Jump to content

Serge Wolkonsky: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Mart071 (talk | contribs)
100 edits
mNo edit summary
 
(99 intermediate revisions by 66 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Russian drama teacher (1860–1937)}}
{{Wikify|date=January 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| image = Sergey Volkonsky 1.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1860|5|4}}
| birth_place = [[Lääne-Harju Parish]], [[Governorate of Estonia]], [[Russian Empire]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1937|8|25|1860|5|4}}
| death_place = [[Virginia]], United States
}}
Prince '''Serge Wolkonsky''' (also referred to as '''Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky'''; {{langx|ru|Серге́й Миха́йлович Волко́нский}}; 4 May 1860 &ndash; 25 October 1937) was an influential Russian theatrical worker, one of the first Russian proponents of [[eurhythmics]], pupil and friend of [[Émile Jaques-Dalcroze]], and creator of an original system of actor's training that included both expressive gesture and expressive speech.


==Biography==
Prince '''Serge Wolkonsky''' ({{lang-ru|Сергей Михайлович Волконский}}; also refered to as Sergei Mikhailovitch Wolkonsky or Volkonsky) ([[May 4]] 1860 - [[October 25]] 1937) was born on the Fall estate near Revel in [[Imperial Russia]] (now [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]]) and died in [[Hot Springs, Virginia]], [[USA]]. He was buried in [[Richmond, Virginia]].
{{Moresources | section|date=March 2024}}
Wolkonsky was born on the [[Keila-Joa|Fall estate]] near Revel in [[Imperial Russia]] (now [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]]). His mother was Princess Elizaveta Grigorievna Volkonskaya, daughter of Grigory Petrovich Volkonsky (son of Sophia, a sister of [[Decembrist]] [[Sergei Volkonsky]]) and Mary (née Countess Benckendorff, daughter of Count [[Alexander Benckendorff]]).


Princess Volkonskaya profoundly influenced her son Serge, defining many of his interests, including his Orthodox religious views; among her friends was the well-known Russian philosopher, theologian and poet [[Vladimir Solovyov (philosopher)|Vladimir Solovyov]]. Wolkonsky's father, Mikhail Sergeevich, was a son of Decembrist [[Sergei Volkonsky]] and Mary, née Raevskaya; his godfather was [[Pushkin]]'s friend [[Ivan Pushchin]], another Decembrist. From his birth, Michael was registered as a serf, and as the son of a deportee wasn't allowed to enter the University, {{clarify|date=February 2011}} but in 1855, just after the death of [[Nicholas I of Russia|Emperor Nicholas I]], he reached Russia from Siberia, and by the 1870s had become a member of the [[State Council of Imperial Russia|State Council]].
He was an outstanding theatrical worker, one of the first Russian rhythmicians, pupil and friend of [[Émile Jaques-Dalcroze|Emile Jaques-Dalcroze]], and creator of an original system of actor's training including both expressive gesture and expressive speech.


Wolkonsky graduated from the philological faculty of [[St. Petersburg University]] in 1884. In the spring of 1893, he attended the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in Chicago as an official representative of the Department of Public Instruction, and an article by him about it was published later on in ''[[Vestnik Evropy]]'' ("The European Bulletin"). Later that year he went on a world cruise before returning to Petersburg via Constantinople. In the mid-1890s, he delivered lectures on Russia at [[Cornell University|Cornell]] and [[Harvard University|Harvard]].<ref>Simon Karlinsky (ed.), ''Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya'' (U. of California Press, rev. ed., 2001), p. 47.</ref><ref>''Cornell Alumni News'', Vol. 14, No. 23 (13 March 1912), p. 3.</ref><ref>''The Harvard Crimson'', 24 February 1896.</ref>


During the reign of Tsar [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] Serge Volkonsky converted to [[Russian Greek Catholic Church]] from Russian Orthodoxy. In 1899, Wolkonsky became Director of the Imperial Theaters, the post for which he is most remembered. Although he held the position only until 1902, he achieved a great deal; [[Diaghilev|Serge Diaghilev]] was his immediate assistant, and Wolkonsky entrusted him with the publication of the ''Annual of the Imperial Theaters'' in 1900. New names appeared in the theaters, such as painters [[Alexandre Benois]], [[Konstantin Somov]], and [[Léon Bakst]]. Wolkonsky was forced to send in his resignation after the conflict with [[Mathilde Kschessinskaya]].
'''The Main events of Life'''
*Ancestors. Family. Childhood.
*High school years. Ernesto Rossi. Passion for the Theatre. 1872-1881.
*University. The Beginning of actor’s work. Zemstvo (elective district council). 1881-1892.
*The First American Trip. World's Columbian Exposition", Chicago, 1893. The World's Parliament of Religions. Tour Round the World. 1893-1894.
*The Second American Trip. The Lowell Lectures. 1895-1896.
*Director of The Imperial Theatres. 1899-1901. Tommaso Salvini. K.Stanislavsky
*Jaques-Dalcroze and Hellerau. The Beginning of Rhythmic December of 1910 – until the First World War
*The First World War.
*After the October of 1917.
*Emigration. Italy – Austria – Paris. The Third and the Last American Trip.October 1937.


In 1910, he trained in and taught [[eurhythmics]] with [[Émile Jaques-Dalcroze]], influencing [[Stanislavski]]'s work on "tempo-rhythm",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/ttu-ir/handle/2346/15905|title = Dalcroze by any other name: Eurhythmics in early modern theatre and dance|date = August 2003|last1 = Lee|first1 = James W.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Davidson |first1=Andrew |title=Konstantin Stanislavski and Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: historical and pedagogical connections between actor training and music education |journal=Stanislavski Studies |date=3 July 2021 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=185–203 |doi=10.1080/20567790.2021.1945811|doi-access=free |url=https://openresearch.surrey.ac.uk/view/delivery/44SUR_INST/12152748670002346/13163269740002346 }}</ref> as well as the [[François Delsarte|Delsarte]] method of gestures and movements, and he began to publish articles publicizing them in Russia. These works aroused the interest of [[Constantin Stanislavski]], with whom he briefly collaborated. He set up a school and journal to propagate his ideas, but the advent of [[World War I]] in 1914 put an end to them, and he retired to his estate in [[Tambov]] province until 1918.
==Ancestors. Family. Childhood==


After the [[October Revolution]] he taught acting technique in Moscow for a time, but in the spring of 1919 he contracted typhus (as a result of which a premature obituary was published), and in August he was arrested by the [[Cheka]]. He was released and continued teaching and giving lectures, working for a time with [[Proletkult]] and [[Proletcult Theatre]], but eventually he emigrated.
Wolkonsky's mother was Princess Elizabeth (Elizaveta Grigorievna) Wolkonsky, nee Wolkonsky (born 1839). She was a daughter of Grigory Petrovich Wolkonsky (a son of Sophia, a sister of Decembrist Serge Wolkonsky) and Mary A. Wolkonsky (nee Comptess Benkendorf, a daughter of Count [[Alexander Benkendorf]]. Princess Wolkonsky, who belonged to the Holy Church, profoundly influenced her son Serge, defining many of his interests including his religious views. Among her friends were the well-known Russian philosopher, theologian and poet [[Vladimir Solovyov]]. She wrote some books on religious matters - ''On Church'', ''Church Tradition and Russian Theological Literature'' - as well as a book ''The Family of Princes Wolkonsky''. She died on February 15 1897 in St. Petersburg, and was buried in Fall, entailed estate of Count Benkendorf.


From February 1926, he lived in Paris, where he became a leading theatrical critic; he also continued teaching and giving lectures. "During this period of his life in Paris Wolkonsky became one of the most brilliant members of the Russian Emigration".<ref>Marija Trofimova, "Prince Serge M. Wolkonsky – theatrical critic of ''Poslednie Novosti''" ("Knyaz Sergei Volkonsky – teatralny kritik gazety ''Poslednie Novosti''") (in Russian), ''Rev. Etud. Slaves'', Paris, LXIV/4, 1992, p.735.</ref> He became the first director of established in 1931 [[Conservatoire Rachmaninoff]] in Paris. During this time he became "a close friend and associate of the poet [[Marina Tsvetaeva]] (who dedicated to him her cycle of poems 'The Disciple' and wrote an essay about his memoirs)."<ref>Karlinsky (ed.), ''Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya'', p. 48.</ref>
Wolkonsky's father, Michael Sergeevich, was born in 1832, in [[Petrovsky Zavod]] in [[Siberia]]. He was a son of [[Volkonsky Sergei Grigorievich|Decembrist Prince Serge Wolkonsky]] and Mary, nee Raevsky. Ivan Puzschin was his godfather. From his birth, Michael was registered as a serf. He graduated from the [[Irkutsk]] gymnasium but wasn't allowed to enter the University as the son of the deportee. However, this reason didn't prevent him from his future career. In 1855, just after the death of [[Nicholas I of Russia|Emperor Nicholas I]], Michael Wolkonsky reached Russia from Siberia, and by the 1870s had become a member of the State Council. It's interesting to note that this his status didn't prevent him however from publishing the book of his father, "Memoirs of a Decembrist". He died in 1909 in Rome, and was also buried in Fall.


In 1936, he was invited by the [[Kurt Jooss]] ballet school in London, after which he taught in the ballet company of [[Alicia Markova]] and [[Anton Dolin (ballet dancer)|Anton Dolin]]. In London, he met his future wife, Mary Walker Fearn, daughter of United States diplomat [[Walker Fearn|J. Walker Fearn]] and, by her first marriage, a sister-in-law of the former Mrs. Elsie French [[Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt|Vanderbilt]]. After the marriage, Prince and Princess Wolkonsky went to the United States, where, in [[Hot Springs, Virginia]], he died after a brief illness. "His health had been undermined by four years of teaching in Bolshevik schools."<ref>''The New York Times'', 26 October 1937, p. 17.</ref> On 31 October, a requiem was held in a Catholic church, and "besides relatives there was all Russian Paris."<ref>F. Requiem on Prince Serge Wolkonsky, ''Poslednie Novosti'', 1937, 1 November, N 6064, p. 3 (in Russian).</ref> He was buried in [[Richmond, Virginia]].
==University. The Beginning of actor’s work. Zemstvo (elective district council). 1881-1892==


== Works ==
Wolkonsky graduated from the philological faculty of St. Petersburg University in 1884.
* ''Pictures of Russian History and Russian Literature''. Boston, NY, London; Lamson, Wolffe & Co. 1st ed. 1897; ''Pictures…'', (Lowell lectures), 1898
* ''Impressions: sketches of American life as observed by a Russian''. Chicago, 1893
* ''My reminiscences'' (translated by A.E. Chamot). London: Hutchinson & Co, 2 vols, 1924
* "The Decembrists. The first Russian revolutionists," ''Thought'', v.3, 1928


(For a full list please see Russian article.)
==The First American Trip. World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. The World's Parliament of Religions. Tour Round the World. 1893-1894==


== See also ==
In spring of 1893, in the frames of [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in Chicago the [[World's Parliament of Religions]] was opened. The Russian Orthodox Church categorically refused to be presented there and that's why Serge Wolkonsky, 33 years old layman, catholic of the East ceremony, was there as an official representative of Dep't of Public Instruction. His reports and speeches were of an ordinary style and contents and made a deep resonance there. Messages on Parliament had been regularly published in the journal "Zerkovny Vestnik" ("The Bulletin of Church") in spite of that attitude to the Congress. Wolkonsky's article was published later on in journal "Vestnik Evropy" ("The European Bulletin") .
* [[Vera Griner]]
On December 2nd 1893 he went by ship "Oceanic" from [[San Francisco]], visiting Havai, Japan, China, Araby, the Mediterranean Sea and Italy before returning to Petersburg via Konstantinopol.


== Bibliography ==
==The Second American Trip. The Lowell Lectures. 1895-1896==
* R.C.Beachem, "Appia, Jaques-Dalcroze and Hellerau," NTQ, v.1, N 2-3, 1985
* C.Bommeli, "Vera Griner," ''Le Rythme'', Geneve, bull. 8-9, 1990—1991, p.&nbsp;24-25
* Arnold L. Haskell. ''Diaghileff. His artistic and private life''. — NY, 1935
* Matilda Kshessinskaya. ''Dancing in Petersburg — London, 1960, 1973; Souvenirs de la Kshessinskaya''. — Paris, 1960.
* Mary Trofimov, "The Last Days of Prince Serge Wolkonsky)," ''Theatrical Life'', Moscow, N 20, 1991, p.&nbsp;31 (in Russian)


(For a full list please see Russian article.)
[[Lowell Institute]], Boston; [[Harvard University]], Cambridge, Mass.; [[Columbia University]], NY; [[Washington Club]], Washington, D.C.; [[University of Chicago]]; Steinway Hall,Chicago, Ill.; [[Twentieth Century Club]], Chicago, Ill.; [[All Souls' Church]], Chicago, Ill.; [[Art Museum]], St.Louis, Mo.; [[Cornell University]], Ithaca, NY.; [[Carnegie Hall]], New York, NY.
In April 1896 Harvard University established the [[Slav Dialects Chair]] and asked Wolkonsky to teach there.


== References ==
==Director of The Imperial Theatres. 1899-1901. [[Salvini, Tommaso|Tommaso Salvini]]. K.Stanislavsky==
<references/>


{{commons category|Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky}}
Wolkonsky was director only during two years 1899-1901. He was able though did a lot: [[Diaghilev|Serge Diaghilev]] was his immediate assistant and Wolkonsky entrusted he the edition of the famouse ''[[Annual of the Imperial Theaters]]'' in [[1900]]. New names appeared in the Theatres - painters [[Alexandre Benois]], [[Konstantin Somov]], [[Léon Bakst]].


{{Authority control}}
Wolkonsky was forced to send in his resignation after the conflict with [[Mathilde Kschessinskaya]].


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolkonsky, Serge}}
==Jaques-Dalcroze and Hellerau. The Beginning of Rhythmic December of 1910 – until the First World War==

The first meeting with Dalcroze. [[Dorn, Wolf|Wolf Dorn]]. [[Adolphe Appia]]. Rhythmics lectures. The beginning of own Wolkonsky actor’s training system.
The Courses of Rhythmic Gymnastics based by Wolkonsky in Petersburg. The Leaflets of The Courses of Rhythmic Gymnastics

==After the October of 1917==

Moscow. Rhythmic schools. The foundation of the Rhythm Institute. The false obituaries
Petrograd. The last days in Russia. September – December of 1921

==Emigration. Italy – Austria – Paris. The Third and the Last American Trip. October 1937==

From February 1926 Wolkonsky lived in Paris. “During this period of his life in Paris Wolkonsky was became one of the most brilliant person of Russian Emigration”<ref>Marija Trofimova. Prince Serge M.Wolkonsky – theatrical critic of the “Last News” paper (“Knyaz Serge Wolkonsky – teatralny kritik gazety “Poslednye Novosty” (in Russian). - Rev.Etud.Slaves, Paris, LXIV/4, 1992, p.735</ref>. His articles were printed in many journals, and from May 1926 he had began to publish in “Last News” paper, the famouse Russian newspaper of Paris established in April 1920. Extensive theatrical knowledge of Wolkonsky, writer skills, the splendid and light language, broad-mind made him the leader among the numerous theatrical critics of Paris. He had became the [[La Critique éntrangère en France]] member (his trade-unoin card is in [[Bashrushin Theatre Museum]] in Moscow). In 1929 Wolkonsky was the [[Tourgenev Society]] member, he had given lectures about Russian history, literature, culture in many lecture-halls in Paris, Freiburg, Mentona, Lion and other cities. Besides, he went on teaching, gave lessons on Rhythmic, mimicry, expressive movement and speech in numerous ballet and treatrical studios (among them the ones of [[Mathilde Kschessinska]], [[Vera Trefilov]] and others). Was the mimicry teacher in [[Russian Conservatoire]] and in 1932 had become the Director of Conservatoire. In 1932 also had become the one of the judges of [[Ballet Contests]] named as ]]“International Dance Archives”]] (“Mejdunarodny Archivy Tanza”) and gave a series of lectures about expressive movement announced by this Contests. In 1936 was invited by [[Kurt Ioss]] ballet school in London, then taught in ballet company of [[Alicia Markova]] and [[Anton Dolin]]. In this city Wolkonsky met the woman he married, [[Mary Fearn French]]. She was the daughter of United States Minister to Rumania and to Greece and Serbia [[J.Walker Fearn]], widow of [[Seth Barton French]] and a sister-in-law of the former [[Mrs.Elsie French Vanderbilt]]. After the marriage Prince and Princess Wolkonsky went to USA, and there in little town Hot-Springs Prince Wolkonsky died after a brief illness. “His health had been undermined by four years of teaching in Bolshevik schools” <ref>The New York Times, 26 October 1937, p.17</ref>.

==References==
<references />

==Works==
* Art et Beaute, ''Nouvelle Revue'', 1-r Avril, Paris, 1892
* Art of The Stage, ''The Outlook'', May-June 1913, p.747
* Bilder aus der Geschihte und Litteratur Russland", (перевод A.Hippius), E.Perthes, Basel, 1897 — 1 изд., 1904 — 2 изд.
* ''Czlowiek wyrazisty''. Warszawa, I.Rzepecki, 1920
* 'The Decembrists. The first Russian revolutionists'. NY, ''Thought'', v.3, 8, 1928
* ''Die Dekabristen; einzige berechtige Ubersetzung aus dem Russischen, von R.Freiherr von Campenhausen''. Riga: G.Löffler, 1926
* ''Impressions: sketches of American life as observed by a Russian''. Chicago, 1893
* ''My reminiscences'' (translated by A.E. Chamot). London: Hutchinson&Co, 2 volumes, 1924
* ''Pictures of Russian History and Russian Literature''. Boston, NY, London; Lamson, Wolffe & Co. 1st ed. 1897; ''Pictures…'', (Lowell lectures), 1898
For a full list see please in Russian article.

==Bibliography==

* R.C.Beachem, Appia, Jaques-Dalcroze and Hellerau — NTQ, v.1, N 2-3, 1985
* C.Bommeli, Vera Griner — Le Rythme, Geneve, bull.8-9, 1990—1991, p.24-25
* Arnold L.Haskell. ''Diaghileff. His artistic and private life''. — NY, 1935
* Matilda Kshessinskaya. Dancing in Petersburg — London, 1960, 1973; Souveniers de la Kshessinskaya. — Paris, 1960.
* F.J.Marker. Craig and Appia, a Decade of Friendship and Crisis, 1914—1924. — Essays theatre, v.3, p.69, 1985
* F.Martin a.o. Emile Jaques-Dalcroze. L’Homme. Le Compositeur. Le createur de la Rythmique. — Neuchatel, 1965
* Mrs.Seth French Engaged to Prince — New-York Times (NY), July 14, 1936, p.23
* Prince Wolkonsky Dies in Virginia — Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va), Oct.27, 1937, p.6
* Prince Wolkonsky Is Dead in Virginia — New-York Times (NY), Oct.26, 1937, p.17
* D.Thompson. Another Sun, a play by Dorothy Thompson and Fritz Kortner. — New York, 1940, typewritten.
* Mary Trofimov, Hundred to Beautiful Lady. Le Rythme, Geneve, bull.8-9, 1990—1991, p.22-24
* Mary Trofimov, The Last Days of Prince Serge Wolkonsky). – Theatrical Life journal, Moscow, N 20, 1991, p.31 (in Russian)
For a full list see please in Russian article.


==See also==
* [[Griner Vera]]

[[Category:Rhythmicians]]
[[Category:Rhythmics teachers]]
[[Category:1860 births]]
[[Category:1860 births]]
[[Category:1937 deaths]]
[[Category:1937 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Lääne-Harju Parish]]

[[Category:People from the Governorate of Estonia]]
[[ru:Волконский, Сергей Михайлович]]
[[Category:Volkonsky family]]
[[Category:Dalcroze Eurhythmics]]
[[Category:Acting theorists]]
[[Category:Converts to Eastern Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy]]
[[Category:Former Russian Orthodox Christians]]
[[Category:Russian drama teachers]]
[[Category:Russian Eastern Catholics]]
[[Category:Russian theatre directors]]
[[Category:Russian literary critics]]
[[Category:White Russian emigrants to France]]
[[Category:White Russian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France]]

Latest revision as of 08:33, 29 November 2024

Serge Wolkonsky
Born(1860-05-04)May 4, 1860
Lääne-Harju Parish, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire
DiedAugust 25, 1937(1937-08-25) (aged 77)
Virginia, United States

Prince Serge Wolkonsky (also referred to as Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky; Russian: Серге́й Миха́йлович Волко́нский; 4 May 1860 – 25 October 1937) was an influential Russian theatrical worker, one of the first Russian proponents of eurhythmics, pupil and friend of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, and creator of an original system of actor's training that included both expressive gesture and expressive speech.

Biography

[edit]

Wolkonsky was born on the Fall estate near Revel in Imperial Russia (now Tallinn, Estonia). His mother was Princess Elizaveta Grigorievna Volkonskaya, daughter of Grigory Petrovich Volkonsky (son of Sophia, a sister of Decembrist Sergei Volkonsky) and Mary (née Countess Benckendorff, daughter of Count Alexander Benckendorff).

Princess Volkonskaya profoundly influenced her son Serge, defining many of his interests, including his Orthodox religious views; among her friends was the well-known Russian philosopher, theologian and poet Vladimir Solovyov. Wolkonsky's father, Mikhail Sergeevich, was a son of Decembrist Sergei Volkonsky and Mary, née Raevskaya; his godfather was Pushkin's friend Ivan Pushchin, another Decembrist. From his birth, Michael was registered as a serf, and as the son of a deportee wasn't allowed to enter the University, [clarification needed] but in 1855, just after the death of Emperor Nicholas I, he reached Russia from Siberia, and by the 1870s had become a member of the State Council.

Wolkonsky graduated from the philological faculty of St. Petersburg University in 1884. In the spring of 1893, he attended the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago as an official representative of the Department of Public Instruction, and an article by him about it was published later on in Vestnik Evropy ("The European Bulletin"). Later that year he went on a world cruise before returning to Petersburg via Constantinople. In the mid-1890s, he delivered lectures on Russia at Cornell and Harvard.[1][2][3]

During the reign of Tsar Alexander III Serge Volkonsky converted to Russian Greek Catholic Church from Russian Orthodoxy. In 1899, Wolkonsky became Director of the Imperial Theaters, the post for which he is most remembered. Although he held the position only until 1902, he achieved a great deal; Serge Diaghilev was his immediate assistant, and Wolkonsky entrusted him with the publication of the Annual of the Imperial Theaters in 1900. New names appeared in the theaters, such as painters Alexandre Benois, Konstantin Somov, and Léon Bakst. Wolkonsky was forced to send in his resignation after the conflict with Mathilde Kschessinskaya.

In 1910, he trained in and taught eurhythmics with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, influencing Stanislavski's work on "tempo-rhythm",[4][5] as well as the Delsarte method of gestures and movements, and he began to publish articles publicizing them in Russia. These works aroused the interest of Constantin Stanislavski, with whom he briefly collaborated. He set up a school and journal to propagate his ideas, but the advent of World War I in 1914 put an end to them, and he retired to his estate in Tambov province until 1918.

After the October Revolution he taught acting technique in Moscow for a time, but in the spring of 1919 he contracted typhus (as a result of which a premature obituary was published), and in August he was arrested by the Cheka. He was released and continued teaching and giving lectures, working for a time with Proletkult and Proletcult Theatre, but eventually he emigrated.

From February 1926, he lived in Paris, where he became a leading theatrical critic; he also continued teaching and giving lectures. "During this period of his life in Paris Wolkonsky became one of the most brilliant members of the Russian Emigration".[6] He became the first director of established in 1931 Conservatoire Rachmaninoff in Paris. During this time he became "a close friend and associate of the poet Marina Tsvetaeva (who dedicated to him her cycle of poems 'The Disciple' and wrote an essay about his memoirs)."[7]

In 1936, he was invited by the Kurt Jooss ballet school in London, after which he taught in the ballet company of Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin. In London, he met his future wife, Mary Walker Fearn, daughter of United States diplomat J. Walker Fearn and, by her first marriage, a sister-in-law of the former Mrs. Elsie French Vanderbilt. After the marriage, Prince and Princess Wolkonsky went to the United States, where, in Hot Springs, Virginia, he died after a brief illness. "His health had been undermined by four years of teaching in Bolshevik schools."[8] On 31 October, a requiem was held in a Catholic church, and "besides relatives there was all Russian Paris."[9] He was buried in Richmond, Virginia.

Works

[edit]
  • Pictures of Russian History and Russian Literature. Boston, NY, London; Lamson, Wolffe & Co. 1st ed. 1897; Pictures…, (Lowell lectures), 1898
  • Impressions: sketches of American life as observed by a Russian. Chicago, 1893
  • My reminiscences (translated by A.E. Chamot). London: Hutchinson & Co, 2 vols, 1924
  • "The Decembrists. The first Russian revolutionists," Thought, v.3, 1928

(For a full list please see Russian article.)

See also

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • R.C.Beachem, "Appia, Jaques-Dalcroze and Hellerau," NTQ, v.1, N 2-3, 1985
  • C.Bommeli, "Vera Griner," Le Rythme, Geneve, bull. 8-9, 1990—1991, p. 24-25
  • Arnold L. Haskell. Diaghileff. His artistic and private life. — NY, 1935
  • Matilda Kshessinskaya. Dancing in Petersburg — London, 1960, 1973; Souvenirs de la Kshessinskaya. — Paris, 1960.
  • Mary Trofimov, "The Last Days of Prince Serge Wolkonsky)," Theatrical Life, Moscow, N 20, 1991, p. 31 (in Russian)

(For a full list please see Russian article.)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Simon Karlinsky (ed.), Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya (U. of California Press, rev. ed., 2001), p. 47.
  2. ^ Cornell Alumni News, Vol. 14, No. 23 (13 March 1912), p. 3.
  3. ^ The Harvard Crimson, 24 February 1896.
  4. ^ Lee, James W. (August 2003). "Dalcroze by any other name: Eurhythmics in early modern theatre and dance".
  5. ^ Davidson, Andrew (3 July 2021). "Konstantin Stanislavski and Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: historical and pedagogical connections between actor training and music education". Stanislavski Studies. 9 (2): 185–203. doi:10.1080/20567790.2021.1945811.
  6. ^ Marija Trofimova, "Prince Serge M. Wolkonsky – theatrical critic of Poslednie Novosti" ("Knyaz Sergei Volkonsky – teatralny kritik gazety Poslednie Novosti") (in Russian), Rev. Etud. Slaves, Paris, LXIV/4, 1992, p.735.
  7. ^ Karlinsky (ed.), Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya, p. 48.
  8. ^ The New York Times, 26 October 1937, p. 17.
  9. ^ F. Requiem on Prince Serge Wolkonsky, Poslednie Novosti, 1937, 1 November, N 6064, p. 3 (in Russian).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Serge_Wolkonsky&oldid=1260177572"