Vera Karalli and Mikhail Mordkin, Ballet Dancers, Imperial Theatre of Moscow
Photo in the Parisian magazine "Le Theatre," No. 249, May 1909. Special issue devoted to "La Saison Russe a Paris." The 1909 season was, essentially, the premiere of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, although that name was not used until the following year. Most of the dancers were principals of the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg, hired by Diaghilev to perform in Paris during the Imperial Ballet's summer recess.
Vera Karalli was born in Moscow and graduated from the Moscow Theatre School in 1906 under the direction of the prominent Russian instructor Alexander Gorsky. She performed with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in the premier season in Paris in 1909, as well as 1919 and 1920. Vera was often paired with danseur Mikhail Mordkin. In the 1920s, Vera Karalli taught dance in Kaunas, Lithuania and from 1930 until 1935 she was the ballet mistress of the Romanian Opera in the capital city of Bucharest. From 1938 until 1941 Karalli lived in Paris, France. Later, she settled in Vienna, Austria and taught ballet there until her death in 1972.
Mikhail Mordkin was one of two of the male stars of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1909. Mordkin was trained at the Bolshoi, in Moscow, graduating from the Bolshoi Ballet School in 1899. In the same year he was appointed ballet master. He joined Diaghilev for his Paris season as a leading dancer, ranking above Nijinsky. After the first season, he remained in Paris to dance with Anna Pavlova going on to form his own company, All Star Imperial Russian Ballet, which toured America in 1911 and 1912. Mikhail returned to the Bolshoi and was appointed its director in 1917.
He left Russia after the October Revolution, first working in Lithuania, and finally settling in the United States in 1924. He founded the Mordkin Ballet in 1926, but after a European tour the company disbanded in the same year. From among his students in America, he formed a new Mordkin Ballet in 1937, now American Ballet Theatre. His student, Lucia Chase, helped to initially finance the company and after the first season, she took over the management from Mordkin.
[Source: www.russianballethistory.com/diaghilevsdancers.htm]
Vera Karalli and Mikhail Mordkin, Ballet Dancers, Imperial Theatre of Moscow
Photo in the Parisian magazine "Le Theatre," No. 249, May 1909. Special issue devoted to "La Saison Russe a Paris." The 1909 season was, essentially, the premiere of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, although that name was not used until the following year. Most of the dancers were principals of the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg, hired by Diaghilev to perform in Paris during the Imperial Ballet's summer recess.
Vera Karalli was born in Moscow and graduated from the Moscow Theatre School in 1906 under the direction of the prominent Russian instructor Alexander Gorsky. She performed with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in the premier season in Paris in 1909, as well as 1919 and 1920. Vera was often paired with danseur Mikhail Mordkin. In the 1920s, Vera Karalli taught dance in Kaunas, Lithuania and from 1930 until 1935 she was the ballet mistress of the Romanian Opera in the capital city of Bucharest. From 1938 until 1941 Karalli lived in Paris, France. Later, she settled in Vienna, Austria and taught ballet there until her death in 1972.
Mikhail Mordkin was one of two of the male stars of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1909. Mordkin was trained at the Bolshoi, in Moscow, graduating from the Bolshoi Ballet School in 1899. In the same year he was appointed ballet master. He joined Diaghilev for his Paris season as a leading dancer, ranking above Nijinsky. After the first season, he remained in Paris to dance with Anna Pavlova going on to form his own company, All Star Imperial Russian Ballet, which toured America in 1911 and 1912. Mikhail returned to the Bolshoi and was appointed its director in 1917.
He left Russia after the October Revolution, first working in Lithuania, and finally settling in the United States in 1924. He founded the Mordkin Ballet in 1926, but after a European tour the company disbanded in the same year. From among his students in America, he formed a new Mordkin Ballet in 1937, now American Ballet Theatre. His student, Lucia Chase, helped to initially finance the company and after the first season, she took over the management from Mordkin.
[Source: www.russianballethistory.com/diaghilevsdancers.htm]