Ludmilla Tchérina (born Monique Tchemerzine; ; 10 October 1924 – 21 March 2004) was a French

prima ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

and actress.

Biography

Tchérina was born Monique Tchemerzine, into Circassian aristocracy as the daughter of Kabardian Prince Avenir Tchemerzine (), a former Russian general, who had escaped from St. Petersburg, and Stéphane Finette, a French woman. She studied with Blanche d'Alessandri,

Olga Preobrajenska Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska (russian: О́льга Ио́сифовна Преображе́нская; born Preobrazhenskaya; – 27 December 1962) was a Russian ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet and a ballet instructor. Biogra ...

and Clustine. She started dancing at 16 and danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, where she was spotted by

Serge Lifar Serge Lifar ( ua, Сергій Михайлович Лифар, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian ballet dancer and choreographer, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. No ...

. She made her Paris debut creating the rôle of Juliet in his '' Romeo and Juliet'' in 1942, becoming the youngest prima ballerina in the history of dance. In 1945 she was a principal dancer with the Ballet des Champs-Élysées and performed in Paris concerts with her husband Edmond Audran. She created various rôles in Lifar's ballets including: 'Mephisto Waltz' in 1945, ' in 1946 and in ' in 1957. She appeared often with the Paris Opera, the Bolshoi Ballet and the

Kirov Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet (russian: Балет Мариинского театра) is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russ ...

as a guest performer. Tchérina acted in several films including '' The Red Shoes'', ', ''

The Tales of Hoffmann ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died i ...

'', '' Oh... Rosalinda!!'' and '' Luna de Miel''. She also appeared in television. In the 1980s she turned to writing and published two novels under her own name, ' (1973) and ' (1986). Tchérina had a lifelong passion for painting and exhibited in many major galleries. She also conceived and executed several monumental sculptures, including ''Europe à Coeur'', chosen in 1991 by the EU to symbolise the union of Europe and now located at the European Parliament. In 1994 she created ''Europa Operanda'', now installed at the French terminal of Eurotunnel. LudmillaTcherina

Personal life

Edmond Audran, whom she married in 1946, died in a car accident in 1951. She married Raymond Roi in 1953. She was decorated with the '' Officier, Légion d'honneur '' in 1980.

Death

Tchérina died in 2004, aged 79, and is buried at the

Montmartre Cemetery The Cemetery of Montmartre (french: link=no, Cimetière de Montmartre) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, that dates to the early 19th century. Officially known as the Cimetière du Nord, it is the third largest necropolis ...

, Paris.

Filmography

External links

*
Ludmilla Tcherina - Obituary from The Independent (UK)Ludmilla Tchérina
a
aenigmatcherina.com
in French
Europe à Coeur (Strasbourg)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tcherina, Ludmilla 1924 births 2004 deaths Artists from Paris French ballerinas French film actresses Prima ballerinas Circassian nobility Russian nobility French people of Circassian descent French people of Russian descent Burials at Montmartre Cemetery Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Musicians from Paris Actresses from Paris Writers from Paris Circassians 20th-century French actresses 20th-century French sculptors 20th-century French women artists 20th-century French musicians 20th-century French ballet dancers