6 Dec 1971
She died in Paris. Matilda Kshesinskaya — a ballerina, prima of the imperial theaters. The beloved of the Tsarevich Nicholas II.
The heir was unable to insist on his own way and often gave in. He was a mystic and a natural fatalist and always believed in his destiny. That's why, even after his abdication, he didn't dare leave Russia.
Born in 1872 Petersburg, Born into a family of ballet dancers, his father was of Polish descent and became famous for his mazurka performance in Russia.
At 8, she entered the Imperial Theatre School, and at 9, she received her first role in a ballet on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre.
She had a “lively and mischievous character,” but studied well: at 17, she passed an exam in the presence of the royal family. Alexander III invited her to the imperial table and asked: “Be the glory and adornment of our ballet.”
Then, at dinner, she met the future emperor. Nicholas II.
That evening I flew to my M.K. and spent the best evening with her so far. I was so impressed by her—the pen was shaking in my hands!
(diary of Nicholas II, January 25, 1893)
She dated him for four years, until his marriage in 1894. After that, she had relationships with the princes of the House of Romanov - Sergei Mikhailovich и Andrey Vladimirovich (grandchildren of Nicholas I and Alexander II).
I had known for a long time that this [marriage] was inevitable, that sooner or later the Heir would have to marry some foreign princess, nevertheless my grief knew no bounds.
My last request was to allow him to continue to write to me informally and to contact him if necessary.
(from the memoirs of Kshesinskaya)
She used her connections at court to build her career and defend her positions. At 25, she became prima ballerina of the imperial theaters. She toured Europe and performed in Diaghilev's "Seasons" in London, Vienna и Monte Carlo. She took private lessons from Italian teachers, thanks to which she became the first Russian dancer to perform 32 fouettés in a row on stage.
Her dance is as varied as the brilliance of a diamond: sometimes it is light and soft, sometimes it breathes fire and passion; at the same time, it is always graceful and delights the audience with the remarkable harmony of all its movements.
(review in Gazeta Polska, 1894)
During the First World War, she performed at the front and in hospitals, and took part in charity concerts.
She danced on the imperial stage until 1917.
After the February Revolution, she fled her mansion (a gift from Nicholas II)—it was immediately occupied and plundered by Bolsheviks, soldiers, and sailors. She successfully sued for their eviction, but the soldiers refused to leave the building.
She wandered from one apartment to another, leaving St. Petersburg three months before the October Revolution. She lived in Kislovodsk for several years.
We realized that one day we all became beggars.
In 1919 she emigrated from Russia with her son (his father, Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, was shot in 1918 Alapaevsk along with other members of the imperial family).
In 1921, in France, she married Prince Andrei Vladimirovich and received the title of Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya.
In 1929, it opened in Paris ballet studio. She never yelled or raised her voice at her students, including her daughters. Feodor Chaliapin and many stars of European ballet.
She performed on stage until she was 63. She carefully prepared for each performance: before the show, she did not leave the house, and followed a strict regimen and diet.
In the late 40s, she became fascinated with roulette and nearly went broke. They called her "Madame Seventeen": she always bet on that number—the age she met Nicholas II.
She died a few months before her 100th birthday.