Original Listing Description

eBay This is a rare October 25th, 1923 program (playbill) from the one-week engagement of the Incomparable ANNA PAVLOVA and her Corps de Ballet at the Theatre Saint-Denis in Montreal, Quebec, Canada ..... The engagement included the Ballets "A POLISH WEDDING", "CHOPINIANA", "MAGIC FLUTE", "AUTUMN LEAVES", "AMARILLA", "ORIENTAL IMPRESSIONS" and several Divertissements and included performances by ANNA PAVLOWA, LAURENT NOVIKOFF, HILDA BUTSOVA, M. PIANOWSKI, J. ZALEWSKI, ANDRE OLIVEROFF, FR. VAGINSKI and the Corps de Ballet, with IVAN CLUSTINE, the eminent Ballet Director and THEODORE STIER conducting the Symphony Orchestra ..... Biographical Note: Mlle. ANNA PAVLOVA (1881-1931) is widely regarded as one of the finest classical ballet dancers in history and was most noted as a Principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. Pavlova is most recognized for the creation of the rôle "The Dying Swan" and with her own company, would become the first ballerina to tour ballet around the world. Pavlova's passion for the art of ballet was realized when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipa's original production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. The lavish spectacle made an impression on the young Pavlova, and at the age of eight her mother took her to audition for the renowned Imperial Ballet School where she was finally accepted at age ten. Upon graduating, she began to perform at the Mariinsky Theatre, debuting on September 19th, 1899. In 1907, Anna Pavlova began her first tour, to Moscow, and by 1910 was appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House in America. In 1914, she was traveling through Germany on her way to England when Germany declared war on Russia. At that time, her connection to Russia was for all intents broken. For the rest of her life, Anna Pavlova toured the world with her own company and kept a home in London, where her exotic pets were constant company when she was there. While her contemporary, Isadora Duncan, introduced revolutionary innovations to dance, Anna Pavlova remained largely committed to the classic style. She was known for her daintiness, frailness, lightness and both wittiness and pathos. Her last world tour was in 1928-29 and her last performance in England in 1930. Anna Pavlova appeared in a few silent films: one, The Immortal Swan, she shot in 1924 but it was not shown until after her death. Anna Pavlova died of pleurisy in the Netherlands in 1931. (Reprinted in part from the website About.com.) ..... PROGRAM DETAILS: The sixteen page program measures 6 7/8" X 10 1/4" inches and includes production credits, names of the dancers, a list of the ballets and divertissements in the repertoire and wonderful vintage advertising, but no photos or bios ..... CONDITION: (Please Note!) There is a heavy diagonal fold, a clipped corner to the back cover, the start of splits at both the top and bottom seam, creasing at the corners and moderate edge wear. Despite these flaws, this rare program will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any classical music aficionado or dance historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Playbill collectors and appraisers.