Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Gruen, John

Description

1. 2 sound discs (approximately one hour): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

1. Disc 1, approximately 48 minutes. John Gruen speaks with Gerd Larsen about her career as a dancer and teacher at the Royal Ballet, beginning with a brief description of the interview's venue and of Larsen [short gap]; Larsen speaks about her background and early dance training in Oslo, and in England at the Royal Ballet school; joining the Royal Ballet; her husband, Harold Turner including his early death; becoming a teacher at the request of Ninette de Valois; learning by observing other teachers in Europe and in New York as well as in the [former] Soviet Union; some of her roles at the Royal Ballet; her concern with transmitting the English tradition originally created by de Valois; the characteristics of the English dancer; the relationship of her teaching methods and class content to the company's repertory; her sense of good fortune in being a teacher at the Royal Ballet; her character dancing, including her various sources for learning a role; Margot Fonteyn; Rudolf Nureyev including his perfectionism; more on Fonteyn, in particular her strength in the face of personal adversity and her kindness; briefly, Larsen's daughter, Solvig; more on Fonteyn [ends abruptly].
2. Disc 2, approximately 10 minutes. John Gruen continues to speak with Gerd Larsen about the Royal Ballet including the size of the company's repertory as too big to rely on just one or two great ballerinas like Margot Fonteyn; her advice to the aspiring ballet dancer; her plan to continue teaching as long as she can.

Donor/Sponsor

1. Gift of John Gruen, April 1974

Subject

1. Larsen, Gerd
2. Nureyev, Rudolf, 1938-1993
3. De Valois, Ninette, 1898-2001
4. Turner, Harold, 1909-1962
5. Fonteyn, Margot, 1919-1991
6. Royal Ballet
7. Dance teachers
8. Audiotapes > Larsen, G

Call number

1. *MGZTL 4-167

Note

1. Interview with Gerd Larsen conducted by John Gruen on July 19, 1972, in London, England. This interview was used as a basis for a chapter in John Gruen's book, The private world of ballet (New York, Viking Press).
2. For transcript, see: *MGZMT 3-167.
3. Sound quality is good. There is occasional extraneous noise as well as a few short gaps.

Funding (note)

1. The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Author

1. Larsen, Gerd, interviewee.

Title

1. Interview with Gerd Larsen. July 19, 1972 [sound recording], 1972.

Production

1. 1972

Type of content

1. spoken word

Type of medium

1. audio

Type of carrier

1. audio disc

Event

1. Recorded by John Gruen 1972, July 19 London, England.

Funding

1. The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.

Original version

1. Original format: one sound cassette (approximately one hour); 1 7/8 ips. originally recorded on July 19, 1972; transferred to wav file and compact disc formats in 2013.

Local note

1. Former classmark: *MGZTC 3-167

Added author

1. Gruen, John, interviewer.
2. Gruen, John., donor

Research call number

1. *MGZTL 4-167