Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
DAME MARGOT FONTEYN d1991. British prima ballerina widely considered to be one of the greatest of the 20th century. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet (formerly the Sadler's Wells Theatre Company) eventually being appointed prima ballerina assoluta of the company by Queen Elizabeth II. At the age of 14, she was invited to join the Vic-Wells Ballet School by Ninette de Valois. She succeeded Alicia Markova as prima ballerina of the company in 1935. In 1946, the company (now renamed the Sadler's Wells Ballet) moved into the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden where her most frequent partner throughout the next decade was Michael Somes. In 1949, she led the company in a tour of the United States and became an international celebrity. Before and after WW2, she performed in televised broadcasts of ballet performances in Britain and in the early 1950s appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, consequently increasing the popularity of dance in the United States. In 1955, she married the Panamanian politician Roberto Arias and appeared in a live colour production of The Sleeping Beauty aired on NBC. Thanks to her international acclaim and many guest artist requests, the Royal Ballet allowed her to become a freelance dancer in 1959. In 1961, whilst she was considering retirement, Rudolf Nureyev defected from the Kirov Ballet while dancing in Paris. Fonteyn, though reluctant to partner with him (because of their 19-year age difference) danced with him in his début with the Royal Ballet in Giselle on 21st February 1962. The duo immediately became an international sensation, each dancer pushing the other to their best performances. They were most noted for their classical performances in works including ; Le Corsaire Pas de Deux / Les Sylphides / La Bayadère / Swan Lake and Raymonda. The pair premièred Ashton's Marguerite and Armand (which had been choreographed specifically for them) and were noted for their performance in the title roles of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet. The following year, her husband was shot during an assassination attempt and became a quadriplegic, requiring constant care for the remainder of his life. In 1972, Margot Fonteyn went into semi-retirement, although she continued to dance periodically until the end of the decade to raise money to support her husband. In 1979, she was fêted by the Royal Ballet and officially pronounced the prima ballerina assoluta of the company. She retired to Panama, where she spent her time writing books, raising cattle and caring for her husband. She died in Panama from ovarian cancer aged 71 on February 21st 1991, exactly 29 years after her premiere with Nureyev in Giselle
Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179A
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Giselle" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & Michael Somes
Reference Number. 14179C
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Dante Sonata" postcard, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Michael Somes
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Margot Fonteyn Autograph
Reference Number. 14359D
An original vintage 1968 autograph book page, clearly signed and dated in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14252E
A good original vintage circa 1958 vintage autograph book page, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179D
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Dante Sonata" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & Robert Helpmann
Reference Number. 14179E
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Comus Scene" postcard, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179F
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "The Wanderer" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179G
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Rakes Progress" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179H
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Les Sirenes" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & Leonide Massine
Reference Number. 14179J
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Tricorne" postcard, clearly signed in ink by ; Margot Fonteyn / Leonide Massine and John Hart
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179K
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Tricorne" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & John Hart
Reference Number. 14179L
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Tricorne" postcard, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and John Hart
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179M
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Tricorne" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179P
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Lac Des Cygnes" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14179R
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Lac Des Cygnes" postcard, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & Robert Helpmann
Reference Number. 14179S
A lovely original vintage circa 1940s "Lac Des Cygnes" postcard, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann
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Margot Fonteyn & Moira Shearer
Reference Number. 14045A
A wonderful original vintage circa 1940s photo-card, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Moira Shearer
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Margot Fonteyn & Alexis Rossine
Reference Number. 14045B
A wonderful original vintage 1946 "Giselle" Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Alexis Rossine
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Margot Fonteyn & Alexis Rossine
Reference Number. 14045C
A wonderful original vintage 1946 "Giselle" Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Alexis Rossine
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14045D
A wonderful original vintage circa 1946 Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn & Alexis Rossine
Reference Number. 14045E
A wonderful original vintage 1946 "Giselle" Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by both Margot Fonteyn and Alexis Rossine
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14045F
A wonderful original vintage 1940s Sadlers Wells "Sleeping Beauty Act II" Mandinian photo-card, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14045G
A wonderful original vintage 1940s Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 14045H
A wonderful original vintage 1940s Baron photo-card, clearly signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 12660
An original 1976 index card, clearly signed, dedicated (To Lucinda) and dated in ink by Margot Fonteyn Arias
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 10049
An original vintage circa 1950s autograph book page, signed in ink by Margot Fonteyn
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 7137A
An original 1982 notebook page, clearly signed and inscribed in ballpoint by Margot Fonteyn
"To Ernest Gilman with very best wishes and I hope your autograph collection is going well 1982"
Double mounted for fine display with photograph
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Margot Fonteyn
Reference Number. 5425A
An original circa 1960s autograph book page, clearly signed in ink ; "To Rosemary, best wish Margot Fonteyn".
Double mounted for fine display with photograph.
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