Petipa, Marius Mémoires.

Translated from Russian and completed by Galla Ackerman and Pierre Lorrain.

[Paris], Actes Sud, [1990].
8vo, 185, [4] pp., ill.

In original pictorial wrappers.
Near very good condition, lightly rubbed.

First edition in French.

This book is about Marius Petipa, the legendary choreographer who revolutionized ballet and shaped its modern identity. It recounts Petipa's life, his creative collaborations with figures like Tchaikovsky, and his significant contributions to classical works such as 'Swan Lake' and 'Sleeping Beauty'. Through memoirs, anecdotes, documents, interviews, and rare materials like sketches and photographs, the book provides a vivid perspective on Petipa as both a public figure and an extraordinary professional. It highlights how Petipa's innovations defined the art of dance as it exists today.
The memoirs were originally written in French but quickly translated into Russian and published in 1906. However, the French original was lost, and this text has been re-translated into French from the only available Russian translation (in English it was published in 1958).