How feelings led to poverty the first lady of the English ballet: Margot Fontaine

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Margot Fontaine was one of the most famous and talented ballerinas in English ballet. She possessed incredible lightness and grace, and the audience, in order to watch the duet of Margot Fronteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, were ready to stand in line for hours for tickets. It seemed that she was successful and rich, but the famous ballerina ended her days in distant Panama and in complete poverty.

Childhood hobby

Already at the age of four, Margaret Hookem (real name) studied ballet. She was not at all hindered by her slight obesity, and her mother made every effort so that her daughter could reveal her talent. Mom, along with her daughter and son Felix, took ballet lessons in order to understand what qualities need to be developed in children. Subsequently, my mother always supported Margaret, and later the colleagues of the already well-known ballerinas by that time got used to the constant presence of Hilda Hookem behind the scenes.

Mom identified Margaret in the best ballet schools. When the family moved to Shanghai, following the head of the family, who was sent to work in China, Margaret studied in the studio of Georgy Goncharov. Later, the parents of the future ballerina parted, the mother returned to the UK with her children and was even able to persuade the star of the Imperial Ballet, Seraphim Astafieva, who had already refused to teach, to give her daughter lessons.

Then the girl studied at the London ballet school Ninette de Valois, and at the age of 15 she already entered the Vic Wells stage. At 17, she already became the prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet and took the sonorous pseudonym Margot Fontaine.

For almost 25 years she danced with Robert Helpmann, who considered his colleague arrogant and arrogant, and therefore their duet was professional, but not outstanding. Margot only came to life on stage, but in life she was rather restrained and stingy with the expression of emotions, but this did not prevent the ballerina from passionately loving. True, she chose not at all those men who would be worthy of her and who could appreciate the ardor and devotion of this amazing woman.

Strange relationship

It was at Vic Wells that Margot Fontaine experienced her first love. Why she, a rising young star, drew attention to the middle-aged conductor, who did not have the best reputation and had a legal wife, remains a mystery. Constant Lambert sympathized with the young ballerina, but she was so carried away that she did not notice either his hobby for alcohol or the presence of other women in her lover's life.

Their romance lasted about ten years, and all this time the prima not only endured Lambert's constant drunkenness, but after getting rid of unwanted pregnancies, she was forever deprived of the opportunity to become a mother. She hoped to someday become the conductor's wife. There was even a date for the wedding, but the groom never showed up at the appointed time. Only after that, insulted to the depths of her soul, Margot put an end to this strange relationship. But Tito Arias instantly appeared next to her, who brought into the life of Margot Fontaine not only suffering, but also problems with the law.

Happiness that didn't exist

His name was Roberto Emilio Arias, but he was known as Tito. They met at a time when Margot was 18 years old, and she performed with the troupe in Cambridge. At the party, the brutal dark-eyed macho danced the rumba so gracefully that the ballerina simply could not help but pay attention to him. It seemed that they liked each other, but Tito did not plan to bind himself to a serious relationship, and therefore simply disappeared from Margot's field of vision.

And he appeared in her life again at the very moment when she broke up with Constant Lambert and suffered from melancholy and loneliness. Then she was 35 years old, and she promised herself in her youth that she would get married before 35. Margot was a very purposeful person and intended to keep her word, despite the fact that there was no worthy man next to her.

The appearance of Tito, who served as Panama's ambassador to Great Britain, she took as a sign from above. And again she closed her eyes with pleasure so as not to notice the obvious things. Her new lover was married, he was not able to ignore any pretty woman, and besides, he always had only one passion - money. But for the ballerina herself, Tito, it seems, did not feel any feelings at all. But in 1955, Margot Fontaine became the wife of Roberto Emilio Arias.

Just 4 years after their marriage, charges of arms smuggling and rebellion propaganda were justifiably brought against Margot and Tito in Panama. Tito actually supported revolutionary sentiments in his country, and Margot was always on the side of her husband. Margot had a chance to experience all the delights of prison on herself, but after she was deported to her homeland.

Margot Fontaine and Tito Arias had a rather strange family. The husband categorically refused to attend his wife's performances, but at the same time after each performance he sent huge bouquets. But he calmly spent the money that Margot paid for the performances, and was happy to communicate with other girls.

In 1964, as a result of an attempt on Tito's life, he was forever bedridden due to a spinal injury. At the same time, there were two versions of the attempt: for political reasons and out of jealousy of the husband of one of Arias's girlfriends.

Margot devotedly looked after her husband and provided for his entire family, including children from a previous marriage. The ballerina received very good fees, but the money was desperately lacking. And Margot, with all her desire, could not leave the stage: too much money was required for the treatment of her husband, and the constantly coming bills from Tito's over-aged children demanded payment.

The prima ballerina was devoted and caring, but her husband did not change during the illness. Even sitting in a wheelchair, he did not refuse to meet with his longtime girlfriend Anabella Vallarino, who visited him whenever his wife went on tour.

A sad ending

The acquaintance of Margot Fontaine and Rudolf Nureyev brought the ballerina to a new level. At first, she was afraid to pair up with a dancer due to the large age difference. But their very first joint performance created a real sensation. Their duet was incredibly harmonious, in the dance they really were two halves of one whole. In addition, Margot and Rudolph became friends and during the tour they often walked together, went to a cafe and chatted about everything in the world.

While working with Nureyev, the actress's fees increased many times over; for tickets for the performances of this couple, people were ready to stand in line almost around the clock. Perhaps Margot would have performed further, but in recent years she has appeared on stage, overcoming severe pain in her legs due to arthritis.

When she left her ballet career, at the request of her husband, she settled with him in Panama. The savings ran out pretty quickly, she did not receive a pension, and the famous ballerina, who was applauded by the whole world, had to raise cows on the farm.

She often asked for financial help from friends and acquaintances, but the greatest support was provided to her by Rudolf Nureyev, who secretly paid Margot's bills. She told friends that she was happy on her farm, but her words were hard to trust. They remembered too well everything that the always restrained and even cold Margot came to life only on stage.

In November 1989, the ballerina's husband died, and after his departure, Margot herself rapidly began to fail. She was diagnosed with cancer of the female organs, the ballerina underwent many operations. She did not even have to count on the care and attention of her husband's relatives. When the ballerina was already living out her last days, her husband's daughter came to her hospital and actually forced Margot to rewrite the will to her relative.

Margot Fontaine died in February 1991, she was buried there, in Panama, next to her husband. Now the grave of the great ballerina is even difficult to find …

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