Author Description
The Life and Works of Lev Ivanov is the first book-length study in any language about this Russian artist - Marius Petipa's colleague and Tchaikovsky's collaborator - who is widely celebrated and yet virtually unknown. It follows Ivanov from his infancy in a St Petersburg foundling home through his training in the Imperial Theatre School and his celebrity marriage, to a career as a dancer, régisseur, and choreographer in the St Petersburg Imperial Ballet. Ivanov's artistic world is described, as is his legacy - some dozen works, including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and the famous dances from Prince Igor - which inspired Mikhail Fokine in the next generation. The book is richly documented, including the first complete publication of Ivanov's memoirs, and hundreds of citations, many published here for the first time, from state documents, reminiscences, and criticism.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This study investigates the life and artistic contributions of Lev Ivanov, a pivotal yet under-examined figure in the history of the Russian Imperial Ballet. Roland John Wiley, a professor of musicology, utilizes archival research and primary source documentation to reconstruct Ivanov's career as a dancer, choreographer, and collaborator with figures such as Tchaikovsky and Petipa. The text argues that Ivanov's creative output served as a foundational bridge between the classical traditions of the 19th century and the innovations of the subsequent generation of choreographers.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive biographical account of Ivanov's life from his upbringing in a St Petersburg foundling home to his tenure at the Imperial Theatre School.
- The first complete publication of Ivanov's personal memoirs.
- Extensive citations from state documents, contemporary criticism, and personal reminiscences.
Scope Limits
- The analysis focuses primarily on the St Petersburg Imperial Ballet context and does not provide an exhaustive history of the broader European ballet scene.
- The text prioritizes archival documentation over speculative psychological analysis of the subject.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and dance historians identify this work as the definitive English-language resource on Ivanov's professional life. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous nature of the primary source integration.
Page Count:
343
Publication Date:
2014-06-07
Publisher:
Not Avail
ISBN-10:
019165759X
ISBN-13:
9780191657597
History
Biography
Dance
Humanities
Music History
Musicology
Russian History
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