A real biography of Matilda Kshesinskaya. Queen of intrigue: how prima ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya became the wife of Grand Duke Andrei Romanov

Matilda Kshesinskaya first appeared on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater at the age of four. The ballerina who Alexander III called “the adornment of Russian ballet”, participated in Diaghilev’s Seasons and became the Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya.

“Her dance is as varied as the sparkle of a diamond.”

Matilda Kshesinskaya was born in 1872 in the family of dancer Felix Kshesinsky and ballerina Yulia Dolinskaya. At eight years old, the girl entered the Imperial Theater School. Kshesinskaya easily repeated complex steps and diligently practiced at the barre. She was compared to a butterfly fluttering around the stage - and at the age of nine she was given a role in Ludwig Minkus's ballet Don Quixote.

In her senior year, Kshesinskaya suddenly lost interest in ballet and even decided to quit school. She was inspired by the dance of the Italian ballerina Virginia Zucchi from the ballet “A Vain Precaution.” Kshesinskaya later recalled: “It seemed to me that for the first time I began to understand how to dance in order to have the right to be called an artist. I immediately came to life and understood what I needed to strive for.” Two years later, she brilliantly repeated the flirtatious dance at the graduation concert.

At the graduation party, Matilda Kshesinskaya met Tsarevich Nicholas, the future Nicholas II: Alexander III himself invited her to the imperial table with the words: “Be the decoration and glory of our ballet.” Soon the heir to the throne and the young ballerina fell in love with each other. Their romance was encouraged by the imperial couple; Nikolai bought gifts for Kshesinskaya with money from a specially created fund.

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: wikimedia.org

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: marta-club.ru

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: wikiquote.org

During these years, Kshesinskaya danced on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. After her debut in Pyotr Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty, court choreographer Marius Petipa created roles especially for her. Russian and European critics wrote about her impeccable technique and “ideal lightness.”

Tsarevich Nikolai tried not to miss a single performance of Kshesinskaya. He gave the ballerina a mansion. Later she recalled how Nikolai danced in the living room of her new house - he performed the roles of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf from the ballet “Sleeping Beauty”. Their romance ended in 1894, when Alexander III died. A week after the funeral, Emperor Nicholas II married Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna.

Matilda Kshesinskaya went on tour to Monte Carlo, then to Poland. Triumph awaited her in Warsaw. “Gazeta Polska” wrote: “Her dance is varied, like the shine of a diamond: sometimes it is distinguished by lightness and softness, sometimes it breathes fire and passion; at the same time, he is always graceful and delights the viewer with the remarkable harmony of all movements.”

When the ballerina returned to Russia, celebrations were being prepared in St. Petersburg to mark the coronation of Nicholas II. Especially for Matilda Kshesinskaya, Marius Petipa included the role of the “yellow pearl” in the ceremonial performance.

"The first star of Russian ballet"

In 1899, Matilda Kshesinskaya performed the role of Esmeralda in Petipa's ballet. After the premiere, the choreographer himself, usually reserved in his assessments, called Kshesinskaya the first star of Russian ballet.

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: rusiti.ru

The ballerina carefully prepared for each performance. On the eve of the performance, she refused visits and receptions and followed a strict regime and diet. On the day of the performance, I spent all the time in bed, with practically no food or water. Kshesinskaya rehearsed without rest and studied additionally with Italian choreographer Enrico Cecchetti. She was the first among Russian ballerinas to perform a special ballet trick on stage - 32 fouettés in a row. Kshesinskaya's repertoire quickly expanded.

“Of all the ballets, more than half of the best belong to her. She considered them her property and could give or not let others dance them.”
Vladimir Telyakovsky, theater figure

Matilda Kshesinskaya supported her talented colleagues. It was she who insisted that Marius Petipa pay more attention to Anna Pavlova. Before Tamara Karsavina's premiere, Kshesinskaya gave her her stage costume. With the future “unsettling star” Vaslav Nijinsky, the ballerina honed her lifts.

After serving in the theater for 10 years, Matilda Kshesinskaya organized her own benefit performance (although according to the rules, the first benefit performance was due after 20 years of work). At a gala dinner, the ballerina met Nicholas II’s cousin, Prince Andrei Vladimirovich. A romance broke out between them. In the fall of 1901, the lovers went on a trip to Europe, and on the way back, Matilda Kshesinskaya realized that she was expecting a child.

The ballerina danced on stage while she managed to hide her pregnancy. In June 1902, Kshesinskaya’s son Vladimir was born, and two months later she returned to the stage.

During these years, the era of Mikhail Fokin began at the Mariinsky Theater. He experimented with classical ballet choreography, making it more emotional and liberated: “Body movements should not descend to banal plasticity... dance must reflect the soul.” Kshesinskaya, an academic ballerina, had difficulty getting used to innovations, but still participated in Mikhail Fokine’s productions of Evnika, Butterflies, and Eros.

In 1911, Sergei Diaghilev invited Kshesinskaya to be a soloist in his ballet company. During the five weeks of her London tour, Kshesinskaya performed nine times - in Sleeping Beauty, Carnival, and Swan Lake. In 1912, Kshesinskaya performed with Diaghilev's troupe in Vienna and Monte Carlo.

Your Serene Highness Princess Romanovskaya

During the First World War, Matilda Kshesinskaya performed at the front and in hospitals, and participated in charity concerts. Last time she danced in Russia in 1917 - her favorite number “Russian” on the stage of the Petrograd Conservatory.

Matilda Kshesinskaya with her son. Photo: media.tumblr.com

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: blogspot.com

Matilda Kshesinskaya. Photo: liveinternet.ru

After the Revolution, the Kshesinskaya mansion was occupied by the Bolsheviks. Everything that was in the house - several pounds of silverware, jewelry from Faberge, valuable interior items - went into the hands of the sailors. The ballerina did the impossible: she filed a lawsuit against the Bolsheviks and won. But the property and mansion were never returned to her. In the summer of 1917, Matilda Kshesinskaya and her son left St. Petersburg and went first to Kislovodsk to see Andrei Vladimirovich, and then all together abroad. They settled in Provence, where the ballerina had her own house. In France, Kshesinskaya and Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich got married, and the ballerina received the title of Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya.

In Paris, Matilda Kshesinskaya opened her ballet studio. Her students were Fyodor Chaliapin's daughters, Marina and Daria, and future stars of English and French ballet - Margot Fonteyn, Yvette Chauvire, Pamela May. Kshesinskaya worked hard and did not give up teaching even after she developed arthritis. She continued to teach her students when she herself could walk with a cane.

The ballet school was Kshesinskaya’s only source of income: in the late 40s, the ballerina became interested in playing roulette and almost went bankrupt. They called her “Madame Seventeen”: she always bet on this number. This was explained by the fact that it was at the age of 17 that she met Nicholas II.

In 1958, Matilda Kshesinskaya attended a performance of the Bolshoi Theater, which toured in Paris. The artist recalled: “Although I don’t go anywhere else... I made an exception and went to the Opera to see the Russians. I cried with happiness. It was the same ballet that I had seen more than forty years ago, with the same spirit and the same traditions.”

Kshesinskaya lived for almost 100 years and died a few months before the anniversary. She is buried in the Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois cemetery near Paris. The epitaph is engraved on her monument: “The Most Serene Princess Maria Feliksovna Romanovskaya-Krasinskaya, Honored Artist of the Imperial Theaters Kshesinskaya.”

The publishing house "Tsentrpoligraf" published "Memoirs" of the famous ballerina. Despite the fact that this book of memoirs was written jointly with her husband Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, in it Matilda Feliksovna talks quite openly about her affair with the Heir, the future emperor, relations with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich and other fans, many of whom offered scenes to the star not only your love, but also your marriage. publishes excerpts from these memoirs.

As a fourteen-year-old girl, I flirted with a young Englishman, MacPherson. I was not interested in him, but I liked to flirt with the young and elegant young man. On my birthday, he came with his fiancee, this hurt me, and I decided to take revenge. I couldn’t let this affront go for nothing. Choosing a time when we were all together and his fiancee was sitting next to him, I inadvertently said that I like to go mushroom picking in the morning before coffee. He kindly asked me if he could come with me. That's all I needed - that means I got the bait. I answered in the presence of the bride that if she gives him permission, then I have nothing against it. Since this was said in the presence of all the guests, she had no choice but to give the required consent. The next morning, McPherson and I went into the forest to pick mushrooms. Here he gave me a lovely ivory purse with forget-me-nots - a gift quite suitable for a young lady of my age. We picked mushrooms poorly, and by the end of the walk it seemed to me that he had completely forgotten about his bride. After this walk in the forest, he began to write me love letters and sent me flowers, but I soon got tired of it, since I was not interested in him. It ended with his wedding not taking place. This was the first sin on my conscience.

(after the graduation performance)

The Emperor sat down at the head of one of the long tables, to the right of him sat a pupil who was supposed to read a prayer before dinner, and to the left was supposed to sit another, but he moved her aside and turned to me:

And you sit next to me.

He showed the heir a place nearby and, smiling, told us:

Just be careful not to flirt too much.

In front of each device there was a simple white mug. The heir looked at her and, turning to me, asked:

You probably don’t drink from such mugs at home?

This simple question, so trivial, remained in my memory. This is how my conversation with the Heir began. I don't remember what we talked about, but I immediately fell in love with the Heir. Like now, I see him Blue eyes with this kind expression. I stopped looking at him only as the Heir, I forgot about it, everything was like a dream. Regarding this evening, in the Diary of Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II, under the date March 23, 1890, it was written: “We went to a performance at the Theater School. There was a short play and ballet. Very good. We had dinner with the pupils.” This is how I learned many years later about his impression of our first meeting.

We were increasingly attracted to each other, and I increasingly began to think about getting my own corner. Meeting with parents became simply unthinkable. Although the Heir, with his characteristic delicacy, never spoke openly about this, I felt that our desires coincided. But how to tell your parents about this? I knew that I would cause them great grief when I told them that I was leaving my parents’ home, and this tormented me endlessly, because I adored my parents, from whom I only saw care, affection and love. Mother, I told myself, would still understand me as a woman, I was even sure of this, and I was not mistaken, but how to tell my father? He was brought up with strict principles, and I knew what I was doing to him. terrible blow, taking into account the circumstances under which I left my family. I was aware that I was doing something that I had no right to do because of my parents. But... I adored Nicky, I thought only about him, about my happiness, at least briefly...

I found a small, charming mansion on English Avenue, No. 18, which belonged to Rimsky-Korsakov. It was built by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich for the ballerina Kuznetsova, with whom he lived. They said that the Grand Duke was afraid of assassination attempts and therefore his office on the first floor had iron shutters, and a fireproof cabinet for jewelry and papers was built into the wall.

The heir began to often bring me gifts, which I at first refused to accept, but, seeing how it upset him, I accepted them. The gifts were good, but not large. His first gift was a gold bracelet with a large sapphire and two large diamonds. I engraved on it two that are especially dear to me and memorable dates- our first meeting at the school and his first visit to me: 1890-1892.

I threw a housewarming party to celebrate my move and the start of my independent life. All the guests brought me housewarming gifts, and the Heir gave me eight gold pieces decorated precious stones glass for vodka.

After the move, the Heir gave me a photograph of himself with the inscription: “To my dear lady,” as he always called me.

In the summer, I wanted to live in Krasnoye Selo or near it in order to be able to see the Heir more often, who could not leave the camp to meet with me. I even found myself a nice little dacha on the shore of Lake Dudergof, very convenient in all respects. The Heir did not object to this plan, but they made me understand that this could cause unnecessary and unwanted talk if I settled so close to the Heir. Then I decided to rent a dacha in Koerov, it was big house, built in the era of Empress Catherine II and had a rather original triangle shape.

On April 7, 1894, the engagement of the Heir to the Tsarevich to Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt was announced. Although I had known for a long time that it was inevitable that sooner or later the Heir would have to marry some foreign princess, nevertheless my grief knew no bounds.

After his return from Coburg, the Heir did not visit me again, but we continued to write to each other. My last request to him was to allow me to continue to write to him on “you” and contact him if necessary. The Heir responded to this letter with remarkably touching lines, which I remembered so well: “No matter what happens to me in life, meeting you will forever remain the brightest memory of my youth.”

In my grief and despair, I was not left alone. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, with whom I became friends from the day when the Heir first brought him to me, remained with me and supported me. I never felt a feeling for him that could be compared with my feeling for Nicky, but with his whole attitude he won my heart, and I sincerely fell in love with him. Them true friend The way he showed himself these days, he remained for the rest of his life, both in happy years and in the days of revolution and trials. Much later, I found out that Niki asked Sergei to keep an eye on me, protect me and always turn to him when I needed his help and support.

The touching attention on the part of the Heir was his expressed desire for me to stay in the house that I rented, where he visited me so often, where we were both so happy. He bought and gave me this house.

It was clear to me that the Heir did not have what it took to reign. This is not to say that he was spineless. No, he had character, but he didn't have something to force others to bend to his will. His first impulse was almost always correct, but he did not know how to insist on his own and very often gave in. I told him more than once that he was not made for kingship, nor for the role that, by the will of fate, he would have to play. But, of course, I never convinced him to renounce the Throne. Such a thought never occurred to me.

The coronation celebrations, scheduled for May 1896, were approaching. Feverish preparations were going on everywhere. The Imperial Theater was distributing roles for the upcoming parade performance in Moscow. Both troupes had to be united for this exceptional case. Although Moscow had its own ballet troupe, in addition, artists from the St. Petersburg troupe were sent there, and I was among them. I was supposed to dance there in ordinary performances of the ballet “The Awakening of Flora”. However, I was not given a role in the ceremonial performance for which they staged new ballet, “Pearl”, to the music of Drigo. Rehearsals for this ballet have already begun, the main role was given to Legnani, and the remaining roles were distributed among other artistes. Thus, it turned out that I was not supposed to participate in the parade performance, although I already had the title of ballerina and had a responsible repertoire. I considered this an insult to myself in front of the entire troupe, which I, of course, could not bear. In complete despair, I rushed to Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich for help, since I did not see anyone around me to whom I could turn, and he always treated me cordially. I felt that only he could stand up for me and understand how undeservedly and deeply I was offended by this exclusion from the ceremonial performance. I don’t know how and what the Grand Duke actually did, but the result was quick. The Directorate of the Imperial Theaters received an order from above for me to participate in the ceremonial performance at the coronation in Moscow. My honor was restored, and I was happy, because I knew that Niki had done this for me personally; without his knowledge and consent, the Directorate would not have changed its previous decision.

By the time the order was received from the Court, the ballet “Pearl” had been fully rehearsed and all the roles had been assigned. In order to include me in this ballet, Drigo had to write additional music, and M.I. Petipa staged a special pas de deux for me, in which I was called the “yellow pearl”: since there were already white, black and pink pearls.

In the previous season, the stage did not captivate me, I hardly worked and did not dance as well as I should have, but now I decided to pull myself together and began to study hard in order to be able, if the Emperor came to the theater, to please him with my dancing. During this season, 1896/97, the Tsar and Empress attended the ballet almost every Sunday, but the Directorate always arranged for me to dance on Wednesdays, when the Tsar was not at the theater. At first I thought this was happening by accident, but then I noticed that it was being done on purpose. This seemed unfair and extremely offensive to me. Several Sundays passed like this. Finally the Directorate gave me the Sunday performance; I had to dance Sleeping Beauty. I was quite sure that the Emperor would be at my performance, but I found out - and in the theater everything is learned very quickly - that the Director of the theaters persuaded the Emperor to go this Sunday to the Mikhailovsky Theater to watch a French play, which he had not seen the previous Saturday. It was absolutely clear to me that the Director deliberately did everything possible to prevent the Emperor from seeing me, and for this purpose persuaded him to go to another theater. Then I could not stand it and for the first time took advantage of the Sovereign’s permission given to me to directly contact him. I wrote to him about what was happening in the theater, and added that under such conditions it was becoming completely impossible for me to continue to serve on the Imperial stage. The letter was handed over personally into the hands of the Sovereign by Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.

This season, four Grand Dukes: Mikhail Nikolaevich, Vladimir Alexandrovich, Alexei and Pavel Alexandrovich - showed me touching attention and presented me with a brooch in the shape of a ring studded with diamonds, with four large sapphires, and on the case was attached a plaque with their names engraved on it.

In the summer of the same year, when I was living at my dacha in Strelna, Niki, through Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, told me that on such and such a day and hour he would ride on horseback with the Empress past my dacha, and asked that I definitely be there time in your garden. I chose a place in the garden on a bench where Nicky could clearly see me from the road along which he had to pass. Exactly on the appointed day and hour, Niki drove with the Empress past my dacha and, of course, saw me perfectly. They drove slowly past the house, I stood up and made a deep bow and received a gentle answer. This incident proved that Nicky did not at all hide his past attitude towards me, but, on the contrary, openly showed me sweet attention in a delicate manner. I never stopped loving him, and the fact that he did not forget me was a huge consolation for me.

The tenth anniversary of my service on the Imperial stage was approaching. Typically, artists were given a benefit performance for twenty years of service or a farewell performance when the artist left the stage. I decided to ask for a benefit performance for ten years of service, but this required special permission, and I made this request not to the Director of the Imperial Theaters, but personally to the Minister of the Imperial Court, Baron Fredericks, a sweet and sympathetic man who always treated kindly and favored to me. When I had an appointment with the Minister, I thought especially carefully about my dressing in order to make the best impression on the Minister. I was young and, as they wrote in the newspapers at that time, slim and graceful. I chose a light gray woolen dress that hugged my figure, and a triangular hat of the same color. Although this may seem impudent on my part, I liked myself when I looked in the mirror - pleased with myself, I went to the Minister.

He greeted me very nicely and complimented me on my toilet, which he really liked. It gave me great pleasure that he appreciated my dress, and then I more boldly approached him with my request. He immediately kindly agreed to report it to the Emperor, since the question of assigning a benefit was outside general rules depended exclusively on the Sovereign. Seeing that the Minister was in no hurry to let me go, I told him that it was only thanks to him that I was doing 32 fouettés well. He looked at me in surprise and questioningly, wondering how he could help me with this. I explained to him that in order to do fouetté without leaving his seat, it is necessary to have a clearly visible point in front of him at every turn, and since he is sitting in the very center of the stalls, in the first row, even in a dimly lit hall there is a bright light on his chest stand out for their splendor of the order. The Minister really liked my explanation, and with a charming smile he walked me to the door, once again promising to report my request to the Emperor and letting me know that, of course, there would be no refusal. I left the Minister kindly and very happy. Of course, I received a benefit, and again my unforgettable Nicky did it for me. For my benefit I chose Sunday, February 13, 1900. This number has always brought me happiness.

On the day of their benefit performances, artists usually received from His Majesty’s Cabinet the so-called Royal Gift, mostly a standard gold or silver item, sometimes decorated with colored stones, depending on the category of the gift, but certainly with the Imperial eagle or crown. Men usually received gold watches. These gifts were not particularly elegant. I was very afraid that I would receive such jewelry that would be unpleasant to wear, and I asked, through Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, to do everything possible so that I would not be awarded such a gift. And indeed, on the day of the benefit performance, the Director of the Imperial Theaters, Prince Volkonsky, came to my dressing room and gave me the Tsar’s gift: a lovely brooch in the form of a diamond snake, coiled in a ring, and in the middle a large sapphire cabochon. Then the Emperor asked Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich to tell me that he chose this brooch together with the Empress and that the snake is a symbol of wisdom...

Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich immediately made a huge impression on me on this first evening that I met him: he was amazingly handsome and very shy, which did not spoil him at all, on the contrary. During lunch, he accidentally touched a glass of red wine with his sleeve, which tipped over in my direction and splashed my dress. I was not upset that the wonderful dress was lost; I immediately saw in this an omen that it would bring me a lot of happiness in life. I ran upstairs to my room and quickly changed into a new dress. The whole evening went surprisingly well and we danced a lot. From that day on, a feeling immediately crept into my heart that I had not experienced for a long time; This was no longer an empty flirtation...

During the summer, Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich began to come to rehearsals at the Krasnoselsky Theater more and more often. Our wonderful dramatic artist Maria Aleksandrovna Pototskaya, who was my great friend, teased me, saying: “Since when did you become interested in boys?” He was, however, six years younger than me. And then he began to come to me all the time in Strelna, where we had such a wonderful and lovely time. I remember those unforgettable evenings that I spent waiting for his arrival, walking through the park in the moonlight. But sometimes he was late and arrived when the sun had already begun to rise and the fields were fragrant with the smell of cut hay, which I loved so much. I remember the day of July 22, the day of the angel of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, his mother. On her name day there was always a picnic in Ropsha with music and gypsies. He couldn’t come to see me in Strelna early, but he promised to come anyway, unless they stayed there too late, returning to their home in Krasnoe Selo. I was waiting for him with excitement, and when he appeared, my happiness knew no bounds, especially since I was not sure that he would be able to come to me. It was a wonderful night. We sat on the balcony for long hours, either talking about something, listening to the singing of waking birds, or the rustling of leaves. We felt like we were in heaven. We never forgot this night, this day, and every year we celebrated our anniversary.

Upon arrival in Paris, I felt unwell, invited a doctor, who, after examining me, stated that I was in the very first period of pregnancy, about a month in total, by his definition. On the one hand, this news was a great joy for me, but on the other hand, I was at a loss as to what I should do when I returned to St. Petersburg. Then I remembered about the monkey bite in Genoa, would this bite affect my child’s appearance, since they said that a strong impression is reflected on the child. After spending several days in Paris, I returned home; I had to experience a lot of joyful things, but also a lot of hard things... I, moreover, had a difficult season ahead, and I didn’t know how I would survive it in this state.

Before Lent, they gave a very nice ballet, “Mr. Dupre’s Disciples,” in two scenes, staged by Petipa to music. I danced the role of Camargo, and in the first act I had a charming soubrette costume, and in the second - tunics. The stage was close to the seats in the first row, where the Tsar, the Empress and members of the Imperial family sat, and I had to think very carefully about all my turns so that my changed figure would not be conspicuous, which could only be noticed in profile. I ended the season with this performance. I couldn’t dance anymore, it was the sixth month. Then I decided to transfer my ballet “La Bayadère”. I was with her in the most better relations, she constantly visited my house, had a lot of fun and was carried away by Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, who called her “angel.” From the day she left the school (1899), the public and ballet critics immediately paid attention to her and appreciated her. I saw in her the beginnings of a major talent and foresaw her brilliant future.

My son was born, it was early in the morning of June 18, at two o’clock. I was sick for a long time high temperature, but since I was strong and healthy by nature, I began to recover relatively soon. When I became somewhat stronger after childbirth and my strength was restored a little, I had a difficult conversation with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich. He knew very well that he was not the father of my child, but he loved me so much and was so attached to me that he forgave me and decided, despite everything, to stay with me and protect me as a good friend. He was afraid for my future, for what might await me. I felt guilty before him, because the previous winter, when he was courting a young and beautiful Grand Duchess and there were rumors about a possible wedding, I, having learned about this, asked him to stop courtship and thereby put an end to conversations that were unpleasant for me. I adored Andrei so much that I did not realize how guilty I was before Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.

A difficult question confronted me was what name to give my son. At first I wanted to call him Nikolai, but I couldn’t do that, and I didn’t have the right to do it for many reasons. Then I decided to name him Vladimir, in honor of Father Andrei, who always treated me so cordially. I was sure that he would have nothing against it. He gave his consent. The christening took place in Strelna, in a close family circle, on July 23 of the same year. My sister and our great friend, a colonel who served in Her Majesty’s Life Guards Uhlan Regiment, were godparents. According to custom, I, as a mother, was not present at the christening. On this day, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich presented Vova with a wonderful cross made of Ural dark green stone with a platinum chain. Alas, this precious gift remained in my house in St. Petersburg. In the summer, when I was already up, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich visited me. I was still very weak and received it lying on the couch and holding my baby in my arms in diapers. The Grand Duke knelt before me, touchingly consoled me, stroked my head and caressed me... He knew, he felt and understood what was going on in my soul and how difficult it was for me. For me, his visit was a huge moral support; it gave me a lot of strength and peace of mind.

In my home life I was very happy: I had a son whom I adored, I loved Andrei, and he loved me, my whole life was in them two. Sergei behaved infinitely touchingly, treated the child as his own and continued to spoil me very much. He was always ready to protect me, since he had more opportunities than anyone else, and through him I could always turn to Niki.

For Christmas, I arranged a Christmas tree for Vova and invited Rockefeller’s little granddaughter, who lived in our hotel and often played with Vova, digging in the sand on the seashore. This little Rockefeller gave Vova knitted shoes. Unfortunately, we did not meet her anywhere else and completely lost sight of her.

All my life I have loved to build. Of course, my house in St. Petersburg was the largest and most interesting building in my life, but there were also less significant ones. So, in Strelna, at my dacha, I built a lovely house for my power station with an apartment for the electrical engineer and his family. At that time there was no electricity anywhere in Strelna, not even in the palace, and my dacha was the first and only one with electric lighting. Everyone around me was jealous of me, some asked me to give them some of the current, but I barely had enough station for myself. Electricity was a novelty then and added a lot of charm and comfort to my dacha. Then I built another house in Strelna, in 1911, about which it is worth saying a few words. My son, when he was about twelve years old, often complained that he didn’t see me much at home because of my long rehearsals. As a consolation, I promised him that all the money raised during this season would go to build him a small house in the countryside, in the garden. And so it was done; With the money I earned, I built him a children's house with two rooms, a living room and a dining room, with dishes, silver and linen. Vova was in wild delight when he examined the house, surrounded by a wooden fence with a gate. But I noticed that, having walked around the rooms and the whole house, he was preoccupied with something, as if he was looking for something. Then he asked me where the restroom was. I told him that the dacha was so close that he could run there, but if he really wanted to, I would dance a little more so that I would have enough to build a restroom. This plan did not come true - war broke out.

At this time, my dear admirer was almost still a boy. His sister, the beautiful Irina, later Countess Vorontsova-Dashkova, drove everyone crazy. My acquaintance with Volodya Lazarev, as we all called him, was very funny. It happened at a masquerade at the Maly Theater, where I was invited to sell champagne. That evening I had a very beautiful dress: a black satin fitted skirt, a white chiffon bodice that covered my shoulders and waist with a scarf, a large neckline, and a bright green huge bow with a butterfly at the back. This dress was from Paris, from Burr. On the head there is a Venetian net of artificial pearls, hanging down on the forehead with a bunch of white “paradis” feathers attached to the back. I put on my emerald necklace, and on the corsage a huge diamond brooch with diamond threads hanging down like rain and a large emerald and egg-shaped diamond attached in the middle; I had a chance to please the public.

At the evening, I first appeared in a black domino, under a mask with thick lace, so that they would not recognize me. The only thing that was visible through the veil was my teeth and the way I smiled, and I knew how to smile. I chose Volodya Lazarev as the subject of my intrigue, who struck me with his almost childlike appearance and cheerfulness. Knowing more or less who he was, I began to arouse his curiosity, and when I saw that he was really intrigued, I disappeared into the crowd and, quietly leaving the hall, went to change into an evening dress. Then I returned to the ball and went straight to my table to sell champagne, pretending that I had just arrived. Volodya Lazarev approached my table without knowing me. He, of course, didn't recognize me. But the trouble was that when I was under the mask, he drew attention to my teeth, which were visible through the veil, and kept repeating: “What teeth... what teeth...” I, of course, was now afraid to smile , serving him wine, but no matter how hard I tried to restrain myself and put on a serious face, I still smiled, and then he instantly recognized me: “What teeth!” - he shouted with joy and laughed heartily. Since then we have become great friends, had fun together, survived the revolution together, fled Russia together and met again in exile as old friends.

In 1911, I celebrated my twentieth anniversary of service on the Imperial stage, and on this occasion they gave me a benefit performance.

During the first intermission, the Director of the Imperial Theaters, Telyakovsky, gave me the Tsar’s gift on the occasion of my anniversary. It was an oblong diamond eagle from Nicholas's times in a platinum frame and on the same chain to be worn around the neck. On back side the nest of stones was not visible, as is usually done, but everything was completely sealed with a platinum plate in the shape of an eagle, and on it was engraved the outline of an eagle and its feathers of remarkably fine and original work. Below the eagle hung a pink sapphire set in diamonds. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich also came during the first intermission and told me that the Emperor told him that he was interested in whether I would wear his gift on stage or not. Of course, after that I immediately put it on and danced the pas de deux in Paquita in it. During the second intermission, that is, after Paquita, with the curtain open, I was honored by a deputation from artists from all the Imperial theaters, that is, ballet, opera, drama and the French Theater.

A long table was installed across the entire width of the stage, on which gifts were displayed in an absolutely incredible quantity, and flower offerings were placed behind the table, forming an entire flower garden. Now I remember all the gifts, let alone count them, except for two or three of the most memorable. In addition to the Tsar's gift, I received:

From Andrey - a marvelous diamond headband with six large sapphires based on the design of the headdress made by Prince Shervashidze for my costume in the ballet “Pharaoh’s Daughter”.

Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich gave me a very valuable thing, namely a mahogany box by Faberge in a gold frame, in which a whole collection of yellow diamonds, ranging from the smallest to the very large, were placed, wrapped in pieces of paper. This was done with the goal that I could order myself a thing according to my taste - I ordered a “plakka” from Faberge to wear on my head, which turned out remarkably beautiful.

In addition, also from the public, a diamond watch in the form of a ball, on a chain of platinum and diamonds. Since more money was collected by subscription than these items were worth, the excess was purchased at the very last minute As money comes in, more gold cups are added, and quite a lot of them have accumulated.

From the Muscovites I received a “surtout de table”, a mirror in a silver frame in the style of Louis XV with a silver vase for flowers on it. Under the vase were engraved the names of all the people who took part in the gift, and it was possible to read all the names in the mirror without lifting the vase.

It seems to me that on this day I also received from Yu.N. Gray crystal sugar bowl in a silver frame by Faberge. This sugar bowl remained in my house in St. Petersburg after the revolution, and I accidentally found it in Kislovodsk in a silver shop. It was apparently stolen from me and sold, and so, passing from hand to hand, it reached Kislovodsk. When I proved to the police that this was my thing, they returned it to me, and I still have it here in Paris.

Shortly after my birthday, on August 27, Andrei went to Kyiv to attend large maneuvers in which the regiment, whose chief he was, took part. Chairman of the Council of Ministers P.A. arrived in Kyiv for this occasion. Stolypin, Minister of Finance Count V.N. Kokovtsov and a significant part of the Sovereign's Retinue. In the first days, maneuvers took place in the outskirts of the city and inspection of the historical places of Kyiv. A parade performance was scheduled for September 3 at the city theater. In the morning, alarming information was received from the police that terrorists had arrived in Kyiv and there was a danger of assassination if they were not arrested in time. All police searches were in vain, and anxiety increased among the Tsar’s guards. The most dangerous moment the police considered the Tsar's passage from the palace to the theater, since the route was known to everyone, but everyone arrived safely. During the second intermission, the Emperor was served tea in the front room. The Empress did not come to the theater; only the senior Grand Duchesses were there. At that moment, a terrible crash was heard from the auditorium, and then frantic screams. Not knowing what was the matter, the Emperor said: “Is it really the box that has failed?” - the noise and crackling were incomprehensible. But when everyone rushed back, they saw that very close to the Royal box, in the first row of the stalls, standing at his full height, in a white summer frock coat, P.A. Stolypin, holding his chest with his hand, from which blood flowed through his fingers. Seeing the Tsar, Stolypin raised his hand, making a gesture for the Tsar to leave the box, and began to baptize him. Stolypin was surrounded by nearby people to support him, as he began to quickly weaken, his face became deathly pale, and he fell unconscious on a chair. Then, according to Andrei, it was difficult to make out what was happening. Everyone was screaming, some were running somewhere, officers with swords drawn were chasing someone and in the passage, almost at the exit from the hall, they caught him and wanted to stab him.

It turned out later that Stolypin’s killer Bogrov was caught in the passage and severely beaten. It was he who let the police know about the arrival of terrorists in Kyiv, since he had previously served as an informant in the police, was removed and received again just before the Kyiv celebrations. The police searched in vain all day for the terrorist, not knowing that it was he in front of her. He asked to be allowed into the theater under the pretext that he knew the terrorists by sight and if any of them entered the theater, he would indicate him to the security agents. The police allowed him as their agent into the theater hall, where no one paid attention to him, and he completely unhindered and calmly approached Stolypin and shot him point-blank and just as calmly began to move away when he was grabbed.

P.A. Stolypin was immediately taken to a private clinic, where after examining the wound, doctors expressed fear that he would not survive, since his liver was affected. Stolypin struggled with his almost hopeless condition for five days and died on September 8 (21).

The news of the assassination attempt on Stolypin reached us in St. Petersburg the next morning, and I couldn’t help but think about how tragically unlucky my poor Nicky was. He suffered blow after blow: he lost his father so early, he got married in such sad, mournful days, the coronation was overshadowed by the disaster on Khodynka, he lost his best Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Lobanov-Rostovsky, who died shortly after his appointment, and now he is losing his best his Minister, who suppressed the revolutionary outbreak of 1905.

At that time we could not even imagine what awaited him in the future and how horribly his fate would end. When the revolution of 1917 broke out, many thought that if Stolypin had been alive, he might have been able to stop it.

Prima ballerina of the Imperial Theater Matilda Kshesinskaya was not only one of brightest stars Russian ballet, but also one of the most scandalous and controversial figures in the history of the twentieth century. She was the mistress of Emperor Nicholas II and two Grand Dukes, and later became the wife of Andrei Vladimirovich Romanov. Such women are called fatal - she used men to achieve her goals, weaved intrigues, and abused personal connections for career purposes. She is called a courtesan and seductress, although no one disputes her talent and skill.

Maria-Matilda Krzezinska was born in 1872 in St. Petersburg into a family of ballet dancers who came from the family of bankrupt Polish counts Krasinski. Since childhood, the girl, who grew up in an artistic environment, dreamed of ballet.

At the age of 8 she was sent to the Imperial Theater School, from which she graduated with honors. Her graduation performance on March 23, 1890 was attended by the imperial family. That's when I first saw her future emperor Nicholas II. Later, the ballerina admitted in her memoirs: “When I said goodbye to the Heir, a feeling of attraction to each other had already crept into his soul, as well as into mine.”

After graduating from college, Matilda Kshesinskaya was enrolled in the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater and in her first season took part in 22 ballets and 21 operas. On a gold bracelet with diamonds and sapphires - a gift from the Tsarevich - she engraved two dates, 1890 and 1892. This was the year they met and the year they began their relationship. However, their romance did not last long - in 1894, the engagement of the heir to the throne to the Princess of Hesse was announced, after which he broke up with Matilda.

Kshesinskaya became a prima ballerina, and the entire repertoire was selected specifically for her. The director of the imperial theaters, Vladimir Telyakovsky, without denying the dancer’s extraordinary abilities, said: “It would seem that a ballerina, serving in the directorate, should belong to the repertoire, but then it turned out that the repertoire belongs to M. Kshesinskaya. She considered the ballets her property and could give or not let others dance them.”

Prima weaved intrigues and did not allow many ballerinas to go on stage. Even when foreign dancers came on tour, she did not allow them to perform in “her” ballets. She chose the time for her performances herself, performed only at the height of the season, and allowed herself long breaks, during which she stopped studying and indulged in entertainment. At the same time, Kshesinskaya was the first Russian dancer to be recognized as a world star. She amazed the foreign audience with her skill and 32 fouettés in a row.

Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich looked after Kshesinskaya and indulged all her whims. She went on stage in insanely expensive jewelry from Faberge. In 1900, on the stage of the Imperial Theater, Kshesinskaya celebrated 10 years of creative activity (although before her ballerinas gave benefit performances only after 20 years on stage). At a dinner after the performance, she met Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, with whom she began a whirlwind romance. At the same time, the ballerina continued to officially live with Sergei Mikhailovich.

In 1902, Kshesinskaya had a son. Paternity was attributed to Andrei Vladimirovich. Telyakovsky did not choose his expressions: “Is this really a theater, and am I really in charge of this? Everyone is happy, everyone is happy and glorifies the extraordinary, technically strong, morally impudent, cynical, arrogant ballerina, who lives simultaneously with two great princes and not only does not hide it, but, on the contrary, weaves this art into her stinking cynical wreath of human carrion and depravity "

After the revolution and the death of Sergei Mikhailovich, Kshesinskaya and her son fled to Constantinople, and from there to France. In 1921, she married Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, receiving the title of Princess Romanovskaya-Krasinskaya. In 1929, she opened her own ballet studio in Paris, which was a success thanks to her big name.

She died at 99, having outlived all her eminent patrons. Disputes about her role in the history of ballet continue to this day. And from her entire long life, only one episode is usually mentioned:

Having read about the publication of the historical drama “Matilda” and initially writing an article about the Polish actress Michalina Olshanska, who played main role in this film, I wanted to know as much as possible about the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya, the prototype main character. Who is this woman who, more than a hundred years after her two-year (three-year?) romance with Tsarevich Nicholas, still remains remembered and discussed from time to time by our contemporaries? Her name is rinsed and bowed by everyone and everything, including me. This dark-haired temptress seemed to have been forgotten, but the film “Matilda”, shot by Russian director Alexei Uchitel, stirred up passions for Matilda Kshesinskaya with a new, all-consuming force.

To be honest, before I heard about the new scandal surrounding the love drama of Matilda and Tsarevich Nicholas, I didn’t even know about the existence of this ballerina. I am not interested in ballet, but regarding the personal life of the last All-Russian Emperor Nicholas II, I believed that his only woman was legal spouse Alexandra Fedorovna. It should be noted that I four days in a row Like an obsessed person, I read memoirs, letters, diaries of Matilda Kshesinskaya, Nicholas II, Alexandra Fedorovna, and all sorts of articles about them. Opinions and facts vary everywhere, but by comparing all the data and incorporating logic, much becomes clear. So, Matilda Kshesinskaya fell in love with Nicholas II, then still the Tsarevich Heir. In those days, being a ballerina meant having the opportunity to become the mistress of high-ranking officials, wealthy aristocrats; many contemporaries call this a social elevator. That is, girls from the lower classes sought to get into ballet schools, to become prima ballerinas, then it would be quite possible to grab yourself a rich lover who would buy you a palace, shower you with jewelry, and ensure a comfortable existence. Was it condemned in society then or was it commonplace? Surely it was condemned among the ladies of the upper classes, but the male population, of course, enjoyed this order of things. That is, the ballet building was something like the current stage with pop divas or a podium with models. Men had the opportunity to examine the ballerinas’ legs, admire their figures; every self-respecting ballerina had a rich lover. How else? Until now, as was the custom before, Russian, now pop singers, are looking for rich lovers, but now more often they become their legal wives. Everything is corrupt and it still upsets me. But do not think that Matilda Kshesinskaya became a ballerina in order to acquire a rich and influential lover, our heroine grew up in an artistic family, her father and mother danced in ballet, and since childhood the girl could not imagine herself outside the stage. Many children were born into the family, but only one Matilda was seen in relations with aristocrats, in particular with the three Romanovs.

Many male historians sincerely admire Matilda not only as a prima ballerina who danced superbly, but still, first of all, as a girl capable of seducing anyone. Matilda Kshesinskaya did not have the appearance of a beauty, I will say more, if you did not know that this is the famous Matilda, who broke dozens of hearts, you would think that these are photographs of an ordinary ballerina of the 19th century. When women call Matilda Kshesinskaya an ugly, short-legged, snaggle-toothed intriguer, men cut them off and say with admiration that she had amazing energy! Most likely this was the case. After all, Matilda looked completely ordinary, but she probably had extraordinary magnetism.

Was Nicholas II unconsciously in love with Matilda Kshesinskaya or was she just a short-term infatuation for him? After all, there are not only the diaries of the ballerina, but also the diaries of the Emperor himself. Well, he was in love, but at the same time he also loved his bride - Princess Alix - born princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt, whom he first saw as a twelve-year-old girl. The Heir was 16 years old at that time. Princess Alix sank deeply into his heart; Nicholas’s diaries contain more and more about her. But since distance separated him and the sweetheart of his heart, they saw each other extremely rarely, but had the opportunity to correspond. Nikolai dreamed of becoming Alix’s husband, he cherished this dream for 10 years! But Nicholas was still a mere mortal, and he was the future Emperor, he was canonized after his death, but nothing human was alien to him, and therefore, when the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya began to seduce him, he could not resist, although by all appearances, that he resisted for a very long time and stubbornly, was extremely careful and did not rush headlong into the pool, that is, he completely wanted to limit himself to talking until the morning and kisses. Matilda purposefully seduced the royal person; only after receiving a small hint of what Nicholas liked, she began to do everything in order to settle in his heart. Is it for selfish purposes?

Matilda, or Malya, as her relatives called her, was definitely madly in love with Nikolai, although she was known as vain, but even such women are capable of losing their heads from love! She walked along the same streets as him, she looked at him point blank during her performances, she literally showered him with her vibes, she went out of her way to please him. And in the end she succeeded. At one time, Nikolai even wrote in his diaries that two women lived in his heart - Princess Alix and ballerina Matilda. But all this lasted only a few years, the fact is that Nikolai traveled around the country, went on long trips abroad, and during this time his feelings for Matilda faded away, that is, out of sight, out of mind, but as soon as he visited the ballet again, he noticed how much prettier Matilda had become in his absence. The ballerina persuaded him to continue the affair intimately, she insisted and demanded, but he resisted as best he could, because he believed that having entered into more serious relationship, will be responsible for her future fate and life. But isn’t this what Matilda herself wanted? To have such a patron? Of course she was in love future king he was handsome, there is no doubt about that, and then how women are affected by the realization that they can go down in history, perhaps as the first woman of one of the kings. At that time, Matilda did not know that this was the last All-Russian Emperor, otherwise she would have gone out of her way even more to achieve her goal. But do not think that all kept women do not love their benefactors.

Nikolai was often very cool, he rarely answered Matilda’s letters, she wrote him news after message, but he was in no hurry to answer, being in the ballet he looked at other ballerinas, gave reason for jealousy, all this inflamed Matilda, and sometimes made her angry. The intimate part of the novel itself did not last long; judging by the analysis of Nikolai’s own diary, it lasted no more than 3-4 months. And if initially Matilda Kshesinskaya ignited and wildly delighted the future Sovereign, then he somehow gradually began to cool towards her, and in the end everything came to naught. There was no torment about the fact that he was forced to part with Malechka in his diaries! All his goals were directed towards the deeply loved Princess Alix! The diaries and letters of Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Fedorovna, the presence of five beloved children, the henpeckedness of the tsar, who dreamed of choosing not to rule the country, but a calm, measured family life, suggests that he was deeply devoted to his wife, loved her, allowed her a lot, in the end, her unconscious actions led to many tragedies. The entire royal family died. A lot of stupid things were done.

Was the infatuation with Matilda Kshesinskaya just a small episode in the life of Nicholas II? Malya meant in his life exactly as much as not his first love, but his first woman means in the life of any man. Everything happened out of mutual love, which means the memories remained the brightest, then everyone went their own way, naturally not sad about what happened. This love affair opened the way for Matilda Kshesinskaya to become high-ranking lovers; now she would not agree to anything less and arranged her life perfectly, living until she was 99 years old. She married Andrei Vladimirovich Romanov, the grandson of Alexander II. By the way, her husband was 7 years younger and was dearly loved by her, but she never forgot her first love. Throughout her adult life, Matilda Kshesinskaya was a coquette, she seduced, played with men, and drove many crazy. There will always be such women, some condemn them, others admire them, others lose their heads as soon as they approach them.

In this photo you see only son Matilda Kshesinskaya and Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich Romanov. This elegant guy's name is Vladimir. He never married and left no offspring.

In this photo little Vova with his mother.

In this photo, Matilda Kshesinskaya is on the left, in the middle of her older sister Julia, brother Joseph on the right.

In this photo, one of Matilda Kshesinskaya’s lovers is Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Romanov.

In this photo, Tsar Nicholas II with his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.

Take a look at this photo, this is what Matilda Kshesinskaya looked like in old age.

In this photo, Matilda Kshesinskaya with her husband Andrei and son Vova.

In 1920, 48-year-old Matilda Kshesinskaya emigrated to France with her eighteen-year-old son Vova and 41-year-old lover Prince Andrei Vladimirovich, Vova’s father. At 57, Matilda Kshesinskaya opened her own ballet studio in Paris.

Matilda Feliksovna Kshesinskaya born on September 1, 1872 in Ligovo, near St. Petersburg, in a family of ballet dancers of the Mariinsky Theater.
The girl's father was a dancer and opera singer Felix Kshesinsky, and mother is a ballerina Yulia Dolinskaya. Matilda was the last thirteenth child in creative family and had the affectionate nickname Malechka, Malya. Matilda's older brother and sister were also actors. So the creative atmosphere in the family could not but affect the girl’s development.

At the age of 8, Matilda began attending the Imperial Theater School, and at the age of 15 she took lessons from Christian Johanson, who remained her teacher for for many years, even when she became a recognized artist. In 1890, Matilda was enrolled at the Mariinsky Theater, where in her first season she danced in 21 operas and 22 ballets.

Romance of Matilda Kshesinskaya and Nicholas II

But was it only thanks to her talent that the young ballerina achieved such success? Of course not!
The Imperial Ballet has always been a part of court life. During prom Matilda meets a modest young man and future emperor, Nicholas II.
This acquaintance was approved by Nikolai's parents, who wanted their son to become a man.

Flirting between young people led to mutual attraction. The fire that engulfed Matilda also burned the weak-willed, inert Nikolai. And how it burned! 60 years later, Kseshinskaya will read in the diary of the last Russian Tsar, published abroad, how he felt that summer: “Kseshinskaya... I really really like it,” “Standing at the theater teased memories...”, “I returned... to Krasnoe Selo was at the theater that same evening...” The crown prince's feeling was sincere. After the first date, when the heir arrived at the Kshesinskys’ house under the guise of Hussar Volkov, he wrote to Matilda: “I still walk as if in a daze...”

In 1984, the engagement of the Tsarevich to Alice of Hesse was announced and the love of the young people was doomed. But Nikolai promised to help Matilda in everything and allowed her to contact him in letters on a first name basis. Nikolai never went to Kshesinskaya again. But, a man of honor, having parted with his beloved, he asked Prince Sergei Mikhailovich to take care of her.

Matilda Kshesinskaya was not considered an impeccable beauty, but, undoubtedly, she was an extraordinary woman. She had enormous energy, amazing willpower and was well versed in life problems. She knew how to do good, but also knew how to take revenge in a sophisticated way. Numerous photographs depicted this woman smug, with a defiant look.

Was Kshesinskaya a great ballerina?

Of course not. In any case, she cannot be compared with Anna Pavlova. And yet, it was Kshesinskaya who ruled the St. Petersburg ballet stage. The entire repertoire of the theater was under her jurisdiction. Prima simply informed the management of the Mariinsky Theater that such and such a performance would be danced at that time - and it was done!
Championship on stage was the main thing for her, and she never gave it up without a fight.

Matilda enjoyed her power in the theater. She directed the Mariinsky Theater. Her first victim was Prince Volkonsky. In an effort to somehow hide her short legs, the ballerina refused to wear fake clothes, for which the management imposed some trivial fine on her. But the tsar intervened, the order was immediately canceled, and Prince Volkonsky was forced to resign.

Kshesinskaya’s whims decided everything. Often this ended in injustice to the other ballerina. The favorite kept a vigilant eye on her competitors, performed the main roles in half of the performances herself, and kept the management, as they say, with a tight rein. If Kshesinskaya was not given a role in the next ballet, the emperor immediately found out about it, and she received it. When Matilda Kshesinskaya was deliberately not given a role in the ballet intended for the coronation day (sparing the feelings of the young empress), she, as always, turned to Niki. The composer was asked to complete the ballet especially for Kshesinskaya - as a result, a new part of the “yellow pearl” was introduced into the performance.

The Romanovs' mistress - Matilda Kshesinskaya

But Kshesinskaya, we must give her credit, knew how to touch the hearts of balletomanes. Her technique was impeccable, and she constantly polished her skills. One of Ksieshinskaya's signature parties was the party of Esmeralda. The ballerina came out in a white tunic, pink tights and satin shoes, in a lovely hat decorated with gold coins. In a word, it was not Hugo’s Esmeralda, but Petipa’s. But her greatest creative success was Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. The success was stunning. Kshesinskaya received praise from Tchaikovsky himself, who even decided to write a ballet for her. Alas, this was never destined to come true - the composer soon died.

In all games, Matilda's appearance remained unchanged. The newspapers sneered: “It was in vain that Mrs. Kshesinskaya, playing a beggar woman, did not take off her diamond earrings and luxurious pearl necklace. Begging for alms, and suddenly wearing diamonds - it’s absurd.” Her dancing style was also unchanged: technique always prevailed over feelings. While Anna Pavlova put her whole soul into her character, Kshesinskaya remained a brilliant premiere in all her roles.

The art of Matilda Kshesinskaya could flourish only in the conditions of the imperial theater, closely connected with the royal court. It is no coincidence that she was called a monarchist ballerina, a dancer of Russian classical academicism. And this implied royalty, aristocracy, and cold severity of manners. Containing classical completeness, her dance was still distinguished by bravura, flirtatiousness, and piquancy. And although Kshesinskaya’s dancing style became more and more archaic, the virtuosity of the ballerina’s technique delighted the Mariinsky audience.

She wanted to dance everything. But, despite titanic efforts - she studied in St. Petersburg and abroad with the best teachers - the championship slipped away. Kshesinskaya reigned in ballet for several years and left the stage of the Mariinsky Theater, still full of strength; in 1903, the time began for the ballerina to tour Europe.

Matilda Feliksovna was economical and quite prudent - she always kept expense books. Unthinkable wealth gave her the opportunity to buy a plot in the best part of St. Petersburg, on Kronverksky Prospekt, and also to build a palace, which was not inferior in luxury to the royal apartments. In addition, there was a wine cellar where fine wines were stored, a laundry, a cowshed, garages for cars, drive-outs...

Kshesinskaya’s special passion was jewelry, each of which she kept in a special bag or box. In her diary, she enthusiastically describes the priceless trinkets that she received in abundance from royal family, including the first gift from Nika - a gold bracelet with precious stones. The gift was indeed “small” - then the offerings became more and more luxurious...

She had a weakness - roulette. In the casino, Matilda Feliksovna was called “Madame 17” because she only bet on 17. A prudent player, Matilda knew how to lose. When she got up from the table after a loss, she always smiled. She did not lose shape, participated in performances, and went on tour. In 1936 she performed at a London charity concert, and she was already 64 years old.

The blows of fate did not break this woman. When the money ran out, she and her husband settled in a small house in a Parisian suburb. No one ever heard any complaints from her. During difficult times for the family, Kshesinskaya opened a ballet studio in Paris. Her students were prominent dancers, our own and foreign stars - Margot Fonteyn herself came from London to take lessons from her.

In 1958, the Bolshoi Theater troupe went on tour to Paris. Could she not go to their performances? “I cried with happiness,” she recalled. “Russia is capable of combining technology and inspiration like no one else.” Galina Ulanova delighted her. Matilda Feliksovna asked one of her friends to approach the ballerina and convey her admiration for her skill and talent. She didn’t dare - communication, even short, with an emigrant like her was too dangerous for Ulanova.

Having far outlived her husband, Kshesinskaya retained an excellent memory until the end of her life. She took up her pen and left us living evidence of the past.

Matilda Feliksovna Kshesinskaya lived a very long life: as they say, the “Methuselah Age” - almost a hundred years. She died in Paris in 1971 and is buried in the famous Russian cemetery at Genevieve-du-Bois.