Elna Lassen (1901 – 1930) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

ballerina who was the premiere danseuse of the

Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and originates from 1748, when the Ro ...

. A diabetic, Lassen was found dead at her

Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

apartment on the morning of September 20, 1930. She is thought to have committed suicide with a revolver which was found by her bedside. The daughter of an unskilled laborer, she was married to a Copenhagen physician. Among her admirers was

Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his innovative stage productions, he i ...

. Lassen was ranked first in the Danish ballet after she returned home from studying ballet in the United States and Paris, France, from 1921–1924. She was tutored by

Michel Fokine Michael Fokine, ''Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin'', group=lower-alpha ( – 22 August 1942) was a groundbreaking Imperial Russian choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant and a ...

during her absence from

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

.''The Royal Danish Ballet (an old tradition and a living present)'', Svend Kragh-Jacobsen, 1955, p. 50.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lassen, Elna Danish ballerinas 1901 births 1930 deaths Royal Danish Ballet principal dancers 1930 suicides Suicides by firearm in Denmark