Natascha Trofimowa (1923–1979) was a German prima ballerina with the

Berlin State Opera The (), also known as the Berlin State Opera (german: Staatsoper Berlin), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of Prussian king Frederick the Great from ...

and latterly with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich.

Early life

Born to Russian immigrants (her mother was of German origin) in Berlin on 23 April 1923, she attended the Cecilien-Lyzeum, a girls grammar school, before receiving ballet training at the Berlin schools of Eugenia Eduardova and, above all,

Tatjana Gsovsky Tatjana Gsovsky (/''Tatjana Wassiljewna Gsowskaja'', born Issatschenko ; 18 March 1901 – 29 September 1993) was an internationally known ballet dancer and choreographer who was ballet mistress of the Berlin State Opera, Teatro Colón, Deutsche ...

Career

In 1946, she joined the German State Opera where she made her début as

Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...

's '' Petrushka'', receiving an engagement as prima ballerina. She proved to be a brilliant, surprisingly expressive interpreter of classical ballet, especially in Gsovsky's creations. After cancelling her contract with the East-German State Opera, she toured West Germany with Werner Egk's Abraxas company in 1951, and gave guest performances in Hamburg and Frankfurt. Thereafter she joined the Bavarian State Opera ballet in Munich which she made her home until 1972. During the period, she also frequently danced on tour at home and abroad. Among her successes were Juliet in ''

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 ...

'', Aurora in '' The Sleeping Beauty'', Ophelia in '' Hamlet'', Aglaya in ''The Idiot'', Isabeau in ''Joan von Zarissa'' and Bellastriga in ''Abraxas''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trofimowa, Natascha 1923 births 1979 deaths German ballerinas Musicians from Berlin Prima ballerinas Berlin State Opera 20th-century German musicians 20th-century German women