Loading...
Creator
Karnilova, Maria
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 516
Physical description
5 linear feet (8 boxes)
Language
Multiple languages; English, with some Russian and Spanish.
Preferred Citation
Maria Karnilova papers, (S) *MGZMD 516. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.Restrictions apply

Maria Karnilova (1920-2001) was an American dancer and actress whose career spanned seven decades in ballet, opera, and Broadway. The Maria Karnilova papers contain materials from 1840 to 2003 (bulk 1938-1993) that document her career, including articles, correspondence, programs, photographs, scripts, sheet music, ballet slippers, audio and video recordings, and film.

Biographical/historical information

Maria Karnilova was an American dancer and actress whose career spanned seven decades in ballet, opera, and Broadway. Born in 1920, she began dancing professionally at seven years old and joined the Ballet Theatre at its inception in 1939. Karnilova performed as a chorus dancer and soloist in ballets such as Bluebeard, Judgment of Paris, Helen of Troy, and Three Virgins and a Devil. At the company, she also met Jerome Robbins and Donald Saddler with whom she collaborated throughout her career. Karnilova continued to perform as a ballerina after leaving the Ballet Theatre in 1946, notably for the Metropolitan Opera, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and Robbins' Ballets U.S.A., but her career thereafter largely focused on acting. She was known for her comedic presence in Broadway musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in the original 1964 production. Karnilova's other Broadway credits include Call Me Mister, Gypsy, The Beggar's Opera, Bravo Giovanni, Zorba, Gigi, God's Favorite, and the 1981 revival of Fiddler on the Roof. As a film actress, she starred in The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Married to the Mob.

Karnilova was married to fellow Broadway actor George S. Irving. She died in 2001.

Scope and arrangement

The Maria Karnilova papers contain materials from 1840 to 2003 (bulk 1938-1993) that trace her career as a dancer and actress. The papers include articles, correspondence, photographs, programs, scripts, sheet music, and ballet slippers. There are also films and audio and video recordings of rehearsals, performances, and interviews.

Photographs and programs comprise the bulk of the collection. The photographs primarily feature Karnilova performing, as well as portraits of her and other dancers. Also included are personal photographs with family and friends; prominent subjects other than Karnilova include Donald Saddler, David Nillo, and Alicia Alonso. The programs are largely for productions featuring Karnilova.

Articles consist of reviews, essays, and profiles about Karnilova and her performances. The articles relate to both dancing and acting, with emphasis on her career from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Correspondence contains letters, cards, and telegrams to Karnilova. A large portion concerns the 1968-1969 production of Zorba, including fan mail and telegrams from friends and colleagues.

Notable scripts and sheet music include a script for Gypsy with Karnilova's annotations, and sheet music for "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof. There are also four Romantic era pieces of ballet sheet music.

Finally, the collection contains two pairs of Karnilova's ballet slippers, as well as various fliers and notes.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Katie Irving in 2017.

Processing information

Processed by Nathan Evans in 2020.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Access restrictions

Inquiries regarding audio and moving image materials in the collection may be directed to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division (dance@nypl.org). Audio and moving image materials will be subject to preservation assessment and migration prior to access.