Lincoln Kirstein papers

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Description: The papers of Lincoln Edward Kirstein, b.1907, cover the period from c. 1914 to 1991, and pertain both to his career and to his private and family life.
Names: Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996 (Creator); Ashton, Frederick, 1904-1988 (Contributor); Balanchine, George (Contributor); Baum, Morton, 1905-1968 (Contributor); Beaton, Cecil, 1904-1980 (Contributor); Berenson, Bernard, 1865-1959 (Contributor); Berman, Eugene, 1899-1972 (Contributor); Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976 (Contributor); Buckle, Richard (Contributor); Cadmus, Paul, 1904-1999 (Contributor); Cage, Betty (Contributor); Cagney, James, 1899-1986 (Contributor); Cartier-Bresson, Henri, 1908-2004 (Contributor); Chapman, Robert Harris (Contributor); Chase, Lucia, 1897-1986 (Contributor); Chávez, Carlos, 1899-1978 (Contributor); Christensen, Lew, 1909-1984 (Contributor); Chujoy, Anatole, 1894-1969 (Contributor); Colville, Alex, 1920-2013 (Contributor); Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990 (Contributor); Cornell, Joseph (Contributor); Craft, Robert (Contributor); Curtiss, Mina Kirstein, 1896- (Contributor); De Mille, Agnes (Contributor); Denby, Edwin, 1903-1983 (Contributor); Draper, Muriel, 1886-1952 (Contributor); Edwards, Hugh L. (Contributor); Ewart, Gavin (Contributor); Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan), 1879-1970 (Contributor); Graham, Martha (Contributor); Hawkins, Erick (Contributor); Humphrey, Doris, 1895-1958 (Contributor); Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996 (Correspondent); Lachaise, Gaston, 1882-1935 (Contributor); Lindbergh, Anne Morrow, 1906-2001 (Contributor); Lowell, Robert, 1917-1977 (Contributor); Luce, Clare Boothe, 1903-1987 (Contributor); Lynes, George Platt, 1907-1955 (Contributor); Martin, John Joseph, 1893- (Contributor); Martínez, José, 1913?-1997 (Contributor); Menotti, Gian Carlo, 1911-2007 (Contributor); Oliver, María Rosa, 1898-1977 (Contributor); Perlin, Bernard, 1918- (Contributor); Pickens, Alton (Contributor); Porter, Katherine Anne, 1890-1980 (Contributor); Quennell, Peter, 1905-1993 (Contributor); Rambert, Marie (Contributor); Reed, Joseph Verner, 1902-1973 (Contributor); Rimmer, William, 1816-1879 (Contributor); Robbins, Jerome (Contributor); Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979 (Contributor); Sitwell, Edith, 1887-1964 (Contributor); Sitwell, Osbert, 1892-1969 (Contributor); Smith, Oliver Lemuel, 1918-1994 (Contributor); Spender, Stephen, 1909-1995 (Contributor); Stout, George L. (George Leslie) (Contributor); Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971 (Contributor); Warburg, Edward M. M. (Contributor); DHCA (Contributor)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1914 - 1991 (Approximate)
Library locations: Jerome Robbins Dance Division; Shelf locator: (S) *MGZMD 97
Topics: Ballet -- History -- 20th century; Ballet -- United States; Bugaku (Choreographic work : Balanchine); Duel (Choreographic work : Dollar); Figure in the carpet (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Genres: Correspondence
Notes: Biographical/historical: American ballet director, writer, and dance historian, 1907-1995. Lincoln Kirstein was born in Rochester, NY, educated at Harvard (B.A. 1929, M.A. 1930). He married Fidelma Cadmus, sister of artist, Paul Cadmus, in 1941 and served in the U.S. Army 1943-45. He co-founded School of American Ballet with George Balanchine and Edward M.M. Warburg in 1934. Participated in the founding and/or direction of American Ballet in 1935, Ballet Caravan 1936-41, Ballet Society in 1946, and became general director of the succeeding company, New York City Ballet in 1948. Lincoln Kirstein career included work with visual artists and writers on various projects. His publications in dance include: Dance Index, 1942-48; books on Fokine, Nijinsky, New York City Ballet, a history of theatrical dance, and assistance to Romola Nijinsky in the biography of her husband, 1932-33. He retired from New York City Ballet and School of American Ballet in 1989. Kirstein was known as a sponsor (1959-60) of Japanese theater in the United States. He was the recipient of many distinguished awards.; Content: The papers of Lincoln Edward Kirstein, b.1907, cover the period from c. 1914 to 1991, and pertain both to his career and to his private and family life. The bulk of the collection consists of originals and some copies (with some photos, negatives and clippings enclosed) of correspondence with dancers, artists, sculptors, musicians as well as with family and friends including war letters to his friends and letter re his testamentary wishes. The collection also contains typescripts of articles, poems, stories, libretti and scenarios; clippings of reviews; miscellaneous materials representing Kirstein's interests other than ballet: i.e. theatre, art, architecture, photography and Japanese cultural traditions. The headings added for clarity are in brackets []; Lincoln Kirstein's notes written on the original folders are in parenthesis (), also his are "cf"notes [confer, compare]. Many items are fragile and require special handling. Language: English, French, Spanish and Japanese The collection has been left as arranged by Lincoln Kirstein with his headings established for the folders. Some rearrangements were made to follow the chronological order within the folders. Files are arranged alphabetically by person or subject, with many subjects kept under Kirstein, Lincoln [under respective headings]. A separate list of see under for major companies and some other titles is appended to the folder list. Some organizations and people have correspondence in two or more places. The items were left where they were found, and "see also" headings were added. With the larger alphabetical listing, items are mostly in chronological ascending order within the individual person's or organization's folders, with the exception of "no date" items. The headings added for clarity are in brackets []; Lincoln Kirstein's notes written on the original folders are in parenthesis (), also his are "cf" notes [confer, compare].
Physical Description: Extent: 445 folders in 25 document size boxes
Type of Resource: Text
Identifiers: NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b13538378; MSS Unit ID: 19755; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): b83d2930-c94f-0138-f4f2-43428db5407d

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Letter from Carleton Sprague …

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Lincoln Kirstein papers

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