Ludmilla Tchérina
Encyclopedia
Ludmilla Tchérina was a French prima ballerina, sculptor, actress, painter, choreographer and author of two novels.
Tchérina was born Monique Tchemerzine, into Circassian aristocracy as the daughter of Kabardian Prince Avenir Tchemerzine (Shamyrze), a former Russian general, who had escaped from St. Petersburg, and Stéphane Finette, a Frenchwoman.
She studied with Blanche d'Alessandri, Olga Preobrajenska
and Clustine. She started dancing at 16 and danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
, where she was spotted by Serge Lifar
. She made her Paris debut creating the rôle of Juliet in his Romeo and Juliet
in 1942, becoming the youngest prima ballerina in the history of dance. In 1945 she was a principal dancer with the Ballet des Champs-Élysées and performed in Paris concerts with her husband Edmond Audran. She created various rôles in Lifar's ballets including: 'Mephisto Waltz' in 1945, in 1946 and in in 1957. She appeared often with the Paris Opera, the Bolshoi Ballet
and the Kirov Ballet as a guest performer.
Ludmilla Tchérina acted in several films including The Red Shoes, , The Tales of Hoffmann
, Oh... Rosalinda!!
and Luna de Miel. She also appeared in television. In the 1980s she turned to writing and published two novels under her own name, (1973) and (1986).
Ludmilla Tchérina had a lifelong passion for painting and exhibited in many major galleries. She also conceived and executed several monumental sculptures, including Europe à Coeur, chosen in 1991 by the EU to symbolise the union of Europe and now located at the European Parliament. In 1994 she created Europa Operanda, now installed at the French terminal of Eurotunnel.
Edmond Audran, whom she married in 1946, died in a car accident in 1951. She married Raymond Roi in 1953.
She was decorated with the "Officier, Legion d'honneur
" in 1980
Tchérina died in 2004, aged 79, and is buried at the Montmartre Cemetery
, Paris.
Tchérina was born Monique Tchemerzine, into Circassian aristocracy as the daughter of Kabardian Prince Avenir Tchemerzine (Shamyrze), a former Russian general, who had escaped from St. Petersburg, and Stéphane Finette, a Frenchwoman.
She studied with Blanche d'Alessandri, Olga Preobrajenska
Olga Preobrajenska
Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska was probably the best loved ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet....
and Clustine. She started dancing at 16 and danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was a ballet company created by members of the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1938 after Léonide Massine and René Blum had a falling-out with the co-founder Wassily de Basil...
, where she was spotted by Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar ; 15 December 1986) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer of Ukrainian origin, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century.-Biography:Lifar was born in Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire...
. She made her Paris debut creating the rôle of Juliet in his Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
in 1942, becoming the youngest prima ballerina in the history of dance. In 1945 she was a principal dancer with the Ballet des Champs-Élysées and performed in Paris concerts with her husband Edmond Audran. She created various rôles in Lifar's ballets including: 'Mephisto Waltz' in 1945, in 1946 and in in 1957. She appeared often with the Paris Opera, the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
and the Kirov Ballet as a guest performer.
Ludmilla Tchérina acted in several films including The Red Shoes, , The Tales of Hoffmann
The Tales of Hoffmann (film)
The Tales of Hoffmann is a 1951 British film adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's opera Les contes d'Hoffmann, written, produced and directed by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger working under the umbrella of their production company, The Archers...
, Oh... Rosalinda!!
Oh... Rosalinda!!
Oh... Rosalinda!! is a film by the British director-writer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film stars Michael Redgrave, Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, dancer Ludmilla Tchérina and Anton Walbrook and features Dennis Price....
and Luna de Miel. She also appeared in television. In the 1980s she turned to writing and published two novels under her own name, (1973) and (1986).
Ludmilla Tchérina had a lifelong passion for painting and exhibited in many major galleries. She also conceived and executed several monumental sculptures, including Europe à Coeur, chosen in 1991 by the EU to symbolise the union of Europe and now located at the European Parliament. In 1994 she created Europa Operanda, now installed at the French terminal of Eurotunnel.
Edmond Audran, whom she married in 1946, died in a car accident in 1951. She married Raymond Roi in 1953.
She was decorated with the "Officier, Legion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
" in 1980
Tchérina died in 2004, aged 79, and is buried at the Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the shutting down of the Cimetière des Innocents in 1786, as they presented health hazards...
, Paris.