Vera Zorina
Vera Zorina | |
---|---|
Ballerina, musical theatre actress, choreographer | |
Years active | 1928–1982 |
Spouse(s) | George Balanchine (1938–1946; divorced) Goddard Lieberson (1946–1977; his death) Paul Wolfe (1991–2003; her death) |
Children | 2, including Peter Lieberson[1] |
Vera Zorina (January 2, 1917 – April 9, 2003), born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian
Background
Zorina was born in Berlin, Germany. Her father Fritz Hartwig was a German
Career
At age 12, she was presented to Max Reinhardt, who cast her in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1929) and Tales of Hoffmann (1931). A performance at London's Gaiety Theatre won her an invitation to join the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1933, at which time she adopted the stage name of Vera Zorina. The company only wanted Russian names and she was given a list of 20 and chose the last name because she could pronounce it. A few years later, she attained a lead role in the London production of On Your Toes (1937) and was seen by American film producer Samuel Goldwyn, who signed her to a seven-year film contract. She appeared in seven Hollywood movies between 1938 and 1946.[4]
When she lost the role of Maria in For Whom the Bell Tolls after only two weeks shooting, her film career came to a halt. The Hollywood axe fell on her when co-star Gary Cooper, director Sam Wood, and Ernest Hemingway all preferred Ingrid Bergman.
One of her major stage roles was in the 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical I Married an Angel. As the title character, she played an exquisite angel who descended from heaven to marry a Hungarian banker played by Dennis King, but whose complete lack of human guile presented him with a whole new set of problems. (Jeanette MacDonald had that role in the film version.)
In 1945, she had great success as Ariel in
She was active with Lincoln Center as an adviser and director and, for several seasons, directed operas at the Santa Fe Opera in New Mexico. In 1986, she completed Zorina, her autobiography.[6]
Personal life
Zorina was married in 1938 to choreographer George Balanchine (her first marriage and his second marriage); the couple divorced in 1946. She danced in productions he choreographed for both stage and screen, including On Your Toes, a Broadway hit later adapted for the screen by Lawrence Riley.
From 1946 her second husband was Columbia Records president Goddard Lieberson until his death on May 29, 1977. They had two sons: Peter Lieberson, a composer, and Jonathan Lieberson. Her final marriage in 1991 was to harpsichordist Paul Wolfe until her death in 2003 at age 86 of undisclosed causes.[7]
Zorina was the grandmother of sisters Elizabeth (Lizzie), Katherine, and Kristina Lieberson, who are now members of the band TEEN.[8]
Filmography
Film | |||
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Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1931 | Seine Freundin Annette | Jaqueline, Damartins Tochter | |
1938 | The Goldwyn Follies | Olga Samara | |
1939 | On Your Toes | Vera Barnova | |
1940 | I Was an Adventuress | Countess Tanya Vronsky | |
1941 | Louisiana Purchase | Marina Von Minden | |
1942 | Star Spangled Rhythm | Herself - 'That Old Black Magic' Number | |
1944 | Follow the Boys | Gloria Vance | |
1946 | Lover Come Back | Madeline Laslo | (final film role) |
References
- ^ "Jonathan Lieberson". The New York Review of Books. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ "Extravagant Crowd - Vera Zorina". beinecke.library.yale.edu. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ "Vera Zorina". The Guardian. 2003-05-05. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
- ^ "US". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ Watson, Sonny. "Vera Zorina - Main Page". Streetswing.com. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ Zorina (1986). U.S./Canada publications in Collins Publishers, Toronto and Farrar Straus Giroux, New York City, respectively. Reviewed, The New York Times. November 16, 1986
- ^ "Vera Zorina". Lawzone.com. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ Mike Usinger (June 6, 2013). "There's more to TEEN than it seems". Straight.com. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
Further reading
- Kisselgoff, Anna (April 12, 2003). "Obituary for Vera Zorina". The New York Times.
- Koegler, Horst (1982). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet. Oxford Paperback Reference.
External links
- Photographs and literature
- Vera Zorina images
- Collection Guide, Vera Zorina papers, 1910-2001 Houghton Library, Harvard University
- Vera Zorina at the Internet Broadway Database
- Vera Zorina at IMDb
- Vera Zorina memorabilia collection.