She became known internationally as one of the Baby Ballerinas of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo after being discovered by her fellow émigré, balletmaster and choreographer George Balanchine. She was featured in numerous ballets in Europe. Balanchine featured her in his productions at Ballet Theatre, New York, making her the star of his performances in the United States. While most of Toumanova's career was dedicated to ballet, she appeared as a ballet dancer in several films, beginning in 1944. She became a naturalized United States citizen in 1943 in Los Angeles, California.[3]
Toumanova was the daughter of Yevgenia[4] (or Eugenia) Dmitrievna Toumanishvili, who was half-Georgian-Armenian on her father's side, and half-Georgian on her mother's side.[5] Her father was Dmitri Toumanov, originally of Georgian Toumanishvili family; her mother was Yelizaveta Chkheidze.
At the time of her daughter's birth, Yevgenia was married to Konstantin Zakharov (a Russian). Both Tamara and her mother used the surname Khassidovitch (Yevgenia's second husband was Vladimir Khassidovitch (akas: Vladimir Khassidovitch-Boretsky/Vladimir Khazidovich-Boretsky)[6] for most of their lives following the end of Yevgenia's first marriage, including on their paperwork for naturalization as citizens of the United States.[4]
After moving to Paris, Toumanova was given piano lessons and studied ballet with Olga Preobrajenska, whom she described as her "first and only permanent teacher" and an "immortal friend".[7]
At the age of six, Toumanova was invited by the ballerina Anna Pavlova to perform in one of her gala concerts in 1925. Toumanova danced a polka choreographed by Preobrajenska. Tamara was 10 years old when she made her debut at the Paris Opera as a child étoile in the ballet L'Éventail de Jeanne (for which 10 French composers wrote the music).[citation needed]
Toumanova became recognised as a young prodigy of immense talent. She came to be called "The Black Pearl of the Russian Ballet", because, as ballet critic A. V. Coton wrote, "she was the loveliest creature in the history of the ballet", with black silky hair, deep brown eyes and pale almond skin. Toumanova was considered the most glamorous of the trio. Throughout her dynamic career, her mother was her devoted companion, nursemaid, dresser, agent and manager – she was always at the helm.[9]
Balanchine created the role of the "Young Girl" for Toumanova in his ballet Cotillon and had her star in his Concurrence and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Léonide Massine worked closely with Toumanova in the creation of many of his ballets. She played the part of the Top in his Jeux d'Enfants. Balanchine created a role for her in his Le Palais de Cristal (since re-titled Symphony in C) in 1947 at the Paris Opera. [citation needed]
In 1936, while Toumanova was performing ballet in Chicago, an 18-year-old boy named Burr Tillstrom came to see her perform. Following the ballet, Burr went backstage to meet her. As they talked, Toumanova and Tillstrom became friends. Some time later, Tillstrom showed her a favorite puppet he had made and she, surprised by his revelation, exclaimed "Kukla" (Russian for "puppet"). Burr Tillstrom went on to create a very early (1947) television show for children, titled Kukla, Fran and Ollie.[10]
Chronology
This section is in list format but may read better as prose. (January 2023)
1929: Creates first principal role on 4 March, as guest étoile with the Paris Opera Ballet, performing the Valse (to Ibert), the Polka (to Milhaud), the Rondeau (to Auric), and the Kermesse-Valse (to Schmitt), in the Yvonne Franck/Alice Bourgat one-act ballet in 10 parts for students, L'Even-tail de Jeanne.
1932: Creates principal roles with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo: the Young Girl in Balanchine's Cotillon; The Girl in his La Concurrence; Lucille in his Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; in the Valse in his Suites de danse; in his Classical Ballet section for the opera-ballet Patrie; the Chinese Woman and a Poppy in his dances for the opera Fay-yen-Fah; a Chinese Porcelain in his dances for the opera Turandot; in his Grand pasclassique for the operetta A Night in Venice; and the Top in Massine's Jeux d'enfants. Recreates the Ballerina in Fokine's Petrushka and the Mazurka and the Valse pas de deux in Les Sylphides. Privately studies the classics and choreographic theory with Balanchine. Seasons in Monte Carlo and Paris and tour of Europe.
1933: Joins the Balanchine-James Les Ballets 1933 at Balanchine's invitation. Creates principal roles: in the Tema con variazioni and finale in his Mozartiana, the Ballerina in his Les Songes, and the Young Girl in his Fastes. Rejoins Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo. Creates principal role in Massine's Choreartium (to Brahms's Fourth Symphony).
1934: Creates with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo the Mexican Girl in Massine's Union Pacific and a principal role in Lichine's Les Imaginaires. Recreates the Miller's Wife with Massine in his Le Tricorne and the Tarantella in his La Boutique fantasque; Odette in Swan Lake Act II; and the title role in Fokine's Firebird. Tours of the United States, Canada, Central America, and Europe; seasons in Paris, London, Mexico City, Barcelona, Havana, Montreal, and New York.
1935: Creates with de Basil's Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo the Poor Couple, with Massine, in his Jardin public; a principal role in his Le Bal; and Nijinska's Lezginka for a Covent Garden gala. Adds to her repertory Aurora in Tchaikovsky's Le Mariage d'Aurore and the Girl in Fokine's La Spectre de la rose.
This section is in list format but may read better as prose. (January 2023)
1934: The Comet (cr) in Les Imaginaires (Lichine), de Basil's Ballets Russes, London Tarantella in La Boutique fantasque (revival; Massine), de Basil's Ballets Russes, London
The Miller's Wife in Le Tricorne (Massine), (de Basil's) Monte Carlo Ballet Russe, Chicago
The Mexican Girl (cr) in Union Pacific (Massine), (de Basil's) Monte Carlo Ballet Russe, Philadelphia
1935: The Poor Couple (cr) in Jardin public (Massine), (de Basil's) Monte Carlo Ballet Russe, Chicago
Principal dancer (cr) in Le Bal (Massine), (de Basil's) Monte Carlo Ballet, Chicago
1936: The Beloved (cr) in Symphonie fantastique (Massine), de Basil's Ballets Russes, London
1938: Title role in Giselle (after Petipa, Coralli, Perrot) (Denham's) Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, London.
1940: Aurore (cr) in Le Mariage d'Aurore (Aurora's Wedding) (Petipa), Original Ballet Russe, Sydney
Illusion (cr) in La Lutte eternelle (Schwezoff), Original Ballet Russe, Sydney
Swanilda in Coppelia (Obukhov after Petipa, Saint-Leon), Original Ballet Russe, Sydney
1941: Third and Fourth Movements (cr) in Balustrade (Balanchine), Original Ballet Russe, New York
Ariadne (cr) in Labyrinth (Massine), Denham's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, New York
The Cakewalk (cr) in Saratoga (Massine), Denham's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, New York
1944: The Girl (cr) in Moonlight Sonata (Massine), Ballet Theatre, New York
Principal dancer (cr) in Harvest Time (Nijinska), Ballet Theatre, New York
Kitri in Don Quixote Pas de Deux (Obukhov after Petipa), Ballet Theatre. New York
1944–45: Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker Pas de deux (Dolin after Ivanov), Ballet Theatre, New York
Odile in Black Swan Pas de deux (Swan Lake, Act III; Dolin after Petipa), Ballet Theatre, New York
1947: Second Movement (cr) in Palais de cristal (later called Symphony in C; Balanchine), Paris Opera Ballet, Paris
Title role in Giselle (Sergeyev after Petipa, Coralli, Perrot), Paris Opera Ballet, Paris
1949: The Duchess (cr) in Del Amor y de la muerte (Ricarda), Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, Paris
The Infanta (cr) in Le Coeur de diamond (Lichine), Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, Monte Carlo
1950: Title role (cr) in Phedre (Serge Lifar), Paris Opera Ballet, Paris
Principal dancer (cr) in L'Inconnue (Lifar), Paris Opera Ballet, Paris
Principal dancer (cr) in La Fee d’Aibee (Aveline), Paris Opera Ballet, Versailles
Principal dancer (cr) in La Pierre enchantee (Lifar), Paris Opera Ballet, Paris
1951: Potiphar's Wife (cr) in Leggenda di Giuseppe (The Legend of Joseph; Wallmann), La Scala, Milan
Principal dancer (cr) in La Vita dell’uomo (Wallmann), La Scala, Milan
1952: Principal dancer (cr) in Reve (pas de deux; Dolin), London Festival Ballet, London
1956: Principal dancer (cr) in The Seven Deadly Sins (Char- rat), La Scala, Milan
The Dance of the Seven Veils (cr) in Salome (opera; mus. Strauss, chor. Toumanova), La Scala, Milan
Principal dancer (cr) in Epoque romantique (also chor.), Piccola Scala, Milan
The Princess (cr) in Le Fanfare pour le Prince (Taras), Celebration of the Marriage of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, Monte Carlo
Toumanova on film
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2016)
Toumanova appeared in six Hollywood films between 1944 and 1970, always playing dancers. She made her feature film debut in 1944, in Days of Glory, playing a Russian dancer being saved from the invading Germans in 1941 by Soviet partisan leader Gregory Peck (who also made his debut in that film).[12]
Toumanova was of partial Georgian,[31][32][33][34][35] Armenian[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] and Polish[40] descent. Singer Lyudmila Lopato, who personally knew Toumanova, wrote that "Tamara was of Armenian-Polish descent, not a Georgian Princess, as many people think".[40] Tamara herself highlighted her Georgian heritage on many occasions – "I think he saw kinship with me, with my tristesse, with my being part Georgian.";[32] "My mother, Evgeniya Toumanova, was a Georgian, a Chkheidze by birth, from Tbilisi. Sometimes she used to speak Georgian to me.";[44] etc. This is further confirmed by her family's official documents in Georgia and the Russian Empire,[45] including that of her uncle (mother's brother) Prince Zachary Dmitrievich Tumanov, whose ethnicity is stated as "Georgian".[46] Tamara's parents were deeply religious.[47] Tamara,[48] her mother[49] and her maternal grandmother, Princess Elizabeth Chkhedize, were Georgian/Russian Orthodox, while Toumanova's maternal grandfather Prince Dmitry Toumanov was a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church.[50][51]
In 1944, Toumanova married Casey Robinson, whom she met as the producer and screenwriter of Days of Glory, her first film.[12] The union was childless. The couple divorced on 13 October 1955.[57][58]
Toumanova died in Santa Monica, California, on 29 May 1996, aged 77, from undisclosed causes. Before her death, she gave her Preobrajenska costumes to the Vaganova Choreographic Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her funeral was a high mass at the Russian Orthodox Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles. She was buried next to her mother Princess Eugenie in Hollywood, Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
British choreographer John Gregory described Toumanova as a "remarkable artist – a great personality who never stopped acting. It is impossible to think of Russian ballet without her."[9][59]
Уколова Ю. В. ТАМАРА ТУМАНОВА (1919–1996) «ЧЕРНАЯ ЖЕМЧУЖИНА РУССКОГО БАЛЕТА», ж. Вестник Академии русского балета им. А.Я. Вагановой. 2007; ISSN 1681-8962, No.18, pp.279–91 (in Russian)
Мейлах Михаил Борисович Эвтерпа, ты? Художественные заметки. Беседы с артистами русской эмиграции. Том 1. Балет ID 4251015 Изд.: Новое литературное обозрение ISBN978-5-86793-629-7; 2008 г.-стр.65–77 (разговор с Тамарой Тумановой, 1992г.) (in Russian)
Some sources cite Dr Konstantin Zakharov, a physician in the Caucasian Military District as Princess Eugenia Tumanishvili's husband or lover although United States immigration and naturalization records record Vladimir Khassidovitch (or Khazidovich-Boretsky) as Eugenie's husband and presumably Tamara's father, who emigrated with them to the United States and applied for naturalization at the same time.
Kananur V. Chandras. Arab, Armenian, Syrian, Lebanese, East Indian, Pakistani, and Bangla Deshi Americans: a study guide and source book, R&E Research Associates, 1977, p. 44.
The American Dancer, vol 14, issue 2 (1941): "Seen on New York's 57th Street, the hub of the ballet social world: Tamara Toumanova, Leon and Hercelia Danielian and William Saroyan, all within a block of each other; one more Armenian and the street would have been roped off..."
[http://www.zakharov.ru/index2.php?option=com_books&task=show_viderjka&id=309&no_html=1&width=640&height=400 Людмила Ильинична Лопато, Волшебное зеркало воспоминаний, 2003г., cit. "Тамара была армянско-польского происхождения, а вовсе не грузинской княжной Туманишвили, как многие думают" According to La Toumanova's godson Chevalier Tony Clark "She claimed to be a White Russian Princess"until the day she died. . Apology for dancing, Faber and Faber Ltd (1936), p. 212: "And the fact that Toumanova is only half Russian (half Armenian)...."
Francis James Brown and Joseph Slabey Rouček. One America: the history, contributions, and present problems of our racial and national minorities, p. 308
Aleksandr Vasil'ev. Beauty in exile: the artists, models, and nobility, 2000: «She was the daughter of army engineer Vladimir Khazidovich-Boretsky and Yevgenia, an Armenian woman»
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