Mathilde Kchessinskaya "Blue" plaque is UP at Paris

[katharine kanter]

To all those who have contributed to getting the Mathilde Kchessinskaya plaque up at Ranelagh (Paris, 16th arr.), following the Dancing Times article a few months back!

 

On Saturday 14th December, the condominium owners threw a party to celebrate the unveiling of the plaque, with speeches from JG Bart and Gil Isoart of the Opera, and Rachel and Serena Morina-Hevesi, daughters of Beryl Morina who had travelled specially for the occasion with family and friends.  A message was read from Virginia Johnson, head of Dance Theatre of Harlem, who is Therrell Smith's disciple. A Life of Kchessinskaya in pantomime gesture was presented by Irène Feste and Pierre-François Dollé of Cie.FantaisiesBaroques.  Several of the attendees had to walk two hours there and two hours back to the unveiling of the plaque, owing to the ongoing public transport strike.  It was nevertheless a joyous event. 

 

Société Auguste Vestris thanks everyone for their help!

 

Here is the text of the "blue" plaque

 

ICI SE TROUVAIENT LES STUDIOS DE DANSE

DE MATHILDE KCHESSINSKA (1872-1971)

PRINCESSE ROMANOVSKA-KRASSINSKA

LES AMIS DE BERYL MORINA ET DE THERRELL SMITH, RECONNAISSANTS