Product Description

"This is the story of a genius...." So begins "Martha", a frank, beautifully written, and revealing biography of Martha Graham (1894-1991). No one can tell this story of one of the supreme artists of the twentieth century better than Agnes de Mille, the famous choreographer and writer, who was Martha Graham's friend for more than sixty years - from the 1920s until Graham's death in 1991. Graham was the choreographer and dancer who single-handedly invented a revolutionary new dance language and stage aesthetic. She was also a tempestuous innovator and an unrelenting taskmaster, who would sacrifice everything - love, friendship, money - for the sake of her art. This resplendent biography, twenty-five years in the making, sheds new light on every aspect of Graham's life and career: her training as a student and performer under dance pioneer Ruth St. Denis; her early successes, including 'Heretic', 'Lamentation', and 'Primitive Mysteries', and other startling works of the twenties and early thirties; her provocative explorations of American themes ('Appalachian Spring'), Greek myths ('Clymenestra'), and historic figures such as Joan of Arc ('Seraphic Dialogue'); and much more. Written with grace, intelligence, humor, and a keen understanding of Graham's towering accomplishments as an artist as well as of her frailties as a human being, "Martha" is a rich and fascinating portrait of a woman and a great artist. Agnes de Mille (1905-1993) was a world famous dancer, choreographer, director, lecturer, and writer. She was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of the Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Handel Medallion.