NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Margot Fonteyn

Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE, (18 May 1919, Reigate, Surrey, England - 21 February 1991, Panama City, Panama), the English assoluta, was considered the greatest ballerina of her time. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 411 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (700 Ã— 1020 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Ballerina Margot Fonteyn performing as a guest dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia in 1948 Russian photograph File historyClick on a date... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 411 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (700 Ã— 1020 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Ballerina Margot Fonteyn performing as a guest dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia in 1948 Russian photograph File historyClick on a date... Dame Margot and Dame Maroie ( 13th century) were two trouvÃ¨res from Arras, in Picardy, France. ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... , Reigate is an historic market town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. ... Not to be confused with Surry. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the capital city of Panama. ... Maya Plisetskaya, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet from 1943 to 1960 and prima ballerina assoluta from 1960 to 1990. ... Maya Plisetskaya, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet from 1943 to 1960 and prima ballerina assoluta from 1960 to 1990. ...

Early life

Fonteyn was born Margaret ("Peggy") Hookham to an English father and an Irish mother who was the illegitimate daughter of Brazilian businessman Antonio Fontes. Her Brazilian ancestry explains her exotic appearance and supplied a motivation for her eventual Latin American marriage and residence. Early in her career, Margaret transformed Fontes into Fonteyn (a surname her brother adopted as well) and Margaret into Margot; thus her stage name.

She joined the Royal Ballet (then called the Sadler's Wells Theatre) while still a teenager, after having been trained by some of the greatest teachers of the day - Olga Preobrajenskaya and Mathilde Kschessinskaya, both of whom trained under Marius Petipa himself. By 1939, she was the company's star and the inspiration for many of Sir Frederick Ashton's ballets, such as Ondine, Daphnis and Chloe, and Sylvia. She was especially renowned for her portrayal of Aurora in Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. Televised versions of Sleeping Beauty and Ashton's version of Cinderella are now available on DVD. Fonteyn also worked with the choreographer Roland Petit and later in life, Martha Graham. In 1949, the Royal Ballet toured the United States and Fonteyn became an instant celebrity. Royal Ballet may refer to: Royal Ballet, London Birmingham Royal Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet Royal Danish Ballet There is also an article about the Royal Ballet School in London, England. ... Sadlers Wells theatre, 2005 Sadlers Wells Theatre is located on Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London. ... Olga Preobrajenska Olga Preobrajenska (1871 â€“ 1962) was probably the best loved ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet. ... Mathilde Kschessinska (Polish: Matylda KrzesiÅ„ska, 19 August 1872 (O.S.) Ligovo near Peterhof â€” 7 June 1971 Paris), (also known as Her Serene Highness Princess Romanova-Krasinskaya since 1921) was the first Russian prima ballerina assoluta in the world. ... Maestro Marius Ivanovich Petipa, MaÃ®tre de Ballet of the Imperial Theatres. ... Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (September 17, 1904 - October 18, 1988) began his career as a dancer but is largely remembered as a choreographer. ... Ondine ( June 16, 1937 - January 1, 1989) met Andy Warhol in 1961 at an orgy, and died of liver disease in Queens, New York, New York, USA in 1989. ... Longus was a Greek sophist and romancer, and author of Daphnis and Chloe. ... Rita Sangalli as Sylvia in the 1876 production Sylvia, originally Sylvia ou La Nymphe de Diane, is a full-length ballet in two or three acts, first choreographed by Louis MÃ©rante to music by LÃ©o Delibes in 1876. ... â€œTchaikovskyâ€ redirects here. ... Sir Edward Burne-Jones painted The Sleeping Beauty. ... Gustave DorÃ©s illustration for Cendrillon Cinderella (French: Cendrillon) is a popular fairy tale embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. ... Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ... Roland Petit (January 13, 1924) is a French choreographer and dancer born in Villemomble near Paris, France. ... Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 â€“ April 1, 1991) was an American dancer and choreographer. ...

Dancing with Rudolf Nureyev and others

In the 1940s, she and Robert Helpmann formed a very successful dance partnership, and they toured together for several years. In the 1950s, she danced with Michael Somes. But her greatest partnership emerged at a time when many (including the head of the Royal Ballet, Ninette de Valois) thought she was about to retire. In 1961, Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West, and on February 21, 1962, he and Fonteyn first appeared on stage together, in a performance of Giselle. It was a great success; during the curtain calls Nureyev dropped to his knees and kissed Fonteyn's hand, cementing an on-and-offstage partnership which lasted until her 1979 retirement. Fonteyn and Nureyev became known for inspiring repeated frenzied curtain calls and bouquet tosses. Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE (April 9, 1909 â€“ September 28, 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, director and choreographer, Born Robert Murray Helpman he added the extra n to avoid there being 13 letters in his name. ... Michael George Somes (born 28 September 1917, Horsley, Gloucestershire, England; died 18 November 1994, London) was a leading English ballet dancer. ... At age 16 Dame Ninette de Valois (June 6, 1898 â€“ March 8, 2001) was the Irish founder of Londons renowned Royal Ballet. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Anna Pavlova as Giselle in Act I (ca. ...

Ashton choreographed Marguerite and Armand for them, which no other couple danced until the 21st century. They debuted Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet, although MacMillan had conceived the ballet for Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable. Fonteyn and Nureyev appeared together in a film version of Swan Lake and Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet, as well as Les Sylphides and the Le Corsaire Pas de Deux. Sir Kenneth MacMillan (December 11, 1929 Dunfermline, Scotland - October 29, 1992, London) was a noted Scottish ballet dancer and choreographer. ... Romeo and Juliet in the famous balcony scene by Ford Madox Brown For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... Lynn Seymour (born Wainwright; 8 March 1939) is a retired Canadian ballerina. ... Christopher Gable (March 13, 1940 - October 25, 1998) was a British dancer and actor. ... The Valse des cygnes from Act II of the Ivanov/Petipa edition of Swan Lake. ... Les Sylphides is a short, non-narrative ballet choreographed by Michel Fokine to music by FrÃ©dÃ©ric Chopin. ... Altynai Asylmoratova and Faurkh Ruzimatov of the Mariinsky Ballet in the Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, London, 1988 Le Corsaire (The Pirate) is a ballet in three acts, with a libretto based on the poem The Corsair by Lord Byron. ...

Despite their differences in background, temperament, and a nineteen-year difference in age, Nureyev and Fonteyn became close lifelong friends and were famously loyal to each other. Fonteyn would not approve an unflattering photograph of Nureyev. In 1967, they were arrested after a performance in San Francisco, when the police raided a Haight-Ashbury party to which they had been invited. They remained close even after she retired to a Panama cattle farm, talking on the phone several times a week even though her farmhouse did not have a telephone. When she was treated for cancer, Nureyev paid many of her medical bills and visited her often, despite his busy schedule as a performer and choreographer, as well as his own health problems (he was HIV positive and succumbed to AIDS in 1993). In a documentary about Fonteyn, Nureyev said that they danced with "one body, one soul" and that Margot was "all he had, only her." An observer said that "If most people are at level A, they were at level Z." This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Categories: US geography stubs | San Francisco neighborhoods ... Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ...

In the extremely competitive world of ballet, Fonteyn was renowned for her consummate professionalism and loyalty to her friends. Her dancing stood out for its lyricism, grace, and passion. Although Fonteyn was the Royal Ballet's biggest star, its director, Dame Ninette de Valois, cultivated other talents, so that the Royal Ballet of Fonteyn's day also included Nadia Nerina, Svetlana Beriosova, Lynn Seymour, and Antoinette Sibley. At age 16 Dame Ninette de Valois (June 6, 1898 â€“ March 8, 2001) was the Irish founder of Londons renowned Royal Ballet. ... Nadia Nerina (born Cape Town; 21 October 1927) is a retired South African ballerina. ... Svetlana Beriosova (born Sept. ... Lynn Seymour (born Wainwright; 8 March 1939) is a retired Canadian ballerina. ... Dame Antoinette Sibley is a British prima ballerina. ...

Relationships

During the 1940s, Fonteyn had a long relationship with composer Constant Lambert which did not lead to marriage. In 1955, Fonteyn married Dr. Roberto de Arias, a Panamanian diplomat to London and playboy. Their marriage was initially a rocky one due to his infidelities. She was arrested when he attempted a coup against the Panamanian government. In 1965, a rival Panamanian politician shot Arias, leaving him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life. Leonard Constant Lambert (August 23, 1905 â€“ August 21, 1951) was a British composer and conductor. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Playboy is an American mens magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ... Quadriplegia is caused by damage to the spinal cord at a high level (e. ...

The cost of his medical care is a reason why Fonteyn's career lasted until 1979, her sixtieth year, despite her suffering from an arthritic foot. Upon her retirement, the Royal Ballet honoured her with the title prima ballerina assoluta. She ended her days in Panama, remaining loyal to Arias in part because she was very devoted to his children from an earlier marriage. Because Arias's medical bills drained her finances, the Royal Ballet held a special "gala" in 1990 for her benefit. Shortly after his death, she was diagnosed with a cancer that proved fatal. Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. ...

Legacy

She was chancellor of the University of Durham from 1981 to 1990. The main hall in the Student Union building, the Fonteyn Ballroom, is named after her. Durham University is a university in England. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ...

The folk group Eddie From Ohio has a song dedicated to her. Eddie From Ohio (or often just EFO) is an American folk band. ...

Fonteyn and Nureyev are lampooned in Will Vinton's A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) as ice-skating baltic walruses. Cover from the 1990 Atlantic Records soundtrack, currently out of print Will Vintons A Claymation Christmas Celebration is a 1987 Christmas television special featuring stop motion animation known as Claymation. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Main roles

Quotes

Reference

External links

Categories: Prima ballerina assolutas | Ballerinas | English ballet dancers | Divas | Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire | People from Surrey | Chancellors of Durham University | Cancer deaths | 1919 births | 1991 deaths Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ... Malcolm Ian Macdonald (born January 7, 1950, Fulham, England) was an English footballer always known as Supermac. Born in Fulham, London, Macdonald started out as a full back before switching to centre forward. ... Durham University is a university in England. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE, KBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 â€“ March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning British actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ...

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