GEMZE DE LAPPE

GEMZE LAPPE Obituary

de LAPPE--Gemze.

All her friends at Rodgers & Hammerstein mourn the passing of Gemze de Lappe. As a dancer who appeared in the original productions of OKLAHOMA! and CAROUSEL, she became the keeper of the flame for the revolutionary work of the great Agnes de Mille. She remounted the de Mille dances time and time again, teaching new generations of dancers and singers how important it was to attend to every detail. She became a reliable resource to us all. With her passing, an era has truly come to an end. She will be greatly missed. Ted Chapin and everyone at The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization

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Published by New York Times on Nov. 18, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for GEMZE LAPPE

Sponsored by Louise Hickey Cadiff and all of the artists whose lives Gemze touched with her brilliant light.

5 Entries

Louise Hickey Cadiff

December 17, 2017

I met the beautiful, powerful and petite Gemze at the National Academy of Dance (NAD) in Champaign Illinois. It was my great fortune and joy, to be her student in the summers at NAD. Gemze taught me the legendary choreography of Agnes De Mille, all the dances from Oklahoma, Carousel and Brigadoon; and The King and I, Jerome Robbins. She taught and coached me to perform the beautiful and powerful dances of Isadora Duncan. Gemze brought me to NYC to Lee Theodore, the creator and director of the American Dance Machine (Alpha Co.), Century Theater, 1978, it was my Broadway debut. Gemze cast me as Dream Laurie in the broadway revival of OKLAHOMA, Palace Theater, 1979; as Louise in CAROUSEL, Portland Opera 1991; Jean MacLaren in BRIGADOON, MUNY 2001. Gemze brought me to Smith College while she was Dean of the Dance dept. to teach master classes. Gemze was a brilliant artist, and keeper of the treasures of Agnes De Mille and Isadora Duncan. She required the highest quality of technique, however, the true gifts she instilled in me as an artist at a very young age were, to be human, that less is more, to be sincere, to be honest, and tell the story. I will forever be grateful to Gemze for her generous heart and the love she always showed me. I thank Peter and Jonathan for their love as well. I will dearly miss Gemze and the wonderful twinkle in her eyes when she smiled.

Elizabeth Ferrell

November 20, 2017

I had the very great fortune to be able to work with Gemze several times during my career- first in the 1996 staging of Brigadoon for NYCO where I worked with her on the part of Jean MacLaren, then a couple of years later when she staged A Rose for Miss Emily, Allegro and One Touch of Venus for the DeMille project workshop, and finally when I learned the role Topsy in The King and I. Every moment in the studio with her was a lesson in stagecraft. It was not always easy to please her, but what she said was undeniably essential. She taught me that it was OK to be still on stage and that every movement had to have purpose and honesty. I will always be grateful for the times I got to work with her and the lessons learned. Rest in peace Gemze, your artistry and integrity will be missed.

Gems (center) with Hortense and Julia.

Catherine Gallant

November 19, 2017

Gemze also connected us to the legacy of Isadora Duncan via her study with Irma Duncan. She possessed a wonderful combination of freedom and exact technical control. A beautiful dancer and teacher.

1978 Revival of Oklahoma! opening night in LA with Agnes DeMille and the dancers.

Susan Whelan

November 18, 2017

Gemze was the rock that kept Agnes DeMille's work alive. Her insistence on every detail being perfect challenged dancers and made them so much better! She was a true artist.

William J. Schneider

November 18, 2017

Gemze De Lappe starred in THE BALLET from CAROUSEL at the Brussels Worlds Fair American Theatre in 1958. Robert Pagent was the choreographer who restaged the Agnes De Mille dances.
When Gemze and I went to Havana, Cuba in 2008 and 2010 where she worked with Alicia Alonzo restaging two de Mille early ballets - A ROSE FOR MISS EMILY and THREE VIRGINS AND A DEVIL. Gemze was a delight to be with.

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