Vera zorina biography

  • Vera Zorina, born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian ballerina, theatre and film actress, and choreographer.
  • Vera Zorina (January 2, 1917 – April 9, 2003), born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian ballerina, theatre and film actress, and choreographer.
  • Vera Zorina, who has died aged 86, began her career as a dancer, but branched out into many forms of musical theatre.

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    Zorina, Vera (1917—)

    German-born Norwegian-American ballet dancer and actress. Name variations: Eva Brigitta Hartwig; Brigitta Hartwig. Born Eva Brigitta Hartwig on January 2, 1917, in Berlin, Germany; became a U.S. citizen, 1943; daughter of Fritz Hartwig and Billie Wimpel (Mann) Hartwig of Kristiansund, Norway; educated at the Lyceum for Girls in Berlin; studied dance with Eugenie Eduardova in Germany, Olga Preobrazhenska in Paris, and Nicholas Légat in London; married George Balanchine (the director and choreographer), on December 24, 1938 (divorced 1947); married Goddard Lieberson (president of Columbia Records), in 1948; children: (second marriage) Peter and Jonathan.

    Selected dance performances:

    Midsummer Night's Dream (1929); Tales of Hoffmann (1931); Ballerina (1933); La Boutique fantasque (1934); Le Beau Danube (1934); Aurora's Wedding (1934–36); Les Présages (1934–36); Union Pacific (1934–36); Cotillon (1934–36); Jardin public (1935); Les Cents

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    Zorina, Vera (1917–2003)

    German-born Norwegian-American ballet dancer and actress. Name variations: Eva Brigitta Hartwig; Brigitta Hartwig. Born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, Jan 2, 1917, in Berlin, Germany; became US citizen, 1943; died April 9, 2003; dau. of Fritz Hartwig (a German) and Billie Wimpel (Mann) Hartwig of Kristiansund, Norway; studied dance with Eugenie Eduardova in Germany, Olga Preobrazhenska in Paris, and Nicholas Légat in London; m. George Balanchine (director and choreographer), Dec 24, 1938 (div. 1947); m. Goddard Lieberson (president of Columbia Records), 1948 (died 1977); m. Paul Wolfe (harpsichordist), 1991; children: (2nd m.) Peter and Jonathan.

    Made stage debut in Kristiansund, Norway (where she grew up), as a butterfly in a Flower Ballet (1923); partnered with Anton Dolin in Ballerina and danced in Max Reinhardt's Midsummer Night's Dream (1931); danced with Ballets Russes (1934–36), reluctantly changing name to Vera Zorina (since all their dancers had Rus

  • vera zorina biography

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    Vera Zorina

    Norwegian ballerina, actress and choreographer (1917-2003)

    For the 1949 film, see Zorina (film). For singer, see Vera Zorina (singer).

    Vera Zorina (January 2, 1917 – April 9, 2003), born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian ballerina, theatre and film actress, and choreographer. Today, she is chiefly remembered for her films choreographed bygd her then-husband George Balanchine. They include the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue sequence from On Your Toes, The Goldwyn Follies, I Was an Adventuress with Erich Von Stroheim and Peter Lorre, Louisiana Purchase with Bob Hope, and dancing to "That Old Black Magic" in Paramount Pictures' Star Spangled Rhythm.

    Background

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    Zorina was born in Berlin, Germany. Her father Fritz Hartwig was a German lapsed Roman Catholic, and her mother Abigail Johanne Wimpelmann (known as Billie Hartwig) was Norwegian and Lutheran. Both were professional singers. Zorina was brought up in Kristiansund, a small coastal town