Galleries - Fall River Legend

Agnes George deMille - (1905-1993), choreographer, was born in New York City. DeMille's career as a choreographer began in 1929 with The Black Crook. In 1943 she worked as choreographer for the landmark musical Oklahoma!, in which dance both added to the dramatic atmosphere and also, for the very first time in American theatrical history, was instrumental in advancing the story line of the play. In 1948, while working for the New York City Ballet Theatre, she created The Fall River Legend, a full-length ballet based on the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, in which Lizzie is pegged as the culprit. deMille also choreographed One Touch of Venus (1943), Carousel (1945), Brigadoon (1947), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), Paint Your Wagon (1951), The Girl in Pink Tights (1954), and 110 in the Shade (1963). Among her several books was Lizzie Borden: A Dance of Death (1968), in which she detailed her investigation into the Borden murders of 1892 and explored her approach to the creation of the ballet based on the crimes. DeMille died in her home in New York City on October 7, 1993.

The following selection of images are of Nora Kaye, the ballerina who portrayed Lizzie Borden in deMille's Fall River Tragedy. It appears that these striking photos were taken for publicity purposes in 1948.

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