Research Catalog

Title

Interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov [sound recording].

Author

Baryshnikov, Mikhail, 1948-

Publication

1981.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Ashley, Merrill.
• McDonagh, Don.

Description

2 sound discs (ca. 96 min.): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1 (ca. 48 min.). Mikhail Baryshnikov speaks with Don McDonagh about dancing in a studio for the camera; his thoughts on watching Giselle being filmed live at Covent Garden in London; reasons he thinks filming a live performance produces a better result than filming dance in a television studio; performing for the [WNET-TV series] Live from Lincoln Center; explains why he has stated that dancing Albrecht in Giselle is like playing solitaire; his approach to certain roles, for example the Prince in The nutcracker and the Spirit of the rose in Mikhail Fokine's ballet Spectre de la rose; judging his own performance as he dances, including as in Petrouchka; his constant awareness of the audience; taking time off from performing due to tendinitis; his routine on a day when he is performing; determining when a role has been adequately learned to permit freedom in dancing it [from ca. 4 min. into track 8, there is some print-through, and the recording repeats at least once]; his interpretation of the feelings of the Tin Soldier [in Balanchine's ballet The steadfast tin soldier] for the Ballerina; the role of Albrecht, including certain points at which he must show his state of mind to the audience [ends abruptly].
• Disc 2 (ca. 48 min.). Tracks 1 to ca. 3:15 min. of track 2 record Mikhail Baryshnikov speaking with Don McDonagh, and the sound quality is very poor. The rest of the recording is an unrelated interview [beginning ca. 3:40" of track 3] with Merrill Ashley; for the most part she speaks with McDonagh about her injuries and diet as well as, briefly, how she came to study at the School of American Ballet. The sound quality of the Ashley interview is good through ca. 3:50" into track 7; after a brief gap, the recording resumes with very poor sound quality. Also, at this point an additional, unidentified male speaker [first heard at ca. 2:30 of track 9] seems to have joined Ashley and McDonagh.

Donor/Sponsor

• Oral history archive.
• New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008.

Subjects

• Baryshnikov, Mikhail, 1948-
• Dance in motion pictures, television, etc
• Audiotapes > Barysnikov, M
• Audiotapes > Ashley, M
• Ashley, Merrill

Note

• Interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov conducted by Don McDonagh on Jan. 2, 1981 in New York City. Disc 2 also contains (from ca. 3:40" of track 2 through the end of the recording) an interview with Merrill Ashley also conducted by McDonagh; in the latter part of this interview an unidentified male speaker also participates.
• Sound quality ranges from very poor to good. A substantial portion of the recording is marred by distortion, which makes the speakers difficult to understand. On disc 1, from ca. 4 min. into track 8, voices from the other side of the recording ("print-through") can be faintly heard. The sound quality of disc 2 is very poor on tracks 1-2, and from ca. 3:50" on track 7 to the end of the recording. The remainder of disc 2 has good sound quality. On occasion some print-through can be heard.
• Open as of August 22, 2012.

Funding (note)

• Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008.
• Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.

Source (note)

• Don McDonagh

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2491

OCLC

316799507

Author

Baryshnikov, Mikhail, 1948- Interviewee

Title

Interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov [sound recording].

Imprint

1981.

Funding

Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2007-2008.

Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2007-2008.

Local Note

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2491 nos. 1-2

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2491

Source

Gift; Don McDonagh, 2007. NN-PD

Local Subject

Audiotapes -- Barysnikov, M.

Audiotapes -- Ashley, M.

Added Author

Ashley, Merrill. Interviewee

McDonagh, Don. Interviewer

McDonah, Don. Donor

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2491 [sound disc]