Antonia Mercé, "LaArgentina". Ninotchka Bennahum

Argentina’s hands 34 Caricature of Argentina in Bolero, 1929 35 Bolero Clásico costume by Iradier, 1929 36 Argentina with Maria Barrientos, 1931 40 “La Reine des Castanettes,” Argentina in her costume for La Corrida, 1916 50 On tour in London, 1933 54 Argentina posing in front of her car, Madrid, 1935 55 Publicity photo in fur by Max Furs, 1928 56 Argentina advertising her recordings of her castanets and feet, 1935 57 Argentina as a young artist, Madrid, 1917 58 Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, 1933 65 Argentina in Spanish shawl, 1929 70 Argentina with Arnold Meckel, Amsterdam, 1930 74 Argentina in “The Ritual Dance of Fire” from El amor brujo, 1936 81 Dress rehearsal scene of El amor brujo, 1928 82 Argentina with Georges Wague in El amor brujo, 1925 85 Argentina with Georges Wague in El amor brujo, 1928 87 Argentina with Vicente Escudero in El amor brujo, 1936 89 Costume for El amor brujo for role of Candelas, 1925 93 Argentina in Isáac Albéniz’s “Chacona” 106 Argentina performing “Polo Gitane” in a Biarritz Casino, 1936 107 Argentina in Tango Andalou, London, 1934 109 Argentina in La Corrida, London, 1934 111 Argentina in Tango Andalou, Paris, 1930 121 Córdoba by Albéniz 123 Argentina on tour, going through her trunk 139 Costume design for a maja in El fandango del candil, 1927 143 Argentina in costume for El fandango del candil, Paris, 1928 145 Costume design for Argentina in Triana, 1927 151 Argentina in costume for Danse Ibérienne, Paris, 1930 153 Argentina with Escudero in Triana, Paris, 1929 155 Scene from Juerga, 1929 157 Costume design by Néstor de la Torre for Triana 158 French Legion of Honor award, 1930 159 Spanish Medal of Honor, 1931 160 Argentina in La fregona, 1935 161 Argentina with Arnold Meckel and Federico Beltrán-Masses, Paris, 1930 166 Argentina posing in urban dress, 1930s 167 On board ship to Argentina and New York, 1929 168 Argentina in costume for the role of “The Gypsy” in Sonatina, Paris, 1928 169 Argentina with Spanish actor Ramon Navarre, Hollywood, 1934/35 172 Argentina with actor Douglass Montgomery, 1934 173 Argentina on the last day of her life with Robert Ochs and Luis Galve 179 Argentina in costume for Danse Ibérienne, 1928 180

      Color plates follow pages 44 and 140

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      This book began as a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Department of Performance Studies, Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and is here offered in an expanded and revised version. I would like to thank the following people, without whom this book would have been impossible: Suzanna Tamminen, editor-in-chief of Wesleyan University Press, who heard me speak at the Performance Studies Conference at Northwestern University in 1996 and urged me to publish; Carlota Mercé de Pavloff, who, after many hours together, told me “Now it’s up to you to pass on my Aunt’s legacy” and entrusted me with dozens of photographs of Argentina’s rich career; Ivor Guest and Selma-Jeanne Cohen, who read and corrected the manuscript, offering structural and historical advice; and the staff of the University Press of New England, who saw the book through production. I would also like to thank my wonderful doctoral advisors, Professor Brooks McNamara and Dr. Lynn Garafola, for their advice, patience, and counsel. I would also like to thank the following institutions and libraries without whom the research and writing of this book would have been impossible: Señor Gascon, Director of the Program for Cultural Cooperation between Spain and the Americas; the Spanish Ministry of Culture; Dean Emeritus Gilmore Stott, Chair of the Lucretia Mott Fellowship for Women in the Humanities Committee; Romain Feist, conservateur, and the wonderful staff at the Paris Opera’s National Academy of Music and Dance; the Bibliothèque Nationale de Richelieu and Simone Drouain, Bibliothèque Nationale de l’Arsenal; The Hispanic Society, New York City; Constance Old, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; Nicolas, Cinémathèque de la Danse; Roger Viollet photographic archives, Paris; Antonio Gallego and his staff at the Juan March Fundación, Madrid; Rosario Sanchez at the Conde Duque archives of the city of Madrid; the Fundación Andaluza de Flamenco, Jerez; the Biblioteca Nacionale, Jerez; Juan de la Plata, Catedra de Flamencología, Jerez; Elena and Ana Paredes and Jorge de Persia at the Manuel de Falla archives in Madrid and Granada; Miguel Alonso Lopez and the Teatro Español, Madrid; the Teatro Real de Madrid; the Biblioteca Nacionale, Madrid; Monique Paravicini, president, Les Amis de l’Argentina, Monaco and Paris; Mariemma, past director of the National Academy of Dance, Madrid; Lola Greco, ex-principal soloist with Ballet National de Español; Madeline Nichols, Monica Moseley, and the staff at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dance Collection; and the Library of Congress. Further, I gratefully acknowledge the ceaseless and tireless work of my British translator, Joan Taylor, who sat with me in the Paris Opera, poring over the correspondence of the Spanish vanguard’s composers, librettists, and scene designers.

      I would like to thank the following editors, mentors, friends, and family members whose counsel