ANNA PAVLOVNA PAVLOVA

(1881-1931)

Russian ballet dancer, performed at the Mariinsky Theater. Participated in "Russian Seasons" in Paris. Toured with his own troupe in many countries. She has performed in the main parties of the classical repertoire, has become famous in the choreographic sketch "The Dying Swan" to music by C. Saint-Saens.

Tale sometimes still is true story, whatever the skeptics say. History of the ballerina, the daughter of a washerwoman and a retired soldier who had miraculously rose in fame, wealth and success - the Christmas story is not designed to give us hope for the mercy and blessings of Providence. But the story - the real scheme of life brilliant ballerina Anna Pavlova. Scheme - because all the magic and simple only happens in fairy tale.

Anna Pavlova′s childhood, little is known. Favorite memories was a ballerina Honey story about how at the age of eight years at Christmas my mother Nura (so-called girl home) drove her daughter to the Mariinsky Theater on the ballet "Sleeping Beauty". Of course, this was a landmark event in the life of a poor Nura, but as it turned out, in the history of ballet, because the girl immediately decided that she would dance, and certainly the best.

A few years later, when Nura grown, and she was very small and thin because of poor health, mother Lubov led her to drama school. Severe examiners, of course, did not immediately recognize in the girl′s future star, but, of course, found a single seer. He was a famous ballet dancer, too, with the fantastic name, Gerdt, who strongly defended the young talent. And on Aug. 29, 1891 Anna Pavlova, began his ascent to the heights of Olympus dance.

Attention to the school on Anechka paid immediately - and not because she particularly stood out technical capabilities, not because it succeeded in diligence, but because he was at no one looks like, seemed special, not of this world. A thin, frail, but not childishly stubborn, and she was nervousness, even exaltation, and the extraordinary mobility. Her look was often distant, as if Anya was flying somewhere far away, in another world.

Photo — «Anna Pavlovna Pavlova»

Russian ballet school was formed at the school by the end of XIX century. Mariinsky Theater School was famous for its teachers. It has grown a whole galaxy of famous actors, and every child who touches the mystery of art in the walls of the alma mater, wanted to remain to serve in the Mariinsky Theater.

At the final examination Pavlova trainees, along with three one-act ballet danced to the music Puni "Imaginary dryads. In the first row of the theater were members of the jury and the press. Pavlov was impossible not to note. "slim and slender as a reed, and flexible, as it is, with the naive face the southern Spanish flu, air and ephemeral, she seemed fragile and delicate as Sèvres statuette. Such a touching feminine admiration, pity and tenderness in front of insecurity and weakness will become the leitmotif of audience feelings for the ballerina Anna Pavlova and her scenic image.

In season 1899-1900, the Pavlova was famous actress "Mariinsky, but not in any corps de ballet - her enlisted in coryphee. Her partner was Mikhail Fokine, whose name is linked to the Russian ballet significant transformation. Fokine, one of the first drew attention to the fact that classical ballet dancers do not try to convey to viewers the artistic image, and show only the technical side of ballet so try to the best advantage to submit your own person. The last two reasons have contributed to the principles of staging and performance, and mood of the viewer sees in the ballet, only to demonstrate the physical perfection of man, and the costumes - the same type for any role. Fokine himself began to set dances, and it was Pavlova, he found the perfect singer. Not that a ballerina at first consciously took the idea of Fokine. Himself a reformer, wrote: "Pavlov′s not set up any slogans, not fought for any of the principles, does not prove any truth, no, except one. It proved a truth that the arts important - it . . . talent . . . "Yet the artistic taste of Anna, her perfect organics, thin feeling to have a tuning fork, which allowed Fokine reconcile their ideas.

Photo — «Anna Pavlovna Pavlova»

Commonwealth of the two geniuses have presented a well-known Russian ballet masterpiece: "Dying Swan. " The history of this issue is simple. Pavlov asked Fokine for her dance for the concert in Nobility. Fokin, just in time learning to play the mandolin and, together with a school friend rehearsed, no one knows if the product of Saint-Saens.

"Maybe," Swan "place?" - he suggested.

Liked the idea of Anna Pavlova, she immediately introduced herself in this role. Her slender, inspiring figure though was created for Swan.

Fokine composed a thumbnail for a few minutes. These were moments of great inspiration. Since then, it took almost a century, and the number continues to live in the dance of the great Russian ballerinas. It is said that Saint-Saens in Paris came after the concert to Pavlova: "Madam, when I saw you in" The Swan ", I realized that I wrote the beautiful music!"

Climb to the top of Pavlova′s fame seems incredibly swift. A year after the debut of Anna receives a rank of second soloist, and success in the role of the oath in the ballet "La Bayadere", staged by Petipa, gives her the prestigious right to be called the first soloist of the famed "Mariinsky.

The world has learned about the Russian prima donna in 1907, when Pavlov′s first time with a small troupe has toured in the Scandinavian countries. It was a triumph. Every evening in the new building of the Swedish Royal Opera was the monarch Oscar II, an educated man, author of historical works, poet, playwright, literary critic. He personally handed over after the last presentation Pavlova′s Order of Merit for art. Evening for her crew to the hotel itself was silent crowd of spectators. People do not applaud, not talking. Nobody left and when the dancer disappeared behind the doors of the hotel. Pavlov wondered how to do it. Finally she figured out on the little balcony. ". . . And I met a whole storm of applause and enthusiastic cries, almost stunned me after this amazing silence.

Photo — «Anna Pavlovna Pavlova»

In gratitude, I could only bow. Then they began to sing the lovely Swedish songs. I do not know what to do. Then he realized - rushed into the room, dragged the basket, a gift to me this evening, and began to throw into the crowd of flowers: roses, lilies, violets, lilacs . . . "

This aroused the admiration of Pavlov in each country that it took "Did you see Pavlov?" - This phrase began to be used almost instead of a greeting - wrote one of the most popular British newspaper, shortly after the debut of Anna Pavlova in the Palace Theater. " - Wherever they met two Londoners - the dining table, away or in a club - the conversation immediately went to Anna Pavlova and Mikhail Mordkin . . . "February 28, 1910, according to the famous impresario, Sol Hurok, who discovered the New World names Chaliapin and Glazunov, should be considered the birthday of American Ballet. tour of Anna Pavlova opened transatlantic audience the real beauty of classical dance.

Achieved ballerina tops were so high that it seemed to have nowhere to seek. However, excessive ambition, over the years into something painful, burning Pavlova. She refused to participate in "Russian Seasons" Diaghilev in Paris, because it was jealous of the audience to the stars - Nijinsky, Chaliapin, Karsavina, not wishing to anyone whatsoever to share success. She parted with a great partner Mikhail Mordkin, artist fiery temperament and rare beauty, because she could not forgive him for admiration of the public. She gave the scene all: not just the strength and talent, but all my life, instead of as demanded only one thing - the divine worship.

Pavlova no longer suited the situation of captive actress, even prima, a permanent theater. She scored her troupe of dancers rather gray, and became sole owner of its own repertoire, its own destiny, their own theater. At the same time she bought a beautiful mansion in the suburbs of London in the Ivy-House, which organized a ballet school. For a few seasons Pavlova came gastrolershey in native Mariinsky, but soon those rare performances at home have ceased.

Photo — «Anna Pavlovna Pavlova»

Now ballerina little worried about innovations in the ballet, she was not too picky as ballet performances, it is not very worried about skill corps de ballet - the audience was only "on Pavlov. Her bewitching charm was truly magical. Not to her, and, perhaps, or after the dance world does not know this was mostly stripped of sincerity, such an inspiration, romantic flight to the innermost secrets of femininity. Even those present at the rehearsals Pavlova could not hold back her tears.

Her mobility was unusually nervous, she could instantly transformed. The fact that usually required several hours of a dancer, Pavlova mastered in half an hour, the Charter, however, with his legs. The story was like a ballerina showed someone invented it combination. It is lightning jumped from his chair, went through different steps and fell exhausted into place. Naturally, no one could catch the sequence of movements, but again Pavlova never could. The new show was accompanied by a new ingenious inspiration.

His life in the Ivy House, Pavlova organized with a rare talent for order and prudence. She was fond of floriculture and from all over the world brought home beautiful plants for its luxurious garden. She loved the swans and willingly posed for photographs with his own swan Jack. In the house all consistent with the subtle taste and British perceptions of comfort, especially since the mansion formerly belonged to the famous artist John Turner. In the middle of a two-storey building was two-tone room with a glass roof, and below and above were living rooms. Basement Pavlov turned into a theatrical wardrobe. Musical library also taken its place in the wardrobe. All this wealth was painted in the files indicating the place of storage. Theatrical props were in charge seamstress, laundress, hairdresser and a librarian, a musician. When Pavlova is urgently needed to get something from his rich collection, the thing she brought in an instant. So the "scientific organization of labor" great ballerina could boast not only to their contemporaries, but also to the descendants.

Photo — «Anna Pavlovna Pavlova»

In private, the Pavlova was a heavy man. With Victor Dandre it has long term friendship, but, getting married, they seem to have become business partners rather than spouses. Thanks to the efforts Dandre Pavlova was spared the tedious duties to develop tour itineraries, to think of detail of it, to care about the money. In a confidential conversation with one of her friends Pavlova once said:

"Oh, you did not understand me, do not understand! What is my life? I am created to love, and I want to be loved. But I did not like me too and no one, no one likes . . . "

"You love!"

Yes! Yes! Everything! I love all, and all my love! But this is not love! I mean, not the love of which I have a dream . . . "

Well, the torment genius is hard to understand mere mortals.

Changing attitudes, moreover, seemed unfounded, has even been close friends Pavlova in bewilderment. Sometimes it seemed simple, sweet and kind man, but after a moment could be foolish, capricious, cruel, intolerable.

Thank Pavlova flew all the continents. It was, if I may say so, workaholic. What made a great actress to accept the endless tour to the detriment of health, immensely tired and nedomogaya, go on stage? Money did not have high priority for her, there were too many. Most likely it drove unstoppable whirlwind of his own genius, she seemed afraid of being late, something unfinished, she was afraid to look this mortal life in the eye, where the dancers age. The worst death for Pavlova appeared to departure from the scene. With a sinking heart asked sorokapyatiletnyaya dancer in old-friend of youth Fokine of his form. He told her that she set a record for longevity in the ballet. But he was mistaken.

Endless tours, travel, nervous dedication crippled forces Pavlova. She fell ill with pneumonia and no longer able to rise.

Last time, sitting up in bed, as though preparing to stand up, Anna clearly and sternly said: "Prepare my Swan costume. "