Michel Fokine

Fokine as Lucien d'Hervilly in Paquita , around 1905

Michel Fokine (. French transcription , Russian Михаил Михайлович Фокин , Mikhail Mikhailovich Fokin ) (April 11 * ^{. Jul} / 23. April 1880 ^greg. In St. Petersburg ; † 22. August 1942 in New York City ) was a Russian - American choreographer . He is considered the founder of modern ballet .

Life

Michel Fokine was trained at the Imperial Ballet School in Saint Petersburg. In 1898 he made his debut at the Mariinsky Theater . From 1902 he finally worked himself as a teacher at the Imperial Ballet School. During this time, among others, Acis and Galatea (1905) and Der dying Schwan (1907), a solo for Anna Pawlowa .

In 1909 he accepted Sergei Djagilev's invitation to Paris and became the choreographer of the Ballets Russes . During his guest performance in Paris, his ballet Polowetz dances was premiered on May 19, 1909 at the Théâtre du Châtelet . In the following years he achieved world fame with works such as Les Sylphides (1909) and The Firebird (1910). Other highlights were Petruschka (1911), Le Specter de la Rose (1911) and Daphnis and Chloe (1912). In 1912, Michel Fokin left the Ballets Russes because he was jealous of the close relationship between Djagilew and Vaslav Nijinsky , but choreographed again in 1914 for the Ballets Russes, including Joseph's legend with Léonide Massine in the lead role.

In 1919 he emigrated to the United States and worked there for various ballet companies. In 1932 he acquired US citizenship. His life's work includes more than 70 ballets.

Web links

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personal data
SURNAME	Fokine, Michel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Фокин, Михаил Михайлович Фокин; Fokin, Mikhail Mikhailovich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Russian-American choreographer and founder of modern ballet
DATE OF BIRTH	April 23, 1880
PLACE OF BIRTH	St. Petersburg
DATE OF DEATH	August 22, 1942
Place of death	New York City