Baronova, Irina (1919-2008)

Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35386016
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-677070

Biographies

Irina Baronova, born in Petrograd, was one of the three legendary 'baby ballerinas' who made such an impact on dance audiences in the 1930s and 1940s. Her family fled to Romania when she was one year old and it was in Bucharest that she began her dance training with an ex-corps de ballet dancer from the Mariinsky Theatre. Her talent was clear from the beginning and the family soon moved to Paris where Baronova continued her training with Olga Preobrajenska. In Paris she performed as a soloist at the Paris Opera in 1930 and the Theatre Mogador in 1931. In 1932 when just thirteen years of age she was engaged by George Balanchine as ballerina for the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. She continued to dance with the de Basil Ballets Russes companies until 1939, coming to Australia on tour with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet in 1938-1939.

The historian Kathrine Sorley Walker has described Baronova's dancing as combining 'the purist classicism, the most delicious demi-charactere work and a deep instinctive understanding for the newer choreographic styles'. In Australia she was much admired for her performances across the repertoire and had particular successes as the Queen of Shemakhan in Le Coq d'or, as Aurora in Aurora's wedding and as 'Passion' in the second movement of Leonide Massine's symphonic work Les presages. Her main partners during the Australian tour were Anton Dolin, Paul Petroff and David Lichine.

Baronova left de Basil in 1939 and soon after began a new stage of her career in the United States. From 1941 she appeared with (American) Ballet Theatre in North and South America and worked in Hollywood in the 1940s before retiring to devote herself to her family. She came out of retirement at the urging of Dame Margot Fonteyn to serve on the technical committee of the Royal Academy of Dance and to teach and coach.

Baronova lived the last eight years of her life in Australia, in the hinterland of Byron Bay, where she completed her memoirs which were published in 2005 as Irina: ballet, life and love.

Related people and organisations

Resources for Irina Baronova

Resources by Irina Baronova (4)

  1. Irina : ballet, life and love / Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Book : 2005 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 80 libraries
    Irina : ballet, life and love / Irina Baronova
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 69.045)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 69.045)

  2. Papers of Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Unpublished : 1912-2001 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 26.949)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 26.949)

  3. Irina Baronova interviewed by Michelle Potter in the Esso Performing Arts collection
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Sound : 1994 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.267)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.267)

  4. Irina Baronova interviewed by Lee Christofis
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Sound : 2007 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.746)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.746)

Resources about Irina Baronova (72)

  1. Irina : ballet, life and love / Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Book : 2005 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 80 libraries
    Irina : ballet, life and love / Irina Baronova
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 67.023)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 67.023)

  2. Papers of Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Unpublished : 1912-2001 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 26.047)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 26.047)

  3. Irina Baronova interviewed by Michelle Potter in the Esso Performing Arts collection
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Sound : 1994 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.175)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.175)

  4. Portrait of Irina Baronova [Edouard Borovansky]
    Borovansky, Edouard, 1902-1959
    [ Art work : 1938-1949 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Portrait of Irina Baronova [Edouard Borovansky]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.297)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.297)

  5. Irina Baronova interviewed by Lee Christofis
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-2008
    [ Sound : 2007 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.367)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.367)

  6. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s, [3] Maurice Seymour
    Maurice Seymour Studios
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s, [3] Maurice Seymour
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.356)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.356)

  7. Domestic study of Irina Baronova sewing, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Domestic study of Irina Baronova sewing, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.585)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.585)

  8. Domestic study of Irina Baronova cooking, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Domestic study of Irina Baronova cooking, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.585)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.585)

  9. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes [2] Maurice Seymour
    Maurice Seymour Studios
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes [2] Maurice Seymour
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.584)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.584)

  10. Domestic study of Irina Baronova reading, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    Domestic study of Irina Baronova reading, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.584)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.584)

More...

No user comments for this person

Add a comment


Show comments and reviews from Amazon users

Possibly related

Digitised newspapers and more

Searching...

Minimise

Diaries, letters, archives

Searching...

Minimise

Archived websites (1996 – now)

Searching...

Minimise

Pictures, photos, objects

Searching...

Minimise

Books

Searching...

Minimise

Music, sound and video

Searching...

Minimise

People and organisations

Searching...

Minimise

Journals, articles and data sets

Searching...

Minimise

Maps

Searching...

Minimise

Lists

Searching...

Minimise
  1. Dolin, Anton, (Sir) (1904-1983)
    ... ballerinas including Tamara Karsarvina, Alicia Alonso, Irina Baronova and, perhaps ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

  2. Dupain, Max (1911-1992)
    ... they capture the glamour and allure of the dancers, who included Irina Baronova ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

  3. Christofis, Lee (1948-)
    ... Library, including the papers of Irina Baronova, Janet Vernon and Graeme Murphy, and records of the NAISDA ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

  1. Les Presages (Australian context)
    Les Presages (Australian context)
    Created by NLAdance, 29 items.

    Les Presages, the first of Leonide Massine's symphonic ballets, was given its inaugural performance in Australia by the visiting Monte Carlo...

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

  2. Les Cent baisers (Australian context)
    Les Cent baisers (Australian context)
    Created by NLAdance, 11 items.

    Les cent baisers or The hundred kisses was first staged in Australia by de Basil's Ballets Russes on 5 December 1936 at Melbour...

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

  3. Union Pacific (Australian context)
    Union Pacific (Australian context)
    Created by NLAdance, 10 items.

    Leonide Massine's one act ballet, Union Pacific, was the first ballet based on the folklore of the Americas to be created by an international company. Set to a libretto by American poet Ar...

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

  1. Portrait of Irina Baronova [Edouard...
    Borovansky, Edo...
    [ Art work : 1938-1949 ]
    Portrait of Irina Baronova [Edouard Borovansky]
  2. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, ...
    Maurice Seymour...
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s, [3] Maurice Seymour
  3. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, ...
    Maurice Seymour...
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes [2] Maurice Seymour
  4. Portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets...
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    Portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s
  5. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova /...
    Maurice Seymour...
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova / Maurice Seymour, Chicago
  6. Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, ...
    Maurice Seymour...
    [ Photograph : 1930-1939 ]
    Studio portrait of Irina Baronova, Ballets Russes, ca. 1930s / Maurice Seymour

Maps

No results

Minimise
  1. Sunday
    National Nine Network (Australia)
    [ Video : 2006-2007 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.032)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.032)

  2. State of the arts / produced by Henry Prokop
    [ Video ]
    At Baillieu Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

  3. "Le Coq d'Or" scrapbook : part 1 / by Andrew McLennan
    McLennan, Andrew
    [ Sound ]
    At Sounds Australian
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

  4. The Ballets Russess in Australia : an avalanche of dancing
    National Library of Australia
    [ Video : 1999 ]
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.002)

  1. Irina : life, love and dance / Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-
    [ Book : 2007 ]
    At 7 libraries
    Irina : life, love and dance / Irina Baronova
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.047)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.047)

  2. Irina : ballet, life and love / Irina Baronova
    Baronova, Irina, 1919-
    [ Book : 2007 ]
    At Vision Australia
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.491)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.491)

  3. Stories from the classical ballet / Belinda Hollyer ; with an introduction and performance notes by Irina Baronova ; and illustrations by Sophy Williams
    Hollyer, Belinda
    [ Book : 1995 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 29 libraries
    Stories from the classical ballet / Belinda Hollyer ; with an introduction and performance notes by Irina Baronova ; and illustrations by Sophy Williams
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.155)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.155)

  4. Dames & divas : twenty-one remarkable women / David Leser
    Leser, David, 1956-
    [ Book : 2006 ]
    At 74 libraries
    Dames & divas : twenty-one remarkable women / David Leser
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.003)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.003)

  1. How a Ballerina Keeps In Condition Irina Baronova Tells Secret of Hard Work and Good Health
    Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) Sunday 11 October 1936 p 28 Article
    ... How a Ballerina Keeps In Condition Irina Baronova Tells Secret of Hard Work and Good Health When ... Sun- day. Ballerinas, however, never stop learning, for their lessons continue all their lives. Irina Baronova is a lovely 17-year old ballerina, who eloped by air with M. Sevastianoff and married him ... 399 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.305)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.305)

  2. Russian Ballet Star Who Likes Detective Stories Irina Baronova, Youthful Dancer, Now In Australia Tells Of Theatre's Strenuous Life
    The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) Monday 10 October 1938 Section: Second Section. p 1 Article
    ... Russian Ballet Star Who Likes Detective Stories Irina Baronova, Youthful Dancer, Now In Australia Tells Theatre's Strenuous Life ALTHOUGH she is supremely devoted to her art, Irina Baronova, ... said Irina Baronova, 'The only time I get to read is last thing in the night, before I go to sleep.' ... 925 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.122)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.122)

  3. No title
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 3 October 1938 p 10 Article Illustrated
    ... Anton Doun and Irina Baronova in "Le Lac des Cygnes." ... 10 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.049)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.049)

  1. Papers of Tamara Finch
    Finch, Tamara, 1919-
    [ Unpublished : 1911-2004 ]
    At National Library
    Papers of Tamara Finch
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.001)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.001)

  2. Papers of Margaret Walker
    Walker, Margaret, 1920-1996
    [ Unpublished : 1938-1991 ]
    At National Library
    Papers of Margaret Walker
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0)

  1. Website: Australia dancing
    www.australiadancing.org
    Matching pages:
    View 241 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.214)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.214)

  2. Website: Dance informa
    www.danceinforma.com
    Matching pages:
    View 12 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.041)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.041)

  3. Website: Ballets Russes in Australia : our cultural revolution
    www.nla.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    View 90 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.03)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.03)

  1. Vale Irina Baronova (1919-2008) [Obituary]
    Christofis, Lee
    Dance Australia
    [ Article : 2008 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.134)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.134)

  2. Irina Baronova (1919-2008).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
    Barnes, Clive
    Dance Magazine
    [ Article : 2008 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 0.97)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 0.97)

  3. Impressions - Irina Baronova: 13 March 1919 - 28 June 2008: [Obituary]
    Potter, Michelle
    Brolga
    [ Article : 2008 ]
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.423)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.423)

  4. Irina Baronova; Obituary.(Features)(Obituary)
    The Times (London, England)
    [ Article : 2008 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.421)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.421)