Camille (Armand’s Solo)
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"Camille" is a ballet choreographed by Ruth Page in 1958, based on Verdi's 1853 opera La Traviata, itself based on the play La Dame aux Camélias (1852). Page choreographed the ballet specifically for Marjorie Tallchief, who had been engaged as a soloist for the third tour of Ruth Page's Chicago Opera Ballet that year. Camille premiered on January 13, 1959 in Columbia, Missouri using Verdi's original music, arranged by Isaac Van Grove. Costumes and sets were designed by José C. Basarte.; This film represents a brief excerpt from a rehearsal of the ballet, occurring roughly two-thirds of the way through it. The courtesan Camille has just broken up with Armand at his father's behest. Armand's tortured, dismayed solo follows.
Credits
Ruth Page (choreographer)
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Ruth Page Collection
Notes: The film opens with a shot of a stage, onto which a single male dancer enters from a back corner. He performs an impassioned, tormented solo, reaching offstage and downstage and straight up for his lost lover. He completes several arabesque turns in a row and falls to his knees, at first looking up and then ducking down while wrapping his arms around his knees. This appears to mark the end of the solo, as the dancer then rises and walks away normally. The film cuts to black and, after a few moments, ends.
Subjects: Dance
Language: English
Cfa elements: Reversal Positives, 100 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/8660
Notes: The film opens with a shot of a stage, onto which a single male dancer enters from a back corner. He performs an impassioned, tormented solo, reaching offstage and downstage and straight up for his lost lover. He completes several arabesque turns in a row and falls to his knees, at first looking up and then ducking down while wrapping his arms around his knees. This appears to mark the end of the solo, as the dancer then rises and walks away normally. The film cuts to black and, after a few moments, ends.
Subjects: Dance
Language: English
Cfa elements: Reversal Positives, 100 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/8660
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:11