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Leonide Massine's Three-Cornered Hat

Photograph of Leonide Massine in the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo (Marquis de Cuevas) production of Three-cornered hat, choreographed by Massine.

Announcer Rex Benware makes introductory remarks. Irving Deakin discusses the opening (last night) of the Monte Carlo Ballet Russe at the Metropolitan Opera house its first American engagement. He talks about Leonide Massine, his biography to-date, how busy and trim he is and how he could have become another Fred Astaire, had he wanted. Deakin plays a musical excerpt from Massine's ballet Gay Parisienne.

Massine talks briefly about the Music and Ballet radio program, and his new ballets, St. Francis (Noblissima visione), Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, Bogatyri, and Gaîté parisienne. Massine says sleep makes him lazy, so he does not over indulge. in it.

Deakin talks about Massine's ballet The Three-Cornered Hat and plays excerpts from the ballet's music by Manuel de Falla.

Closing remarks and announcements.

(ca. 32 min.).

Audio courtesy of the NYPL Dance Division.

WNYC archives id: 152557

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Part of Music and Ballet.

From 1937 to 1943 author, critic, and commentator Irving Deakin hosted WQXR’s Music and Ballet a Thursday evening program devoted to dance and music for dance productions "of all peoples in all periods."

On March 21, 1938, the trade publication Radio Daily praised the broadcasts as unique and “handled in an easy smooth manner that makes every listener a potential St. Denis or Shawn. It is to be noted that the program would have only a very limited listener appeal if it were not handled so well…Program is definitely one of the WQXR topnotchers, and should continue as such.”

Thanks to the NYPL Jerome Robbins Dance Division for making these broadcasts available to us. To find out more about host Irving Deakin and his remarkable career please see: Irving Deakin Papers.

Logo photo of Irving Deakin (above left) courtesy of the NYPL Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

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