Ludmilla Tchérina (born Monique Tchemerzine; ; 10 October 1924 – 21 March 2004) was a French prima ballerina 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 and Clustine. She started dancing at 16 and danced with the

Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo The company Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo (with a plural name) was formed in 1932 after the death of Sergei Diaghilev and the demise of Ballets Russes. Its director was Wassily de Basil (usually referred to as Colonel W. de Basil), and its a ...

, where she was spotted by Serge Lifar. She made her Paris debut creating the rôle of Juliet in his ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'' 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 Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

, the

Bolshoi Ballet The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies. In the early 20th century, it came to internatio ...

and the Kirov Ballet as a guest performer. Tchérina acted in several films including '' The Red Shoes'', ', '' The Tales of Hoffmann'', '' 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, 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