Research Catalog

Interview with Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven Lindgren

Title
  1. Interview with Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven Lindgren [electronic resource] / interviewed by Lynn Garafola ; presented by The George Balanchine Foundation.
Published by
  1. 2001.

Available online

Details

Additional authors
  1. Balanchine, George
  2. Lindgren, Robert.
  3. Tyven, Sonja.
  4. Garafola, Lynn.
  5. Zorina, Vera
  6. George Balanchine Foundation.
  7. George Balanchine Foundation. dnr
Description
  1. 2 streaming video files (207 min.) : digital, stereo.
Alternative title
  1. Popular Balanchine collection.
Subject
  1. Nonfiction films
  2. Interviews
  3. Musicals > On your toes
  4. Video
  5. Dance
  6. Ballet Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
  7. Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
  8. Zorina, Vera
  9. Church, George, 1912-2000
  10. Balanchine, George
  11. Tyven, Sonja
  12. Lindgren, Robert
Genre/Form
  1. Dance.
  2. Video.
  3. Interviews.
  4. Nonfiction films.
Contents
  1. Disc 1 (109 min.). Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven Lindgren speak with Lynn Garafola about performing in the 1954 Broadway revival of On your toes and working with George Balanchine; Lindgren and Tyven speak about their dance backgrounds and careers leading up to this production including performing with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Ballet Theatre; how they both met Balanchine; remembering and hearing about the original production of On your toes; remembering the rehearsals on the theater stage and Balanchine's expectations; speaking about the final week of rehearsals with Balanchine and being dismissed from rehearsals due to lack of sets/props; Garafola showing Lindgren and Tyven a photograph of the costumes for Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and the so-called watermelon girls; Garafola mentions the contradiction of the Slaughter number originally having only four ballet dancers and asks if the tap dancers were included also; the colors of the costumes; Lindgren tells a story about Jimmy Hammerstein asking him to audition for Bobby Van's understudy and how awful it went; Lindgren speaks about working with Balanchine's tap assistant George Church during Quiet night and On your toes numbers; Balanchine giving direction for Quiet night and Church choreographing it; how Lindgren learned to tap dance; being afraid to wear actual tap shoes in rehearsals until Balanchine brought in his own shoes for Lindgren to wear; watching excerpts from the 1939 movie, On your toes with Vera Zorina, and commenting on the similarities and differences to the 1954 Broadway revival; sections shown include opening with credits, first number which was cut from revival, Scheherazade, Princess Zenobia Ballet, and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue; Balanchine setting movement quickly and almost never changing anything; Balanchine changing sections of choreographic works for different companies which included the hoop dance in Nutcracker; Garafola playing the music for Quiet night while Lindgren and Tyven comment on this music; being given new lyrics and needing to quickly learn for the show. Last 2 minutes of video is static.
  2. Disc 2 (ca. 98 min.). Lindgren and Tyven speak about the big production number in On your toes including the costumes and breakdown of the tap and ballet competition, and how the scene ended; Garafola reads what Lillian(?) D'Honau remembered about choreography and costumes; quick costume changes for Slaughter number; Paula Lloyd's recollections of tap dancers going around them; Garafola showing two photocopies of photographs with chorus and with Timmy Everett and Paula Lloyd; Tyven speaks about attending dinner party with Anges de Mille; memories of Karinska attending rehearsals; Balanchine showing interest in costumes and shortening Afternoon of a faun skirt for Maria Tallchief and other costume changes he made; seeing how costumes changed from Paris and New York performances for Danses concertantes; salary for On your toes being approx. 90 dollars with half pay for rehearsals, and an extra 5 dollars for speaking lines; Garafola reads a list of performers in the show and Lindgren and Tyven comment on their looks, ballet technique, and memories; performers listed include Lillian and Marilyn D'Honau, Katia Geneznova, Carolyn George, Marilyn Hale, George Churge, Dorene Kilmer, Helen Gramer, Sigyn, Ruth Sobotka, Wendy Winn, Timmy Everett, John Nola, Nicholas Orloff; Tyven and Lindgren speak about their careers working with Balanchine and which of his works they performed; Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein's relationship; thoughts about the revival closing so early and what they did after the show closed including how they left from Ballet Theatre [Ends abruptly]. Last 7 minutes of video is static.
Call number
  1. *MGZIDVD 5-7314
Note
  1. Audio problems; buzzing.
  2. This interview was created for the Popular Balanchine Collection.
  3. This interview relates to the Popular Balancine dossiers (Boxes 9-13. On Your Toes) (1936, 1937 London production, 1938 Jones Beach Stadium production, 1954 Broadway revival, 1982 Broadway revival) [Dance Division call number: *MGZMD 146, Boxes 9-13], compiled by Lynn Garafola; 1937 Hollywood film, compiled by Beth Genné and Lynn Garafola. Binder 1. Inventory. Binder 2. Overview by Lynn Garafola, programs (1936 originals and photocopies), notices and reviews (1936 & 1937), photographs, and production materials (photocopy of Jo Mielziner contract, digital scans of set designs, list of flats, and hanging plot). Binder 3. Transcripts of interviews with Francia Albrecht (née Holliday), Fred Danieli, Frieda Flier, Tamara Geva, Grace Kaye, David Raksin, and Victoria Sainte-Claire. Binder 4. Background information (photocopies of and typed excerpts from published materials and brief biographical notes on artists of the production). Binder 5. U.S. tour, 1937: photocopies and transcripts of press releases and publicity materials. London production, 1937: transcript of interview with Vera Zorina, photocopies of programs, printed materials, and reviews. Jones Beach Stadium production, 1938: photocopies of souvenir program and reviews. Binder 6. Hollywood film, 1937. Overview by Beth Genné, background materials (photocopies of printed sources), production materials (correspondence, publicity materials, James Wang's personal script with camera shots detailed), notices and reviews, photographs (downloaded images, photocopies, and digital scans), and transcript of interview with Ray Weamer and Joan Bayley. Binder 7. Broadway revival, 1954. Background information (photocopies and transcript excerpts of print sources, correspondence, and programs), notices and reviews (typed compilations of press commentary and published materials), photographs (prints and photocopies), and transcripts of interviews with Marilyn D'Honau, Lillian D'Honau, Katia Geleznova, Marilyn Hale, Dorene Kilmer, Helen Kramer, Paula Lloyd, Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven, John Nola, and Edward Pfeiffer. Binder 8. Broadway revival, 1982. Background materials (photocopies of printed sources, programs, transcripts, and New York Public Library video catalog entries), programs (photocopies and one original), notices and reviews (Lexis-Nexis search results, and photocopies of printed sources), photographs, and transcripts of interviews with Barbara Horgan, Valentina Kozlova and Leonid Kozloff, Natalia Makarova, John Mauceri, Susan Pilarre, and Donald Saddler. Also includes oversize photocopy of souvenir program, photocopy of piano-vocal score, photocopy of playscript, sheet music for "There's a Small Hotel" and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," and photocopies of oversize clippings.compiled by Camille Hardy. A production investigated but not included in the Popular Balanchine repertory. Inventory, argument for inclusion in repertory by Camille Hardy, rebuttal by Claude Conyers, background materials (photocopies and typescript from published sources), programs, notices and reviews (photocopies, typescripts, and typed compilation of press commentary), photographs, photocopies of images from the press, and transcripts of interviews with Alicia Alonso, Maria Karnilova, and Donald Saddler. Also includes piano-vocal arrangements of "All the Time," "Ballet for Tata," and "It's All Yours," and oversize conductor's scores for dance numbers.
Access (note)
  1. Patrons can access streaming video files online only onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts.
Event (note)
  1. Videotaped during an interview at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2001.
Source (note)
  1. George Balanchine Foundation.
Title
  1. Interview with Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven Lindgren [electronic resource] / interviewed by Lynn Garafola ; presented by The George Balanchine Foundation.
Imprint
  1. 2001.
Country of producing entity
  1. U.S.
Original version
  1. Original format: 2 Hi 8 cassettes.
Performer
  1. Interviewees, Robert Lindgren and Sonja Tyven Lindgren ; interviewer, Lynn Garafola.
Event
  1. Videotaped during an interview at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2001.
Restricted access
  1. Patrons can access streaming video files online only onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts.
Source
  1. Gift; George Balanchine Foundation. NN-PD
Connect to:
  1. NYPL Digital Collections
Added author
  1. Balanchine, George, choreographer.
  2. Lindgren, Robert. Interviewee
  3. Tyven, Sonja. Interviewee
  4. Garafola, Lynn. Interviewer
  5. Zorina, Vera, dancer.
  6. George Balanchine Foundation.
  7. George Balanchine Foundation. Donor
Added title
  1. Popular Balanchine collection.
Research call number
  1. *MGZIDVD 5-7314
View in legacy catalog