Mathilde Kschessinska
Of Polish descent, Mathilde Kschessinska first met the then-Tsarevich Nicholas at a supper following her graduation performance for the Imperial Ballet School. She and Nicholas had a three-year relationship before he became engaged to his future empress, Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, in 1894.
Mathilde obtained the rank of prima ballerina assoluta in 1896, only the second ever ballerina to be given the title. She became inadvertently responsible for the rise and fame of Anna Pavlova. When pregnant, she chose the young Pavlova as her replacement, thinking her delicate style of dancing would be considered no match. However, Pavlova was a hit with audiences, and from then on Mathilde harboured a hatred for her.
The details of Mathilde Kschessinska's household as depicted in The Last Days of the Romanov Dancers are based on fact. Her staff included Denisov, a butler, and Madame Roubtzova as her housekeeper. Madame Roubtzova's two daughters lived in the house with them. Her little dog Djibi is also true to life.
Mathilde carried on a simultaneous relationship with two Grand Dukes, and in 1902 gave birth to a son, Vladimir (known as Vova). The Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich was murdered in 1918, and Mathilde married her surviving lover, the Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich in 1921.
During the revolution Mathilde was forced to go into hiding. Later, her mansion was requisitioned by Lenin to use as his headquarters. She took him to court to try to get her house back, but was unsuccessful. In one remarkable moment she was forced by Lenin to dance for Soviet supporters who wanted her dead. She was able to win them over with her dancing, so that by the time she finished her solo they were cheering her name. (For a fictional account of this, see my short story Forgotten.)
Mathilde escaped Russia on foot, eventually making her way to a boat which took her to France as a refugee. She had many offers to join other dance companies, but refused. Instead, she began her own dance school, where she trained many future dancers such as the Dames Margot Fonteyn and Alicia Markova.
In 1960 she published an autobiography titled Dancing in St Petersburg: The Memoirs of Kschessinska, although some doubt has been cast over the accuracy of her depiction of events.
Mathilde died eight months before her 100th birthday.
Mathilde obtained the rank of prima ballerina assoluta in 1896, only the second ever ballerina to be given the title. She became inadvertently responsible for the rise and fame of Anna Pavlova. When pregnant, she chose the young Pavlova as her replacement, thinking her delicate style of dancing would be considered no match. However, Pavlova was a hit with audiences, and from then on Mathilde harboured a hatred for her.
The details of Mathilde Kschessinska's household as depicted in The Last Days of the Romanov Dancers are based on fact. Her staff included Denisov, a butler, and Madame Roubtzova as her housekeeper. Madame Roubtzova's two daughters lived in the house with them. Her little dog Djibi is also true to life.
Mathilde carried on a simultaneous relationship with two Grand Dukes, and in 1902 gave birth to a son, Vladimir (known as Vova). The Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich was murdered in 1918, and Mathilde married her surviving lover, the Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich in 1921.
During the revolution Mathilde was forced to go into hiding. Later, her mansion was requisitioned by Lenin to use as his headquarters. She took him to court to try to get her house back, but was unsuccessful. In one remarkable moment she was forced by Lenin to dance for Soviet supporters who wanted her dead. She was able to win them over with her dancing, so that by the time she finished her solo they were cheering her name. (For a fictional account of this, see my short story Forgotten.)
Mathilde escaped Russia on foot, eventually making her way to a boat which took her to France as a refugee. She had many offers to join other dance companies, but refused. Instead, she began her own dance school, where she trained many future dancers such as the Dames Margot Fonteyn and Alicia Markova.
In 1960 she published an autobiography titled Dancing in St Petersburg: The Memoirs of Kschessinska, although some doubt has been cast over the accuracy of her depiction of events.
Mathilde died eight months before her 100th birthday.
Below images: Mathilde Kschessinska's mansion, 2018. Image belongs to Kerri Turner.
