Raymonda Adagio That Went Wrong

 

Photo Credit: John Bull's exaggerated view of the Raymonda adagio scene with Pavlova and Novikov from Anna Pavlova Her Life And Art By Keith Money 

Pavlova was so used to having the occasional spat with her dance partners she saw it as usual. The English audience saw it as part of the entertainment, so this occasional drama fascinated people to come to the ballet for that very reason. In the ballet called Raymonda, Anna Pavlova was dancing with her dance partner Laurent Novikov; During the beginning of the ballet's adagio, Novikov's foot got too close to Pavlova's heel, stepping on her foot and drawing blood. For Pavlova to avoid having to stop dancing, she struck him on the shoulder while turning. Novikov walked off the stage and into the wings of the theater. Pavlova had no choice but to do the same. 

The orchestra continued to play for an empty stage. The audience waited while sitting on the edge of their seats to see what would happen in the ballet next. 

What happened next was when Pavlova appeared back on the stage, Novikov didn't appear. Novikov not appearing got the press excited. The press immediately started exaggerating the story to the point there were drawings of Pavlova wearing boxing gloves and taking a hit at Novikov. Soon after Pavlova saw the papers she regularly read, she immediately tried to explain what happened while Novikov was said to be ill.

"What happened was this. While I was dancing. Monsieur Novikoff, who was dancing on the stage with me, came close to me, and to prevent myself having to stop the dance I was compelled to push him away. It was quite by accident that I pushed Monsieur Novikoff with my two arms to avoid knocking into him, as I fully believe that it was quite by accident that he swayed so near to me as almost to throw me over! Anyhow Monsieur Novikoff seemed offended and left the stage. He did not dance again with me that evening. And this is all."- Quote from Anna Pavlova 

Photo Credit: Novikov, Pavlova and  Zaylich in Danse Espagnol, 1912 from Anna Pavlova Her Life And Art By Keith Money 

 

When Pavlova did another show, Novikov was not there. Instead, she appeared with Zaylich. Novikov was still upset about what happened on the stage for the Raymonda ballet with Pavlova. Pavlova was so popular that the final night of her season at the Palace the theater was crowded to the roof. You couldn't even find a seat at eight o'clock and by ten o' clock there was no standing room in the theater. When Zaylich and Pavlova took their final bow the audience gave her so many flowers, cheers, and applause. During all this Novikov continued to sulk.

Photo Credit: Pavlova with Novikov in Invitation to Dance 1913 from Anna Pavlova Her Life And Art By Keith Money 

It wasn't until 1913, when Anna Pavlova ended her summer season in London and was working on her tour in America, that Novikov put his disagreements aside when he learned Anna Pavlova was the reason for his continued employment.

The press soon learned of the two dancers reconciling and said this about it.

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of that slap on the stage of the Palace, Mme. Pavlova and M. Novikoff have become friends again. They were reconciled before they left London."- Quote from The Daily Sketch August 22, 1913