Max Rabinoff
Encyclopedia
Max Rabinoff was a Russian-born, naturalized American opera
and ballet
impresario
and international economic advisor. By the time he had become a naturalized
U.S. citizen in 1898 he had already started an international import-export company
focusing on encouraging American-Russian commerce. By 1908 he had entered the world of performing arts promotion, helping to organize the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Opera Company
. He is best known for founding the Boston Grand Opera Company in 1914, where he introduced American audiences to Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and her Russian Ballet Company during his time as managing director from 1914-1917. He also discovered, and soon married, singer Marie La Salle, who died less than two years after their marriage.
, in the Russian Empire
(now in Belarus
) on March 9, 1877. He immigrated to the United States
in 1892 and was naturalized in 1898 at the age of 21.
Soon after he became a naturalized American citizen, he founded the American-Russian Importing and Exporting Company, and later established a business to advise the American Government and American companies on trade with Russia
and its satellites. During most of his life Rabinoff would be an ardent advocate of economic trade with the Soviet Union
.
His first entry into the field of music was in the early 1900s as an employee of the Kimball Piano Company eventually becoming the owner of three piano stores of his own in the Chicago
area. In 1908 he left the musical instrument business to organize musical events for the general public. He initiated Sunday Concerts in Chicago and helped organize the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Opera Company
.
Within two years of entering the music promotion business Rabinoff began to seek out operatic and dance talent both abroad and in the United States
. In 1910 Rabinoff presented an opera season for the Mexican Republic's centennial celebration at the invitation of the Government of Mexico
. Rabinoff was instrumental in introducing Russian artists to the American public, including Anna Pavlova, the Russian Imperial Court Balalaika Orchestra, and the Ukrainian National Chorus (known then as the Ukrainian Republic Capella
). From 1914 to 1917 he was the managing director of the Boston Opera Company featuring Anna Pavlova and her Russian Ballet Company.
During this time Rabinoff married his discovery, the singer Marie La Salle on March 22, 1910. After her death in 1912 he married Helene Gaubert on May 16, 1913, another dancer, who would be come known as Helene "Bluet" Rabinoff, after her trademark blue cornstarch eyeshadow. In 1930, after 16 years of marriage, she left Max Rabinoff for Marc Cheftell, a Russian physician.
Continuing his interest in promoting commerce between the United States
and Eastern Bloc
countries, he attended the Paris Economic Conference of 1916 where he was made economic advisor to the Republics of Estonia
, Georgia
, and Azerbaijan
. He also attended the Genoa Conference
of 1922, serving as a liaison between the Russians and Americans, and helped develop the Export-Import Bank of the United States
.
His life as musical impresario also continued unabated, and he continued to encouraging young musical talent. He was also interest in popularizing opera with the general public, and in 1942 established the Cosmopolitan Opera Company in New York City
in hopes of bringing opera to the public at affordable prices.
Rabinoff took great pains to burnish his image as an impresario. His reputation for flamboyant attire had led a reporter to describe him mockingly as "Tamerlane" or "Genghis Khan
without the turban." He had a fondness for multiple gold rings, raspberry-colored shirts with matching cravat
s, diamond stick pins, studded cuff-links, and gold chains. His own personal trademark was his fedora, which he always wore outdoors, tilted at a rakish angle. He ceaselessly promoted himself as dandy and man-about-town. As one reporter put it, Rabinoff was "an impresario who looked like an impresario.”
Max Rabinoff died on April 19, 1966 in New York City
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
and international economic advisor. By the time he had become a naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
U.S. citizen in 1898 he had already started an international import-export company
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
focusing on encouraging American-Russian commerce. By 1908 he had entered the world of performing arts promotion, helping to organize the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Opera Company
Chicago Opera Company
The Chicago Opera Company was a grand opera company in Chicago, organized from the remaining assets of the bankrupt Chicago City Opera Company, that produced six seasons of opera at the Civic Opera House from 1940 to 1946 . Fausto Cleva was artistic director 1944-1946, and until 1945 Fortune Gallo...
. He is best known for founding the Boston Grand Opera Company in 1914, where he introduced American audiences to Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and her Russian Ballet Company during his time as managing director from 1914-1917. He also discovered, and soon married, singer Marie La Salle, who died less than two years after their marriage.
Personal life and career
Max Rabinoff was born in MogilevMogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
, in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(now in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
) on March 9, 1877. He immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1892 and was naturalized in 1898 at the age of 21.
Soon after he became a naturalized American citizen, he founded the American-Russian Importing and Exporting Company, and later established a business to advise the American Government and American companies on trade with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and its satellites. During most of his life Rabinoff would be an ardent advocate of economic trade with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
His first entry into the field of music was in the early 1900s as an employee of the Kimball Piano Company eventually becoming the owner of three piano stores of his own in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. In 1908 he left the musical instrument business to organize musical events for the general public. He initiated Sunday Concerts in Chicago and helped organize the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Opera Company
Chicago Opera Company
The Chicago Opera Company was a grand opera company in Chicago, organized from the remaining assets of the bankrupt Chicago City Opera Company, that produced six seasons of opera at the Civic Opera House from 1940 to 1946 . Fausto Cleva was artistic director 1944-1946, and until 1945 Fortune Gallo...
.
Within two years of entering the music promotion business Rabinoff began to seek out operatic and dance talent both abroad and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1910 Rabinoff presented an opera season for the Mexican Republic's centennial celebration at the invitation of the Government of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Rabinoff was instrumental in introducing Russian artists to the American public, including Anna Pavlova, the Russian Imperial Court Balalaika Orchestra, and the Ukrainian National Chorus (known then as the Ukrainian Republic Capella
Ukrainian Republic Capella
The Ukrainian Republic Capella was a musical company during and after World War I which toured Europe and North America with the intent to promote Ukrainian culture abroad. The main sponsor of the Capella was Symon Petlura.-Background:During World War I, many events shook Eastern Europe...
). From 1914 to 1917 he was the managing director of the Boston Opera Company featuring Anna Pavlova and her Russian Ballet Company.
During this time Rabinoff married his discovery, the singer Marie La Salle on March 22, 1910. After her death in 1912 he married Helene Gaubert on May 16, 1913, another dancer, who would be come known as Helene "Bluet" Rabinoff, after her trademark blue cornstarch eyeshadow. In 1930, after 16 years of marriage, she left Max Rabinoff for Marc Cheftell, a Russian physician.
Continuing his interest in promoting commerce between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
countries, he attended the Paris Economic Conference of 1916 where he was made economic advisor to the Republics of Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. He also attended the Genoa Conference
Genoa Conference
The Genoa Conference was held in Genoa, Italy in 1922 from 10 April to 19 May. At this conference, the representatives of 34 countries convened to speak about monetary economics in the wake of World War I...
of 1922, serving as a liaison between the Russians and Americans, and helped develop the Export-Import Bank of the United States
Export-Import Bank of the United States
The Export-Import Bank of the United States is the official export credit agency of the United States federal government. It was established in 1934 by an executive order, and made an independent agency in the Executive branch by Congress in 1945, for the purposes of financing and insuring...
.
His life as musical impresario also continued unabated, and he continued to encouraging young musical talent. He was also interest in popularizing opera with the general public, and in 1942 established the Cosmopolitan Opera Company in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in hopes of bringing opera to the public at affordable prices.
Rabinoff took great pains to burnish his image as an impresario. His reputation for flamboyant attire had led a reporter to describe him mockingly as "Tamerlane" or "Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
without the turban." He had a fondness for multiple gold rings, raspberry-colored shirts with matching cravat
Cravat
The cravat is a neckband, the forerunner of the modern tailored necktie and bow tie, originating from 17th-century Croatia.From the end of the 16th century, the term band applied to any long-strip neckcloth that was not a ruff...
s, diamond stick pins, studded cuff-links, and gold chains. His own personal trademark was his fedora, which he always wore outdoors, tilted at a rakish angle. He ceaselessly promoted himself as dandy and man-about-town. As one reporter put it, Rabinoff was "an impresario who looked like an impresario.”
Max Rabinoff died on April 19, 1966 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.