Margot Fonteyn Biography (1919-1991)

Full name, Margot Fonteyn de Arias; born Margaret Hookham, May 18, 1919, in Reigate, Surrey, England; died of cancer, February 21, 1991, in Panama City, Panama; daughter of Felix John (an engineer) and Hilda (Fontes) Hookham; married Roberto E. Arias (an attorney, politician, and diplomat), February 6, 1955(died, 1989). Addresses: Office: c/o Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House,Covent Garden, London WC2, England.; Agent: David Higham Associates Ltd., 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Sq., London W1R 4HA, England.

Nationality
English
Gender
Female
Occupation
ballerina, author
Birth Details
May 18, 1919
Reigate, England
Death Details
February 21, 1991
Panama City, Panama

Famous Works

  • Credits; Stage Appearances
  • Snowflake, The Nutcracker Suite, Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 1934.
  • Soloist, The Haunted Ballroom, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1934.
  • Princess Aurora, The Sleeping Beauty, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, 1949.
  • Guest artist, The Sleeping Beauty, La Scala Theatre, Milan, Italy,1950.
  • Title role, The Sleeping Beauty, Opera Theatre, Paris, 1954.
  • Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Royal Ballet Company, Covent Garden, London, 1965.
  • Guest artist, "Romeo and Juliet," The Royal Ballet, Metropolitan Opera House, 1967.
  • Lady Capulet, Romeo and Juliet, Milan, then Metropolitan Opera House, both 1981.
  • Also appeared in principal roles of numerous productions, including Rio Grande, 1934; Le Baiser de la fee, 1935; Giselle and Apparitions, both 1936; Les Patineurs and A Wedding Bouquet,both 1937; Horoscope and The Sleeping Beauty, both 1938; Swan Lake, 1939; The Wise Virgins, and The Sleeping Beauty, both 1940; Hamlet and Comus, both 1942; The Quest, 1943;Les Sirenes and, as Spirit of the Air, The Fairy Queen, both 1946; The Three-Cornered Hat and Mam'zelle Angot, both 1947; Scenes de ballet, Les Demoiselles de la nuit, and, as Death, Don Juan, all 1948; Cinderella, Giselle, Les Sylphides, Le Lac des Cygnes, The Sleeping Beauty, Dante Sonata, and Symphonic Variations, all 1949;Ballet Imperial, 1950; Daphnis and Chloe and Tiresias, both 1951; Sylvia, 1952; Homage to the Queen, 1953; The Firebird and, as soloist, The Entry of Madame Butterfly, Madrid, Spain,both 1954; Ondine, 1958; Marguerite and Armand, 1963; The Corsair, La Bayadere, and Raymonda, all 1966; Paradise Lost,1967; Pelleas et Melisande and Poeme de l'extase, both 1970; Coppelia; and also performed, with Frederick Ashton, in Metropolitan Opera House centennial gala, 1984.
  • Credits; Major Tours
  • Toured English cities during 1940s and U.S. cities during early 1950s.
  • Credits; Film Appearances
  • Herself, The Little Ballerina, Universal, 1951.
  • Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Embassy, 1966.
  • The Swan Lake, United Productions of America-Seven Arts, 1967.
  • Ballet dancer, I Am a Dancer, Anglo-EMI, 1972.
  • Also appeared in The Royal Ballet, 1960.
  • Credits; Television Appearances; Series
  • Host and narrator, The Magic of Dance, BBC, 1979, PBS, 1982.
  • Credits; Television Appearances; Specials
  • Princess Aurora, "Sleeping Beauty," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1955.
  • Title role, "Cinderella," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1957.
  • The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1986.
  • The Margot Fonteyn Story, PBS, 1990.
  • Writings
  • (Contributor to commentary) Keith Money, The Art of Margot Fonteyn(photographic study), M. Joseph, 1965.
  • Margot Fonteyn: Autobiography, W. H. Allen, 1975, Knopf, 1976.
  • A Dancer's World: An Introduction, W. H. Allen, 1978, published asA Dancer's World: An Introduction for Parents and Students, Knopf, 1979.
  • The Magic of Dance, Knopf, 1979.
  • Pavlova: Portrait of a Dancer, Viking, 1984, published in Englandas Pavlova: Impressions, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1984.

Further Reference

Obituaries and Other Sources: Periodicals

  • Chicago Tribune, February 22, 1991; February 24, 1991.
  • Detroit Free Press, February 23, 1991.
  • Hollywood Reporter, February 22, 1991.
  • Los Angeles Times, February 22, 1991.
  • New York Times, March 6, 1980; February 22, 1991.
  • Times (London), February 22, 1991.
  • Washington Post, February 22, 1991.