Kchessinska's memoirs

[Guest gabrielle]

I'm interested in reading Kchessinska's memoirs, but I don't know the title. I tried searching at Amazon.com, but nothing came up. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Steve Keeley]

The english translation of her book (by Arnold L. Haskell) is called "Dancing in St. Petersburg: The Memoirs of Kschessinska"

(Or maybe just "Petersburg" without the "St."; my sources differ on this point.)

~Steve

[Alexandra]

Hello and Happy New Year to both Gabrielle and Steve. I haven't noticed you here in awhile. Welcome back.

The book I have is a reprint by Da Capo Press, New York, 1977. The full title is "Dancing in Petersburg, the Memoirs of Kschessinska," trans. by Arnold Haskell.

It was originally published in France under the title: "Souvenirs de la Kschessinka," 1960, Librairie Plon.

I hate to say this, Gabrielle, because, of course, I'd rather you buy it from Amazon but you might try www.barnesandnoble.com They have a special rare books section and it's amazing what's there. (And most are not expensive.) You might be able to find it in an old book store in Europe, though.

I hope you find it. I love this book.

Alexandra

[wjglavis]

Hi gabrielle,

Dance Books in Cecil Court (London) is likely to have a copy. They have a web site you can explore: http://www.dancebooks.co.uk/

and keep a good supply of out-of-print ballet books. (That's where I got my own copy of Kschessinska.) Most booksellers I've tried abroad are pretty good about getting books to the States quickly if you pay by credit card. Be warned, however: Dancing in Petersburg won't be cheap; I'd guess 20 or 30 pounds (but for your sake I hope it's a lot less!!) Good luck.

- Wendy

PS -If you have trouble getting through to Dance Books, I think ballet.co.uk has a link to it.

[Dale]

This book is now available at Dance Books (UK) in an affordable version

I've wanted this book for a long time but was daunted by the high price at the used book stores (usually way over $100), but it is now 12.50 pounds. Pretty reasonable. Here's the release:

Dance Books is pleased to announce publication of "Dancing in Petersburg" by

Mathilde Kschessinska.

Mathilde Kschessinska was one of the last great ballerinas of pre-Soviet Russia,

one of the only two to be officially awarded the title of Prima Ballerina

Assoluta. As a dancer she had few rivals: apart from her marvellous technique

she had a star personality and was adored by her public. But her private life

was even more remarkable: mistress first of the last Tsar of Russia and then of

the Grand Duke Andre, whom she later married, Kschessinska was forced to flee

Russia soon after the revolution, beginning a new career as a great dance

teacher in Paris.

Kschessinska was not slow to take advantage of her aristocratic connections in

furthering her career, and there were often difficulties as a result; but no-one

could be angry with her for long, for she retained always a great gift for

friendship and an exceptionally warm heart - always generous, for example, to

the young Karsavina, whom she might have been expected to regard as a potential

revival. Her memoirs give a picture of a fascinating, sometimes infuriating

woman, used to living in surroundings which can nowadays only be dreamt of, and

are essential and enormously enjoyable reading for anyone interested in the

Russian ballet world at the turn of the nineteenth century.

First published in 1960s, Kschessinska's memoirs is one of the scarcest

twentieth-century dance publications, and we are delighted to make it available

again to a new audience.

Copies of the book may be ordered at:

http://www.dancebooks.co.uk/new.asp

[Juliet]

Of course, if you want to read it before you buy it, it is readily available through your library. Libraries have interlibrary loan service available if they don't own a title, just ask about it. That's how I read it.

I am not rushing out to add it to my collection, but I'm very happy that it's now more readily available.