Ida Rubinstein(1885-1960)
- Actress
Ida Rubinstein was a Russian actress, dancer and director. She came
from a wealthy family, who sent her to music, dancing and acting
classes with some of the most prominent teachers in the field. Her
performance in a private showing of "Salome" in 1908 created a scandal
in conservative Russia when, in the course of her performance of "The
Dance of the Seven Vails", she removed most of the veils. The next year
she joined the Ballet Russes under the direction of
Sergei Diaghilev. She performed in
productions of "Cleopatra" and "Scheherezade", but left the
organization in 1911 to start her own ballet company. She put on a
series of large-scale--and expensive--productions, such as "Le Martyre
of Saint-Sebastian". World War I slowed down her career somewhat, but
after the war she made appearances in Europe, including a performance
of "Istar" at the Paris Opera. From 1928-29 she had her own ballet
company, and produced and directed several productions in Paris, with
choreography by the famous
Bronislava Njinska. She was one of
the very few female ballet directors of her time, and her productions
were lavish and well-received.
In 1935 she closed down her ballet company in Paris and only made a few more appearances on stage before she retired, her last performance occurring in 1939 in Paris. She died in 1960.
In 1935 she closed down her ballet company in Paris and only made a few more appearances on stage before she retired, her last performance occurring in 1939 in Paris. She died in 1960.
