[p. 73] The unexpected and tragic death of the greatest dancer of our time, possibly of all time, surprised the world-famous diva just as she was to embark on an impressive farewell tour. This last tour around the world should have put in the shade all honours that came to Anna Pavlova honoured and loved on all continents, during the last twenty-five years. This untimely end to a the most glorious career of any dancer ever, turned the world's eyes towards The Hague, the beautiful town of the peace movement and of international conferences. Footnote But this time without hope. All expectations were irreparibly crushed. Fate had dealt a heavy blow. One of the greatest artists left this life, instead of setting out on another triumphal progress. But it was also a great and noble human being who died. [p. 74] The whole world was plunged into a truly felt, deep sorrow. There can be no recompense. What Beethoven was in music, Goethe in poetry or Rembrandt and Michelangelo in painting, was Anna Pavlova in the art of dance: a universal genius, divinely inspired. A human son, radiating light and heat, and in whose rays millions from all countries and all races revived temselves. Suddenly, the earth seemed to have gone dark. Sadness and mourning, mourning and tears, until we suddenly knew: we have not lost Anna Pavlova! She is not dead, her spirit lives; it lives in all of us, even stronger than before. Anna Pavlova may have passed away, but her light cannot be extinguished.
I had been worried, first because of the huge responsibility of the tour which I organised, and the unavoidable rescheduling and cancelling of performances because of the diva's severe illness. Then came the fear and excitement, and the sleepless nights, when she came to be in danger of her life. [p. 75] But when we took her mortal remains to the mortuary chapel, on that misty morning in January, I realized for the first time that there had to be some ray of hope between all these unbearable things, all this sadness, all this mourning. That her body had died, but that her spirit had been released and was nearer now than ever before. I had to think of stars that have exploded in deep space many ages ago, while their light still reaches us. Therefore, I choose the following words for the ribbon that held my last floral tribute:
...Und wenn ein Stern erlischt
bleibt unser doch sein Leuchten Footnote
This was the first comfort in my deep distress, the first flicker of hope in my downcast heart. That is the reason I also took these lines as the motto of this book which, on the urging of many friends of the great departed, I have composed in her remembrance. Even if fate has destroyed the brightest star on the firmament of the dance, her light will keep shining down on us. And when we look for it, this light, which shone forth so liberally from the spirit of this great and noble creature, will kindle a fire within our breasts.
The purpose of this book will be fulfilled when many who have been deeply smitten by this great loss, will look upon it as a friend, who tells about Anna Pavlova, [p. 76] keeps her memory green, and when it helps others who looked upon this tragedy with compassion and who have been robbed of their chance to see this great artist perform, or to get acquainted with her noble character, to come closer to the spirit of this remarkable woman.
In this century of photography it is self-evident that in a book on Pavlova much space should be given to her image. Except for the filmstars, who are in front of a camera most of their lives, Anna Pavlova must be one of the artists most often captured on photographs, both on and off the stage. Countless moments from her dances have been portrayed in photographs, drawings, paintings and sculptures. How often her famous "Dying Swan" has been depicted, is impossible to tell. Hundreds of images will show the generations to come the unique artistry of this dancer. But also of her other creations, such as Dragonfly, Giselle, Bacchanale, Gavotte, The Fairy Doll, Lisa in La Fille Mal Gardée, Dulcinea in Don Quixote, Snowflake, Christmas Fairy, [p. 77] Sylphide, Chrysanthemum in Autumn Leaves, the gipsy girl Amarilla, Colombine, in Weber's Invitation to the Dance, in Beethoven's Rondino, in her numerous exotic dances, Syrian, Indian, Japanese, Mexican and so on, much has been portrayed. Footnote
Her travels through all civilized countries of this world have produced a rich photographic harvest too. In London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Buenos-Aires, Madrid, Tokyo, Calcutta, Melbourne, Batavia, Cape Town, Vienna, Stockholm, Milan, Prague, Munich and Amsterdam, everywhere photographers and friends wanted to immortalize the dancer, and many an interesting picture was taken. Photographs of Pavlova at home at Ivy House in Hampstead, the park and garden oasis of London, with her favourite animals, her swans, her dogs, in the company of Chaliapin, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Fritjof Nansen, Indian princesses, Japanese actors and American billionairs, riding a camel to the pyramids, walking under the burning Indian sun, sailing out on wide, silent Oceans, descending from trains, embarking on Ocean liners, behind the stage and in the dressing room of theaters. Huge volumes could be filled with these pictures. For this book I have selected both well-known and typical moments from her dances several less-known or even [p. 78] unpublished pictures, also of her private life. Footnote
With the accounts of the life and art of this celebrated woman it is the same as with the pictures. One could fill a library with clippings from the papers and journals which have published reviews of the five thousand performances by the Queen of the dance, thousands of interviews and articles informing and more often misinforming us about her, and an unexpected flood of obituaries, saddened, shocked and honouring her greatness. One could cover the face of the earth with the pages in which Pavlova's praises are sung, in all languages, a true paper Tower of Babel. My own Pavlova archive Footnote contains many hundreds, even thousands of articles, reviews and pictures, which concern only the tours organized by myself.
It is not my intention to fill this book with general considerations about Anna Pavlova's artistry as such. All I want to do is to give a fairly complete picture of Pavlova's character. [p. 79] Thus I have selected from all that has been written about her, the impressions and experiences of those journalists or admirers who met her. These quotes can help to illuminate the person of this great artist. Anna Pavlova turned into a legend during her own life time. Much was ascribed to her which was actually quite foreign to her character. Strict selectivity is called for. Only few were privileged, as I was, to enjoy Pavlova's performances so repeatedly and intensely, to watch her during rehearsels and to study her whole being from close up.
Several of her dances I saw dozens of times within a few months, and at every performance I became aware of the way in which she truly imagined herself into each part. Her "Dying Swan" I have seen for weeks on end about every other evening, and I did not fail to be moved again and again by the death of that great white bird so beautifully inspired by Anna Pavlova. May last year I saw her sink down as the swan for the last time, during her penultimate performance in Paris, and was more touched by it than ever. There was a lingering melancholy in my soul, because of the premonition that I this was the last time I had seen her perform this part.
[p. 80] Many have loved and held in awe this chosen amongst artists. Her death has been a heavy and bitter blow to all of them. My whole being was shocked by this tragic death, which affected me as hardly anything ever has done. I hope to have painted a picture of this noble woman and artist that is true to life, and worthy of her remembrance. I thank most heartily all who have assisted me in this task. May this little book in many years to come tell new generations that at a time when wars and unrest, materialism an egotism ruled the earth, there also was a good fairy, who appeared like a comet, created beauty, turned the weight bearing down on the world into a bright lightness and brought happiness to weary hearts. The name of this good fairy was Anna Pavlova.
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