NYCB Vol. 6 No. 6 - Firebird

“The ballet was made for Maria, and she went after it like a demon, as if possessed, with ferocity. That is certainly one of Balanchine’s greatest strengths, apart from his creative abilities—being able to compose a frame for a person that suits him or her exactly.”

—Francisco Moncion in Repertory in Review (affiliate link)

Maria Tallchief. Photo by George Platt Lynes 1949.

Maria Tallchief in her dressing room. Photos by Frederick Melton, 1950s.