Renée Marcelle "Zizi" Jeanmaire (29 April 1924 – 17 July 2020) was a French ballet dancer, actress and singer. She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet Carmen, produced in London in 1949, and went on to appear in several Hollywood films and Paris revues. She was the wife of dancer and choreographer Roland Petit, who created ballets and revues for her.
Jeanmaire was born in Paris to Olga Renée (née Brunus) and Marcel Jeanmaire. She later wrote in her autobiography: "When I was little my mother called me 'mon Jésus' which transformed into 'mon Zizi'."[1]
She met her future husband and long-time collaborator Roland Petit at the Paris Opera Ballet when they were both aged nine.[2][3] She danced in 1944 in the Soirées de la danse at the Theater Sarah Bernhardt. She became a ballerina of the Nouveau Ballet de Monte Carlo in 1946, and danced during the last season of Colonel de Basil's Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in London in 1947. From 1949, she became the star of the Ballets de Paris directed by Petit, where she was known for her energy and passion.[3] She created her most famous role, Carmen, to a musical arrangement of Bizet's opera. For the role, she had her hair cut to boyish shortness, which was copied by many women.[1] The ballet was premiered in London at the Prince's Theatre in London on 21 February 1949, and the obituary in The Guardian noted: "Nothing as sensual as the duets that Petit created for the lovers had been seen on the London stage before."[1] The performance was taken to an extended tour on Broadway, repeated the following season.[1]
Jeanmaire first appeared as a chanson singer in Petit's Croqueuse de diamants in 1950.[1] A chanson, composed by Raymond Cheneau, won a Grand Prix du disque.[3] In Hollywood, she appeared in the musical film Hans Christian Andersen in 1952, with Danny Kaye and Farley Granger. In 1954, she starred on Broadway again, in the musical The Girl in Pink Tights.[1] She returned to Paris and married Petit that year. Their daughter Valentine was born the following year,[1] and would become a dancer and actress.[4]
Jeanmaire appeared in film again in 1956, in Cole Porter's Anything Goes with Bing Crosby,[3] but otherwise focused on dance, including Petit's La Rose des vents in 1958 and Cyrano de Bergerac in 1959. Beginning in 1961, she made a career in revues at the Alhambra Theatre, with hits such as "Mon truc en plumes".[3][1][5] She performed the song in a dress by Yves Saint Laurent, who became her chief designer for stage and private clothes, and a friend. The number, with twelve young men carrying pink feather fans, became a signature tune and was repeated in other revues by Petit,[1] who produced more than 60 shows with her.[3]
Her fame garnered her press attention, and preferred seating at fashion shows, for example in a Yves Saint Laurent show in 1967, next to Elsa Martinelli, Françoise Hardy and Catherine Deneuve. Almost 50 years later, Vogue magazine viewed Jeanmaire and her peers as representing a guidepost of fashion week celebrity culture.[6]
Jeanmaire died in Switzerland[3] on 17 July 2020.[1][7]
Zizi Jeanmaire CARMEN "Bedroom Variation" (1949) on YouTube
October 20, 2023
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Renee Marcelle Zizi Jeanmaire 29 April 1924 17 July 2020 was a French ballet dancer actress and singer She became famous in the 1950s after playing the title role in the ballet Carmen produced in London in 1949 and went on to appear in several Hollywood films and Paris revues She was the wife of dancer and choreographer Roland Petit who created ballets and revues for her Zizi JeanmaireJeanmaire in 1963BornRenee Marcelle Jeanmaire 1924 04 29 29 April 1924Paris FranceDied17 July 2020 2020 07 17 aged 96 Tolochenaz Vaud SwitzerlandOccupation s Dancer actress singerYears active1949 1982SpouseRoland Petit m 1954 died 2011 wbr Children1Jeanmaire in a publicity photograph Contents 1 Career 2 Cultural references 3 Filmography 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksCareer EditJeanmaire was born in Paris to Olga Renee nee Brunus and Marcel Jeanmaire She later wrote in her autobiography When I was little my mother called me mon Jesus which transformed into mon Zizi 1 She met her future husband and long time collaborator Roland Petit at the Paris Opera Ballet when they were both aged nine 2 3 She danced in 1944 in the Soirees de la danse at the Theater Sarah Bernhardt She became a ballerina of the Nouveau Ballet de Monte Carlo in 1946 and danced during the last season of Colonel de Basil s Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in London in 1947 From 1949 she became the star of the Ballets de Paris directed by Petit where she was known for her energy and passion 3 She created her most famous role Carmen to a musical arrangement of Bizet s opera For the role she had her hair cut to boyish shortness which was copied by many women 1 The ballet was premiered in London at the Prince s Theatre in London on 21 February 1949 and the obituary in The Guardian noted Nothing as sensual as the duets that Petit created for the lovers had been seen on the London stage before 1 The performance was taken to an extended tour on Broadway repeated the following season 1 Jeanmaire first appeared as a chanson singer in Petit s Croqueuse de diamants in 1950 1 A chanson composed by Raymond Cheneau won a Grand Prix du disque 3 In Hollywood she appeared in the musical film Hans Christian Andersen in 1952 with Danny Kaye and Farley Granger In 1954 she starred on Broadway again in the musical The Girl in Pink Tights 1 She returned to Paris and married Petit that year Their daughter Valentine was born the following year 1 and would become a dancer and actress 4 Jeanmaire appeared in film again in 1956 in Cole Porter s Anything Goes with Bing Crosby 3 but otherwise focused on dance including Petit s La Rose des vents in 1958 and Cyrano de Bergerac in 1959 Beginning in 1961 she made a career in revues at the Alhambra Theatre with hits such as Mon truc en plumes 3 1 5 She performed the song in a dress by Yves Saint Laurent who became her chief designer for stage and private clothes and a friend The number with twelve young men carrying pink feather fans became a signature tune and was repeated in other revues by Petit 1 who produced more than 60 shows with her 3 Her fame garnered her press attention and preferred seating at fashion shows for example in a Yves Saint Laurent show in 1967 next to Elsa Martinelli Francoise Hardy and Catherine Deneuve Almost 50 years later Vogue magazine viewed Jeanmaire and her peers as representing a guidepost of fashion week celebrity culture 6 Jeanmaire died in Switzerland 3 on 17 July 2020 1 7 Cultural references EditJeanmaire is mentioned in the lyrics of the song by Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go To My Lovely You talk like Marlene Dietrich and you dance like Zizi Jeanmaire 8 She is also mentioned in the Steve Harley song Nothing Is Sacred the fourth verse contains the lyrics Zizi Jeanmaire wouldn t take this and neither will we citation needed Filmography EditHans Christian Andersen 1952 1 as Doro Anything Goes 1956 9 as Gaby Duval Folies Bergere fr 1956 9 as Claudie Charming Boys 1957 10 as Lulu Natier Guinguette fr 1959 11 as Renee dit Guinguette Black Tights 1961 9 as The Gold Digger CarmenReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Cruickshank Judith 17 July 2020 Zizi Jeanmaire obituary The Guardian Retrieved 17 July 2020 E morta Zizi Jeanmaire danzatrice e showgirl moglie di Roland Petit giornaledelladanza com in Italian 17 July 2020 Retrieved 17 July 2020 a b c d e f g Brug Manuel 18 July 2020 Eine wie sie wird es nie mehr geben Die Welt in German Retrieved 19 July 2020 Kisselgoff Anna 20 March 2014 Obituary for Roland Petit The New York Times p B8 Obituary for Roland Petit The Daily Telegraph 12 July 2011 Retrieved 30 June 2019 Yotka Steff 9 February 2016 Barbra Streisand Sofia Coppola Catherine Deneuve and More Throwback Front Row Snaps From Fashion Week Vogue Sulcas Roslyn 21 July 2020 Zizi Jeanmaire French Star of Ballet Cabaret and Film Dies at 96 The New York Times Roslyn Sulcas 21 July 2020 Zizi Jeanmaire French Star of Ballet Cabaret and Film Dies at 96 The New York Times Retrieved 9 July 2022 a b c Weickmann Dorion 17 July 2020 Ohne sie ist Paris nicht mehr Paris Suddeutsche Zeitung in German Retrieved 19 July 2020 Charmants Garcons 1957 senscritique com Guinguette 1959 senscritique comBibliography EditZizi Zizi Jeanmaire with Gerard Mannoni 2002 Paris Assouline 2002 147 pages French ISBN 2 84323 389 5External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zizi Jeanmaire A Tribute to Gainsbourg Zizi Jeanmaire interprete French Zizi Jeanmaire at IMDb Zizi Jeanmaire CARMEN Bedroom Variation 1949 on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zizi Jeanmaire amp oldid 1162933370, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
