstand the glances directed at her, she ran into the hall, ran up, spun around and, inflating her dress with a balloon, flushed and smiling, sat down on the floor. The Countess was crying.
-What are you crying about, maman? - Vera said. “We should rejoice at everything he writes, not cry.”
This was completely fair, but the count, the countess, and Natasha all looked at her reproachfully. “And who did she look like!” thought the Countess.
Nikolushka's letter was read hundreds of times, and those who were considered worthy of listening to it had to come to the countess, who would not let him out of her hands. Tutors, nannies, Mitenka, and some acquaintances came, and the countess re-read the letter every time with new pleasure and each time, from this letter, she discovered new virtues in her Nikolushka. How strange, extraordinary, and joyful it was for her that her son was the son who had barely noticeably moved with tiny limbs inside her 20 years ago, the son for whom she had quarreled with the pampered count, the son who had learned to say before: “ pear,” and then “woman,” that this son is now there, in a foreign land, in a foreign environment, a courageous warrior, alone, without help or guidance, doing some kind of manly work there. All the world's centuries-old experience, indicating that children imperceptibly from the cradle become husbands, did not exist for the countess. The maturation of her son in every season of manhood was as extraordinary for her as if there had never been millions of millions of people who matured in exactly the same way. Just as she couldn’t believe 20 years ago that that little creature that lived somewhere under her heart would scream and begin to suck her breast and start talking, so now she couldn’t believe that this same creature could be that strong, a brave man, an example of the sons and men he was now, judging by this letter.
- What a calm, how cute he describes! - she said, reading the descriptive part of the letter. - And what a soul! Nothing about myself... nothing! About some Denisov, and he himself is probably braver than them all. He writes nothing about his suffering. What a heart! How do I recognize him! And how I remembered everyone! I haven't forgotten anyone. I always, always said, even when he was like this, I always said...
“An artist must know everything about love and learn to live without it.”
Anna Pavlova
She was called “Divine” and “Delightful”. They said that she was “ White Swan” and even “Fairy of the Swan Flock”. One girl wrote to her parents: “Remember, you told me: whoever sees a fairy will be happy all his life. I saw a living fairy - her name is Anna Pavlova.”
Brilliant Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova became a legend during her lifetime. Journalists competed with each other to write stories about her. She read myths about herself in newspapers - and laughed. Legends surround her name to this day.
She never talked about her personal life, in which there was only one man. Her whole life - true, real, known and open to everyone - was in dance. And she managed to die before she left the stage...
The most famous ballerina of the past century, Anna Pavlova (1881–1931), whose life was completely devoted to ballet, about whom there were many rumors and legends, wished to leave everything that did not concern her work secret. Nothing was known about her personal life. And only after her death did the world learn about the beautiful and tragic love story, the secret of which the legendary ballerina kept in her heart for thirty long years.
Anna Pavlova was born on January 31 (February 12), 1881. Her father died very early, and the girl was raised by her mother. Although they lived in constant poverty, Lyubov Fedorovna, working as a laundress, tried to brighten up the difficult childhood of her “beloved Nyura.” On name days and Christmas, gifts were always waiting for the girl, brought by a caring, generous hand, and when Anna turned eight, her mother took her to the Mariinsky Theater to see the ballet “The Sleeping Beauty.”
So the future dancer fell in love with this art forever, and two years later the thin and sickly girl was accepted into the ballet department of the St. Petersburg Theater School. Eight years later, Pavlova became the leading actress of the Mariinsky Theater, and after the stunning success in the role of Nikia in La Bayadère, she was already called the first soloist of the Mariinsky Theater.
Newspapers wrote with delight about the aspiring ballerina: “Flexible, musical, with facial expressions full of life and fire, she surpasses everyone with her amazing airiness. When Pavlova plays and dances, there is a special mood in the theater.”
She had admirers, men made dates for her, gave her gifts, but Anna rejected everyone, and sent generous gifts back to confused suitors. She was proud, sensual and unpredictable. “I am a nun of art. Personal life? This is theater, theater, theater,” Pavlova never tired of repeating.
However, the girl was lying. It was at that time that an incomprehensible, still unknown feeling flared up in the heart of the young ballerina. Those close to me knew that everything free time she spends time with the rich, handsome Victor Dandre (1870–1944). The new acquaintance came from an aristocratic family belonging to an ancient noble family. He held a high position of adviser in the Senate, was well educated, spoke several foreign languages and was seriously interested in art. Patronizing an aspiring ballerina, as members of the imperial family had done before him, seemed prestigious to Victor.
The young entrepreneur became the patron of the young artist, which, however, was quite fashionable at that time. However, Victor did not even think about marrying her. He rented an apartment for Pavlova and equipped one of the rooms as a dance hall, which was an unaffordable luxury for a young ballerina at that time. Each time, meeting a girl after a performance, Victor presented her with luxurious gifts, took her to expensive restaurants, invited her to the company of wealthy, intelligent and famous people, and in the evening he brought her to the apartment, where he often remained as the owner until the morning.
But the further Pavlova got to know her new acquaintance, the more clearly she understood that Dandre did not need her at all, and an unequal marriage with a modest girl was impossible for him. And she left him, preferring loneliness to the humiliating position of a kept woman. “At first I struggled,” Pavlova recalled, “out of grief I just started to go on a spree, wanting to prove something to him!” And then, once again following her motto, she returned to work.
She trained again, toured with her favorite theater troupe and danced eight to ten times a week. At that time, another meeting took place in her life, which changed a lot in the life of the famous dancer. Great choreographer Fokine staged “The Dying Swan” for her to the music of Camille Saint-Saëns, which forever became the ballerina’s signature number and spread all over the world. Much later, when the composer met Pavlova, he, delighted with her performance, exclaimed: “Madam, thanks to you, I realized that I wrote amazing music!”
In 1907, the Mariinsky Theater went on tour to Stockholm. It was after these tours in Europe that they first started talking about the brilliant young ballerina, whose performances were such a rapid success that even Emperor Oscar II, admiring Pavlova’s talent, presented her with the Order of Merit for the Arts as a farewell. The enthusiastic crowd greeted the ballerina with applause. “I was greeted with a whole storm of applause and enthusiastic shouts. I didn’t know what to do,” recalled Anna Pavlova. It was a real triumph. Anna became famous, she had money, she could already afford a lot. The ballerina tried not to think about Victor.
Meanwhile, things were not going well for Dandre. Having made an unsuccessful deal, the entrepreneur owed a huge amount, which he was unable to repay on time. He went to prison without finding large sum the money needed to post bail and release him during the lengthy trial. Relatives were unable to raise funds, and rich friends turned their backs on their unlucky partner. For Dandre, a difficult period of painful waiting behind bars began in loneliness and doubt.
And Anna shone already in Paris. Sergei Diaghilev, who opened Russian in the French capital ballet theater, inviting Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky there, did not miscalculate. People started talking about the Russian theater, people from high society, people came from all over Europe to see the Russian ballerina, the theater was invited to Australia and America.
The future seemed so tempting and bright. However, Pavlova unexpectedly left Paris and headed to London. A few months later, Diaghilev learned that his favorite soloist had signed a contract with the famous theatrical agency Braff, under the terms of which she was supposed to dance twice a day in three countries - England, Scotland, and Ireland. For this, the dancer received an advance - an impressive amount for those times.
She immediately sent the collected money to Russia to free Victor from prison. A few days later, in 1911, he left St. Petersburg and headed abroad. “In Paris, I decided that I couldn’t live without Dandre. “I immediately called him to my place,” Pavlova recalled. - We got married in church, in secret. He’s mine, only mine, and I adore him.”
With Victor Dandre
Their marriage remained a secret long years. Victor kept his promise to Anna on his wedding day. He swore to remain silent about their union. The former patron responded to his generosity with a strong feeling that flared up in his heart so as not to fade away until his last days.
When the contract came to an end, Anna decided to organize her own theater and recruited a troupe of artists. So the former prima of the Mariinsky Theater became the owner of a small theater. That same year, she bought a luxurious mansion near London, on the shores of a pristine lake, where white swans swam and exotic plants brought by the ballerina from different corners peace. It seemed that the fate of the spouses did not depend on anyone else.
Pavlova in her mansion in London
Victor took upon himself all the household chores, the responsibilities of an accountant and manager. He answered correspondence, conducted business and personal negotiations, organized tours, looked after costumes and scenery, hired and fired actors. However, Pavlova increasingly expressed displeasure. She reproached her husband, made a fuss, screamed, broke dishes and cried.
After much hysterics and tears, the ballerina’s spouses reconciled, and it seemed that their family idyll was again not in danger. Once again, Victor solved all his wife’s problems, and Anna ran around the house and theatrically shouted to the maid: “Who dared to clean his shoes? Who in my house dares to make tea for him? It's my business!"
However, the emotional and temperamental Pavlova could immediately change her mood and rush at Victor with new grievances. Friends, who often witnessed these quarrels, later asked Dandre how he could endure all this and why he did not leave Anna. He was silent. Apparently, he had his own reasons for this, known only to the two of them.
He idolized her, thanking her for her generosity and generosity. She could not forget the long-standing insult inflicted on him in his youth. Whether she forgave him is unlikely to ever be known. But there was no doubt about the sincerity of Victor’s feelings. When his wife died on January 23, 1931 from pneumonia, just a few days short of her fiftieth birthday, Victor, broken by grief, could not return to normal life for a long time.
He didn’t want to believe that Pavlova was no more. Having created a club of fans of his famous wife, Victor Dandre wanted only one thing - so that the great ballerina of the 20th century would be remembered for many years. Unfortunately, the club did not survive for long. Nevertheless, the name of the Russian ballerina, the legendary Anna Pavlova, has forever entered the history of world ballet.
Ballerina, posters for which were drawn by Valentin Serov himself. The main person of the Russian seasons in Paris. The most mysterious dancer of the twentieth century.
A biography, the authenticity of which was known only to the ballerina herself. Matveevna or Pavlovna? The daughter of a retired soldier of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Matvey Pavlov, or a major Moscow banker, Lazar Polyakov? The great dancer wrote an autobiography, but more and more not about the fact that she was born in the dacha village of Ligovo near St. Petersburg, and her childhood, the main impression of which was trips to the Mariinsky Theater. Anna Pavlova wrote about the main thing in her life - a revived inspiration, whose name is ballet.
Nine-year-old Anya seemed to wake up after the premiere of The Sleeping Beauty staged by Petipa. Shy and soft by nature, the girl almost for the first time expressed a firm decision - to devote her life to dance.
Hunched back, anemia, fragile health. The Imperial Ballet School could not have imagined that this “delicate flower” would survive the harsh ballet school. “Fluff, lightness, wind,” said the famous Marius Petipa at the screening. The commission enrolled the girl, and she became a favorite student of teachers Ekaterina Vazem and Alexander Oblakov. Ekaterina Ottovna gave her fish oil and achieved strong legs and “talking” hands.
“One is born a dancer. No teacher can create a miracle, no years of training can make a good dancer out of a mediocre student. One can acquire certain technical skills, but no one can ever “acquire exceptional talent.” I never consoled myself with the fact that I had an unusually gifted student. Pavlova has one teacher - God."
George Balanchine
The first appearance on the Mariinsky stage was already in the second year of study in divertissements and small variations. Anna Pavlova was inferior in technique to Matilda Kshesinskaya, Olga Preobrazhenskaya, and Tamara Karsavina. But in jumps and arabesques with unpredictable improvisation, the fragile ballerina had no equal.
The graduation performance became a pass to big stage. Almost immediately, Pavlova received solo roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Esmeralda, and Giselle. The young ballerina worked with Marius Petipa, who so favorably accepted her first public performance - in front of the selection committee.
Anna Pavlova. Photo: marieclaire.ru
Anna Pavlova in the ballet La Sylphide. Photo: radikal.ru
Anna Pavlova. Photo: images.aif.ru
The aspiring artist was not afraid to argue with the master. In the ballet “Vain Precaution”, Pavlova suggested that Petipa replace the usual crinoline skirt with a tunic below the ankle and received consent. “This was courage on my part: custom has not allowed any liberties with a skirt since the time of the most famous Camargo - Voltaire’s favorite!” - the ballerina later recalled.
“Pavlova is a cloud hovering above the earth,” the press wrote. And the dancer just amazed me again and again. She seemed to float across the stage in her most poignant role. Swan. The image that gave the ballerina immortality. Choreographer Nikolai Fokin staged the miniature to the music of Saint-Saëns. Literally impromptu. Anna turned serenity into tragedy. The untimely death of a graceful creature, and like a wound - a ruby brooch.
“The charm of her personality was so great that no matter what dance Pavlova appeared in, she made an indelible impression on the audience. This, to a certain extent, explains the fact that her repertoire consisted of performances in which there was nothing innovative. Pavlova did not set out to create something sensational - she herself was a sensation, although she was hardly aware of it.”
Lavrenty Novikov, scene partner
“Madam, thanks to you, I realized that I wrote wonderful music!” - Saint-Saëns exclaimed when he saw the Dying Swan. The dance became a symbol of the Russian seasons, and Anna Pavlova in the image of the Swan by Valentin Serov became the emblem of a world-famous enterprise. It took the artist 11 sessions to create the famous poster. The ballerina froze in an arabesque almost every minute so that the painter would catch the fleeting movement and convey it on paper.
The European public was able to appreciate the similarities thanks, again, to Pavlova. It was at the suggestion of the already recognized ballerina that Diaghilev added ballet to opera performances in the Russian Seasons. The impresario doubted that the French would like Russian ballet art. Nose light hand Pavlova, whose participation in the tour was separately stipulated in the contract, ballet nevertheless became an integral part of the Seasons.
The last time the public at the Mariinsky Theater saw Pavlova perform was in 1913; a year later she settled in England. During the First World War, the ballerina gave performances in favor of the Red Cross, and in post-war years The proceeds from performances at the Metropolitan Opera were sent to Russia for needy artists in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
“How I always regretted that I could not sketch her dancing! It was something unique. She simply lived in it, there is no other way to say it. She was the very soul of the dance. But it’s unlikely that the soul can be expressed in words!”
Natalia Trukhanova, ballerina
The world received the great ballerina not only as part of the Russian seasons. Anna Pavlova and her troupe brought classical ballet to the most remote corners of the world: Egypt, China, Japan, Burma, the Philippines, proving with his whole life that love for art knows no boundaries.
The Dutch developed a variety of tulips in honor of Anna Pavlova, the Mexicans threw sombreros at their feet as a sign of admiration, the Indians showered them with lotus flowers, in Australia they named a cake after the amazing dancer, in the Netherlands - one of the planes. The sophisticated Russian ballerina dictated style to European fashionistas. A la Pavlova: exquisite satin and Manila shawls with tassels. But there is a unique image...
“Get my Swan costume ready!” - according to legend, the last words Great Anna Pavlova. The ballerina died in The Hague, although all her life she wanted to live “somewhere in Russia.”
Famous ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova: personal life, children, Interesting Facts from the biography with photos in our article. She was called the second Anna Pavlova. All the world's platforms predicted stunning success for her. She lived up to the expectations of her teachers and loved ones. Steely endurance and zeal helped her become the best in her field.
Nadezhda Pavlova on stage
Before we talk about the ballerina’s personal life, let’s delve into her biography.
Nadezhda was born in 1956. This happy event for the world of ballet took place on May 15 in Cheboksary. Pavlova's family had many children. My parents were not close to art. My father did technical work. Mother worked in kindergarten. It was an ordinary average family. She first joined a choreographic club at the age of 7. The House of Pioneers became for little Nadya the first step on the path to worldwide fame.
Further, 1966 became significant in the biography of the future ballerina. The commission of the Perm Choreographic School was looking for gifted children. Naturally, they paid attention to little Nadya, who even then was able to surprise everyone. Pavlova was offered to study in Perm. Such a chance could not be refused. Moreover, it was given only to truly talented children like Nadya.
Pavlova’s teacher was Lyudmila Pavlovna Sakharova. Under her leadership, Nadezhda studied from second to high school. Sakharova’s teaching technique was not entirely conventional. She combined in her classes the experience of Moscow and Leningrad ballet school.
Nadezhda Pavlova school years
In addition, Sakharova was interested in fashion trends in the 60s. Take a look at the photo. Here you can see young Nadezhda and other children whom the teacher took under her wing.
Many former students note that Sakharova’s character was difficult. Few managed to work with her. Despite the fact that Lyudmila Pavlovna had all the necessary resources to make a celebrity out of a talented child. Nadezhda Pavlova had to become a submissive girl in Sakharova’s eyes in order to establish contact with the teacher.
Further studies
From the first years of training with Sakharova, the young ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova always received only the first parts.
In parallel with this, Pavlova performed all existing children's roles at the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater.
The approaching year 1970 became a new step for the ballerina on her creative path. Young ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova went on a tour to Moscow. Naturally, she was noticed here. This meant that I would soon have to say goodbye to my personal life. As well as with plans for the near future, for example, having children. Ballerinas, unlike ordinary theater performers, retire early. Every year is important here. Having a child meant forgetting about the career of a ballerina forever.
Nadezhda Pavlov with her teacher Lyudmila Sakharova (left)
Nadezhda began to travel abroad often. Here new horizons opened up for her. The viewer waited and loved her.
Studying at the school ended in 1974. After that, she became a soloist of the Perm Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. P.I. Tchaikovsky. A year later she played on the stage of the Bolshoi. It became her home. Here she found her permanent stage partner, Vyacheslav Gordeev. He became her first husband. He and ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova had no children. We will talk in more detail about the artist’s personal life below.
Every day Pavlova studied in the class of A. M. Messerer.
Nikolai Tsiskaridze, choreographer Marina Semyonova and Nadezhda Pavlova after the performance of the ballet “The Nutcracker”
From 1992 to 1994, the ballerina held the position artistic director Ballet Theater of Nadezhda Pavlova, and in 1995 she became the director of the Renaissance Ballet. Ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova was repeatedly invited abroad as a member of the jury of international competitions.
Currently Pavlova teaches at Russian Academy theatrical arts(RATI) (professor).
Personal life of ballerina Pavlova
In the personal life of ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova, not everything was as successful as on stage. It's all about the artist's first husband. It’s worth starting with the fact that these people had completely different views on life. Vyacheslav Gordeev wanted children. For the ballerina this was not interesting. She wanted to give her all to the stage.
I decided to wait a while with Pavlova’s descendants. The ballerina never managed to have children. Although, most likely, she simply did not want it. And then, when the desire did appear, it was no longer the same age.
The story of how Gordeev and Pavlov met is familiar to many first-hand. It all started with office romance. These young people were brought together by ballet. Gordeev was Pavlova’s colleague. They were paired together, since one of them was supposed to go to an international competition as a participant representing the Soviet Union.
Nadezhda Pavlova and Vyacheslav Gordeev
The young people rehearsed together for a whole year. Periodically, Nadezhda traveled to Moscow. At another time, Vyacheslav traveled to Perm.
When Nadya finally got a place at the Bolshoi Theater, it became known that Gordeev would become her partner. Nobody even doubted it.
The creative union turned into marriage. However, there was no great love between the spouses. Pavlova always avoided such big words addressed to her ex-husband as “infatuation” or “love.” She called this marriage nothing more than just a “star duet” that the public was glad to see.
Nadezhda Pavlova and Vyacheslav Gordeev in the play “The Nutcracker”
According to ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova, her personal life could have turned out completely differently if not for Vyacheslav. And the point here is not at all the lack of desire of the young ballerina at that time to have children. The spouses basically had different views on life.
Continuation of the “fairy tale” with Gordeev
The newlyweds celebrated their wedding at the Metropol. Not everyone could afford to celebrate any family celebration in this restaurant. The fame and talents of the talents did their job. Many guests were present at the wedding. Among them were famous political figures and the elite of Moscow. Of course, top officials were also invited Bolshoi Theater.
The bride looked unbeatable. She was wearing a theatrical dress and veil. However, from the outside it all seemed somehow unreal. It was as if Pavlova had found herself in yet another production. Despite the “theatrics” of the wedding, the stamp was still real.
It is possible that disagreements between the spouses also arose because Gordeev was 8 years older than Pavlova. This is a significant age difference for lovers. But thanks to Gordeev, Pavlova was able to advance career ladder. He has worked at the Bolshoi Theater since 1968. Here he had connections and opportunities that Nadya took advantage of to become famous.
Vyacheslav Gordeev and Nadezhda Pavlova on stage
The “lovers” were together for 10 years. Fans considered them an exemplary family. Only the closest people knew what was really going on between husband and wife.
The sudden divorce especially impressed fans who actively follow the personal life of ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova. Many of them hoped that they would soon have children with Gordeev. However, their hopes were not destined to come true.
As a “justification” for her divorce, Nadezhda said that there had never been real feelings between her and Vyacheslav. All that others saw was just a mask that she got rid of. Gordeev himself cited Pavlova’s betrayal as the reason for the divorce - she found another man.
Second marriage: how did Pavlova find peace of mind?
At 28 years old, life is just beginning. For Pavlova it was exactly like that. His career took off at this time. She was awarded the title of People's Artist. Nadezhda Pavlova became the first to receive this award at such a young age. Naturally, there was no end to fans, as well as theaters that would like to see her on their stage. Tours, performances and first roles - that’s what Pavlova’s life consisted of at that time.
Nadezhda Pavlova in the ballet Don Quixote
However, the ballerina had some problems with her mental balance. Despite the lack of great love for her ex-husband, she had other problems with Vyacheslav. For example, misunderstanding.
Pavlova needed specialist help. And she found it. More precisely him. Psychotherapist Konstantin Okulevich became the second husband famous ballerina. But this did not happen right away.
In order to arrange her personal life with a new man, ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova needed to divorce her first husband. The fact that they did not have children played into their hands. Plus, it did its job and famous surname ballerinas It would have been impossible for her to get a divorce so easily. By divorcing Gordeev, she sacrificed her popularity. Pavlova no longer looked like a role model in the eyes of the public.
Immediately after the divorce, Pavlova went on a three-month tour of Australia. For the first time, Nadya danced with someone else, and not with her then-ex-husband. This was very unusual for her.
Nadezhda Pavlova and another great ballerina Maya Plesetskaya
In the future, Gordeev’s personal life was no less successful than Nadezhda’s. He found family happiness. The second wife gave birth to Vyacheslav’s desired children. His house was filled with children's laughter, which he had dreamed of hearing for so long.
Love story with Okulevich
So what caused Pavlova’s depression if she was loved and idolized on stage? Ex-husband constantly reminded the ballerina that she owes everything she has achieved only to him. Of course, she understood this herself. But hearing this every day hurt her. Subsequently, Pavlova ceased to feel like a human being. It seemed to her that she was a robot controlled by Gordeev.
The ex-husband decided to fight Pavlova’s depression. The meeting with the psychotherapist turned out to be fatal for her. He decided to improve the ballerina’s mental health in a non-traditional way – with love.
Nadezhda Pavlova with her husband Konstantin Okulevich: photo
A whirlwind romance required a quick change life priorities. Ballerina Nadezhda Pavlova had to decide for herself what she needed - worldwide recognition or a happy life even without children. She chose the latter. Although, despite the misunderstanding (if you can call it that) with Vyacheslav, Pavlova still did not lose her popularity. She managed to get a divorce. But before that, the ballerina’s life turned into real hell for some time.
Nadezhda Pavlova now
Anonymous letters poured in on her, talking about the artist’s immoral behavior. All this did not pass without a trace. The matter even reached the prosecutor's office. Pavlova benefited from her connections. Without them, she would not have been able to finalize the divorce so quickly. Immediately after the divorce, Pavlova entered into new marriage– happier for her.
The ballerina finally had the desire to work. She found harmony with herself. And all this thanks to a happier marriage.
Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was born on February 12, 1881 in St. Petersburg. There is still no reliable information about her father. Even in encyclopedias, Anna’s patronymic is given either Pavlovna or Matveevna. The ballerina herself did not like to be called by her patronymic; in extreme cases, she preferred to be called Anna Pavlovna - by her last name. In the eighties of the last century, a document was discovered in the theater archives of St. Petersburg confirming that Matvey Pavlovich Pavlov was married to Lyubov Fedorovna, Pavlova’s mother. The document was dated 1899. This meant that he was alive at a time when the girl was already 18 years old.
When Anna had already become famous, the son of a wealthy St. Petersburg banker Polyakov said that she was his half-sister. The mentioned document states that Lyubov Fedorovna had a daughter, Anna, from another marriage. But she had never been married before. Then it became known that around 1880 Lyubov Fedorovna was in the service of the Polyakov family. Suddenly she disappeared.
In her autobiography, written in 1912, Anna Pavlova recalled her childhood and first steps on stage:My first memory is a small house in St. Petersburg, where my mother and I lived alone...We were very, very poor. But my mother always managed to give me some pleasure on major holidays.When I was eight years old, she announced that we would go to the Mariinsky Theater. “Now you will see sorceresses.” They showed "Sleeping Beauty".
From the very first notes of the orchestra, I became silent and trembled all over, for the first time feeling the breath of beauty above me. In the second act, a crowd of boys and girls danced a wonderful waltz. “Would you like to dance like that?” - Mom asked me with a smile. “No, I want to dance like that beautiful lady who portrays Sleeping Beauty.”
I love to remember that first evening at the theater, which decided my fate.
“We cannot accept an eight-year-old child,” said the director of the ballet school, where my mother took me, exhausted by my persistence. “Bring her when she’s ten years old.”During the two years of waiting, I became nervous, sad and thoughtful, tormented by the persistent thought of how I could quickly become a ballerina.
Entering the Imperial Ballet School is like entering a monastery, such iron discipline reigns there. I left school at the age of sixteen with the title of first dancer. Since then I have risen to the rank of ballerina. In Russia, besides me, only four dancers have the official right to this title. The idea of trying myself on foreign stages first came when I was reading Taglioni’s biography. This great Italian danced everywhere: in Paris, London, and Russia. A cast of her leg is still kept here in St. Petersburg.”
Study at the Imperial Ballet School and the Mariinsky Theater
In 1891, the mother managed to get her daughter into the Imperial Ballet School, where Pavlova spent nine years. The school's charter was monastically strict, but the teaching here was excellent. At that time, the St. Petersburg Ballet School was undoubtedly the best in the world. Only here the classical ballet technique was still preserved.
In 1898, Pavlova’s student performed in the ballet “Two Stars,” staged by Petitpas. Even then, experts noted some special, inherent grace only to her, amazing ability capture the poetic essence of the game and give it your own coloring.
After graduating from school in 1899, Pavlova was enrolled in the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater. Her debut took place in 1899 in the ballet “The Pharaoh's Daughter” to the music of Cesar Pugni, staged by Saint-Georges and Petipa. Having neither patronage nor a name, she remained on the sidelines for some time. The thin dancer, who was in poor health, showed a strong-willed character: she was used to overcoming herself and, even when ill, did not refuse to perform on stage. In 1900, in The Awakening of Flora, she received the role of Flora (Fokine played the role of Apollo). Then responsible roles began to follow one after another and Pavlova filled each of them with a special meaning. Remaining entirely within the framework of the classical school, she knew how to be strikingly original and, performing old ordinary dances, turned them into true masterpieces. The St. Petersburg public soon began to recognize the young talented ballerina. Anna Pavlova's skills improved year after year, from performance to performance. The young ballerina attracted attention with her extraordinary musicality and psychological restraint of dance, emotionality and drama, as well as yet undiscovered creative possibilities. The ballerina brought a lot of new things, her own, to each new performance.
Soon Anna Pavlova becomes the second, and then the first soloist. In 1902, Pavlova created a completely new image Nikiya in "La Bayadère", interpreting it in terms of high tragedy spirit. This interpretation changed the stage life of the play. The same thing happened with the image of Giselle, where the psychologism of the interpretation led to a poetically enlightened ending. The fiery, bravura dance of her heroines - Paquita, Kitri - was an example of performing skill and style.
At the beginning of 1903, Pavlova danced on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater for the first time. The brilliant but difficult path of Anna Pavlova in ballet begins, with her triumphant performances in the cities of the Russian Empire.
The ballerina’s individuality, her dancing style, and her soaring jump prompted her partner, the future famous choreographer M. M. Fokin, to create “Chopiniana” to the music of F. Chopin (1907). These are stylizations in the spirit of elegant, animated engravings from the era of romanticism. In this ballet she danced the Mazurka and the Seventh Waltz with V.F. Nijinsky. Although her partner Vaslav Nijinsky danced the entire academic repertoire of leading soloists, his individuality was revealed primarily in the ballets of M. M. Fokine.
Anna Pavlova's first foreign tour
Since 1908, Anna Pavlova began touring abroad.This is how she recalled her first tour: “The first trip was to Riga. From Riga we went to Helsingfors, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Prague and Berlin. Everywhere our tours were greeted as revelations of new art.
Many people imagine the life of a dancer as frivolous. In vain. If a dancer does not control herself, she will not dance for long. She has to sacrifice herself to her art. Her reward is that she manages to make people forget for a moment their sorrows and worries.
I went with the Russian ballet troupe to Leipzig, Prague and Vienna, we danced a lovely " Swan Lake» Tchaikovsky. Then I joined Diaghilev’s troupe, which introduced Russian art to Paris.”
Pavlova became the main participant in all of Sergei Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons” in Paris. Here she gained worldwide fame, dancing in ballets: “Pavilion of Armida”, “La Sylphides” and “Cleopatra” - under such names were “Chopiniana” and “Egyptian Nights”. Pavlova performed this repertoire in Russia. In the luxurious ensemble of the greatest talents presented by Diaghilev in Paris, Anna occupied one of the first places. But Pavlova did not perform in “Russian Seasons” for long. She wanted creative freedom.
Anna Pavlova's first independent productions
It was natural for Pavlova to try directing herself. She made such an attempt in 1909 at a performance at the Suvorinsky Theater in honor of the 75th anniversary of the owner, A. Suvorin. For her debut, Pavlova chose “Night” by Rubinstein. She appeared in a long white chiton with flowers in her hands and hair. Her eyes lit up when she handed her bouquet to someone. Flexible hands either passionately called out or fearfully pulled away. Everything together turned into a monologue about insane passion. The pathos was justified by the naive sincerity of the feeling. The free movement of the body and arms gave the impression of improvisation, reminiscent of Duncan's influence. But also classical dance, including finger technique, was present, diversifying and complementing expressive gestures. Pavlova's independent creativity was met with approval. The next numbers were “Dragonfly” by F. Kreisler, “Butterfly” by R. Drigo, “California Poppy”.
Here classical dance coexisted and intertwined with free plasticity. What united them was the heroine’s emotional state.
In 1910, Anna Pavlova left the Mariinsky Theater, creating her own troupe. Pavlova included ballets by Tchaikovsky and Glazunov in her tour repertoire, “ A futile precaution", "Giselle", "Coppelia", "Paquita", interesting concert numbers. The ballerina introduced all ballet lovers to Russian art. The troupe consisted of Russian choreographers and predominantly Russian dancers. With them she created new choreographic miniatures, the most famous of which are “Night” and “Waltz-Caprice” to the music of A. Rubinstein and “Dragonfly” to the music of Kreisler.
With her troupe, Pavlova toured with triumphant success in many countries around the world. She was the first to open Russian ballet to America, where for the first time ballet performances began to be staged at full capacity.
“...From London I went on tour to America, where I danced at the Metropolitan Theater. Of course, I am delighted with the reception the Americans gave me. The newspapers published my portraits, articles about me, interviews with me and - to tell the truth - a bunch of nonsense fiction about my life, my tastes and views. I often laughed, reading this fantastic lie and seeing myself as something I had never been - an eccentric and an extraordinary woman. The power of imagination of American journalists is simply amazing.
From New York we went on a tour around the province. It was a real triumphal procession, but terribly tiring. They invited me to go to America next year, and I wanted to go myself, but I really don’t have enough strength for this race across the continent - it breaks my nerves so terribly.” Her tour routes included both Asia and the Far East. Behind the brilliant performances lay hard work. Here, for example, is a list of performances by Anna Pavlova's troupe in the USA in December 1914: 31 performances in different cities - from Cincinnati to Chicago, and not a single day of rest. The picture was the same in the Netherlands in December 1927: daily performances in different cities - from Rotterdam to Groningen. And only one day of rest - December 31st. Over 22 years of endless tours, Pavlova traveled more than half a million kilometers by train; according to rough estimates, she gave about 9 thousand performances. It was truly hard work.
There was a period when Italian master Ninolini made an average of two thousand pairs of ballet shoes a year for Anna Pavlova, which was barely enough.
In addition to monstrous fatigue, foreign tours had other negative consequences. Pavlova's relationship with the Mariinsky Theater became complicated due to financial disagreements. The artist violated the terms of the contract with the management for the sake of a profitable trip to America and was forced to pay a penalty. The management's desire to conclude a new contract with her was met with a demand to return the penalty. However, the theater was interested in the ballerina's performances. Steps were taken to resolve the incident. On the initiative of the directorate, in 1913 Pavlova was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of the Imperial Theaters and was awarded a gold medal. The management insisted that Anna perform only in Russia.
In the spring of 1914 Pavlova last time visited home. The ballerina performed on May 31 in St. Petersburg People's House, June 7 at Pavlovsky Station, June 3 at the Mirror Theater of the Moscow Hermitage Garden. The repertoire included “The Dying Swan”, “Bacchanalia”, and her other miniatures. An enthusiastic reception was addressed to the new Pavlova, an international “star”. The small, fragile ballerina, accustomed to overly strenuous work, was 33 years old. This was the fifteenth season, the middle of her stage life.
She never returned to her homeland. But Pavlova was not indifferent to the situation in Russia. She sent parcels during the difficult post-revolutionary years to students of the St. Petersburg Ballet School, transferred large cash to the starving people of the Volga region, organized charity performances to support the needy in their homeland.
Great friendship and creative cooperation connected the two outstanding masters Russian ballet - Anna Pavlova and Mikhail Fokin. She performed the main roles in many of his ballets: “The Grapevine” by A. Rubinstein, “Chopiniana”, “Egyptian Nights”. As a result of the creative union of Pavlova and Fokin, works were created in which dance is subordinated to spiritual and expressive tasks. This is how “Chopiniana” and “Swan” appeared to the music of C. Saint-Saëns, which became the poetic symbol of Russian choreography.
Especially for Pavlova’s troupe, Mikhail Fokin staged “Preludes” to the music of F. Liszt and “Seven Daughters of the Mountain King” to the music of K. Spendiarov.
The small traveling troupe, of course, could not compete with the Mariinsky Theater either in its performing staff or musical culture, nor the design. The losses were inevitable and very noticeable, especially when turning to the academic repertoire. In such alterations, Pavlova treated the music unceremoniously - she changed tempos, timbre colors, cut out numbers and inserted music from other composers. The only criterion that was important to her was to awaken her creative imagination. And the ballerina, due to her talent, often managed to some extent overcome the obvious absurdities of the musical material.
All this was noticed by an experienced eye who attended one of the ballerina’s performances famous dancer Diaghilev troupe Sergei Lifar:
“The Paris season of 1924 was especially rich and brilliant in musical and theatrical terms - as long as my poor means allowed me, I did not miss a single one interesting concert, not a single interesting performance and lived by it, greedily absorbing all the impressions. One of the strongest and most significant Parisian impressions was the performance of Anna Pavlova.
During intermission, in the foyer, I met Diaghilev - wherever I went this spring, I met him everywhere - and when he asked how I liked Anna Pavlova, I could only babble in delighted confusion: “Divine!” Brilliant! Wonderful!". Yes, Sergei Pavlovich did not need to ask my opinion - it was written on my face. But I did not dare to talk to Diaghilev or anyone else about my ambivalent impression, about the fact that some places seemed cheap and fraudulent to me. I was sure that everyone would laugh at me and say that I didn’t understand anything and was blasphemous. Subsequently, I became convinced that I was not the only one blaspheming - Diaghilev, who told me a lot about Anna Pavlova, also blasphemed.”
Personal life of Anna Pavlova
The ballerina’s personal life was not easy, and Anna Pavlova considered it natural:
“Now I want to answer the question that is often asked to me: why don’t I get married. The answer is very simple. A true artist, like a nun, does not have the right to lead the life desired by most women. She cannot burden herself with worries about the family and the household and should not demand from life the quiet family happiness that is given to the majority. I see that my life is a single whole. Pursuing the same goal non-stop is the secret of success. What is success? It seems to me that it is not in the applause of the crowd, but rather in the satisfaction that you get from approaching perfection. I once thought that success was happiness. I was wrong. Happiness is a butterfly that enchants for a moment and flies away.”
Pavlova connected her life with Victor Dandre. A very contradictory person. Dandre, a mining engineer, was accused in 1910 by the authorities of St. Petersburg of embezzlement of funds allocated for the construction of the Okhtinsky Bridge. Anna Pavlova had to rush to his rescue and pay a considerable sum to free him. Despite a written undertaking not to leave, Dandre subsequently fled Russia and lived without a passport for many years.
At the same time, Dandre was one of the most capable impresarios of his time, who first understood the power of the press. He constantly organized press conferences, invited photo reporters and newspapermen to Pavlova’s speeches, and gave numerous interviews related to her life and work. For example, he perfectly played out plots inspired by in a romantic way"Swan". Many photographs have been preserved of Anna Pavlova on the shore of the lake, along the mirror surface of which beautiful snow-white birds glide. There was such a reservoir at her Ivy House estate in England. Swans really lived there, and one of them, named Jack, was Anna Pavlova’s favorite. He did not forget his mistress when she was on long trips. The photograph of Anna with a swan on her lap is widely known, its head resting trustingly on her shoulder. The photo was taken by the famous photographer Lafayette, whom Dandre specially invited to shoot.
But it was Dandre who tried to squeeze everything possible out of the ballerina’s world fame, organizing endless and very intense tours, not sparing her health. Ultimately, the unbearable load apparently led to her untimely death...
The last days of Anna Pavlova's life
On January 17, 1931, the famous ballerina arrived on tour in the Netherlands, where she was well known and loved. In honor of the “Russian Swan”, the Dutch, famous for their flowers, developed a special variety of snow-white tulips and named them “Anna Pavlova”. You can still admire their exquisite beauty at flower exhibitions. The Dutch impresario Ernst Krauss met Anna at the station with a large bouquet of these flowers. But the ballerina felt bad and immediately went to the Hotel des Endes, where she was assigned a “Japanese Salon” with a bedroom, which later became known as the “Anna Pavlova Salon.” Apparently, the artist caught a bad cold while traveling by train in winter France. Moreover, as it turned out, the night train she was traveling from England to Paris collided with a freight train. The falling trunk hit her hard in the ribs. Anna told only her close friends about this incident, although she complained to many people about the pain.
A doctor was urgently called to the hotel and discovered acute pleurisy in the ballerina. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands sent Pavlova her personal physician, de Jong. After examining her, he came to the following conclusion: “Madam, you have pleurisy. Surgery required. I would advise removing one rib to make it easier to suck out the fluid.” In response to this, Dandre exclaimed: “How can this be! After all, she won’t be able to dance tomorrow!” Indeed, posters were posted all over The Hague announcing that “On January 19, the last performance in the Netherlands of the greatest ballerina of our time, Anna Pavlova, with her big ballet.” Then there was a long tour of the Northern and Latin America, Far East. But this was not destined to come true.
Dandre decided to invite another doctor. Doctor Zalevsky, who had already treated Anna before, was urgently summoned from Paris by telegram. And the ballerina was getting worse. Apparently, then the legend of the “dying swan” was born, which Victor Dandre cites in his memoirs. Anna Pavlova, the memoirist assures, wanted to go on stage again at any cost. “Bring me my swan costume,” she said. These were supposedly her last words...
However, the reality was much more prosaic and tragic. Anna Pavlova's maid Marguerite Letienne and the doctors who were at her bedside spoke about this. They recall that the ballerina invited some members of her troupe to her place and gave them instructions, believing that, despite her illness, the performances should take place, especially in Belgium for the needs of the Red Cross. Then she got worse. Everyone except the maid left the room. Anna, nodding at the expensive dress recently bought in Paris from a famous couturier, said to Marguerite: “I would rather spend this money on my children.” She meant orphans who had long lived at her expense in one of the mansions. After this, the patient fell into a coma. When Zalewski arrived, he tried to pump out the fluid from the pleura and lungs using a drainage tube, but it was all in vain. Anna never regained consciousness. It is believed that on the night of January 22-23, 1931, she died from acute blood poisoning caused by an insufficiently disinfected drainage tube...
After Pavlova's death
The Russian colony in Paris wanted Pavlova to be buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery, where a beautiful monument could be erected for her. But Dandre spoke out in favor of Anna being cremated. While touring in India, she became fascinated by Indian funeral ceremonies, during which the body of the deceased is burned on a funeral pyre. She remarked to loved ones that she would like to be cremated. “This way, later it will be easier to return my ashes to dear Russia,” she allegedly said. Dandre discussed this issue with impresario Krauss, and they decided to consult with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in The Hague by priest Rozanov, because according to church canons Only burial in a cemetery is allowed. Considering the situation, the priest did not object to cremation...
Victor Dandre, despite all his assurances, was not the official husband of Anna Pavlova, although this is stated in his will and the urn with his ashes is installed next to Anna’s urn. She herself never called him her husband; they did not have a common bank account. After Anna's death, Dandre declared his claims to Aini House. When the ballerina’s mother, rejecting these attacks, sued him, Dandre was unable to present any marriage certificates or wedding photographs, citing the fact that the documents had not been preserved after the revolution in Russia. The lawyer then recalled that he had previously talked about marrying Pavlova in America. But even here, Dandre was unable to provide documents or even name the place of the wedding. He lost the case and had to leave Ivy House.
Whether Dandre was Anna Pavlova's husband or not, his will, quoted in the book, states: "I instruct my attorneys to purchase niches 5791 and 3797 at Golders Green Crematorium as a place for urns containing my ashes and the ashes of my loved one." wife Anna, known as Anna Pavlova. I authorize my attorneys to consent to the transfer of the ashes of my wife and, if they consider it possible, also my ashes to Russia, if at any time the Russian government or the government of any large Russian province seeks the transfer and gives my attorneys satisfactory assurances that that Anna Pavlova’s ashes will receive due honor and respect.”
Anna Pavlova is unique. She had no high-profile titles, left neither followers nor school. After her death, her troupe was disbanded and her property was sold off. All that remains is the legend of the great Russian ballerina Pavlova, after whom prizes and international awards are named. Artistic and documentaries(“Anna Pavlova”, 1983 and 1985). The French choreographer R. Petit staged the ballet “My Pavlova” to composite music. Numbers from her repertoire are danced by the world's leading ballerinas.
http://www.biografii.ru/index.php name=Meeting&file=anketa&login=pavlova_a_p
Portrait of Anna Pavlova in the ballet La Sylphide
Artist Sorin Savely Abramovich (1887-1953)