In 1896, she obtained the rank of Prima ballerina of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres. The old maestro Petipa did not consent to its granting to Kschessinskaya, and although she possessed an extraordinary gift as a dancer, she obtained it primarily via her prestige at the Imperial Russian Court.
Read more about this topic: Mathilde Kschessinska
Famous quotes containing the word prima:
“I’ve given parties that have made Indian rajahs green with envy. I’ve had prima donnas break $10,000 engagements to come to my smallest dinners. When you were still playing button back in Ohio, I entertained on a cruising trip that was so much fun that I had to sink my yacht to make my guests go home.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)