Marquis Georges de Cuevas Letters to Sophie Kochanski

1936-1955

Georges de Cuevas (1886-1961) was born in Santiago, Chile. He was working in Paris in the fashion industry in 1927 when he met and married Margaret Strong, a grand-daughter of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (His title was a Spanish one and was possibly purchased after his marriage.) He became a U.S. citizen in 1940, and founded Ballet International in New York in 1944. His company was known for a period as the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo, after 1950 as the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas which was based in Paris, and after 1958 as the International Ballet of the Marquis de Cuevas. The company was disbanded in 1962, shortly after the death of de Cuevas. This collection consists of letters from Georges, Marquis de Cuevas, to his friend Sophie (Sofia, Zosia) Kochanski, wife of the violinist Paul Kochanski. The letters describe his friendship with Sophia, his feelings about his life and himself as he ages, his wife and his health. A 9-25-43 letter mentions his desire to create a ballet company, and letters of 7-31-48 and 3-20-49 discuss his ballet company.