Nabokov, Nicolas, 1903-1978

Beginning in 1934, Lincoln Kirstein put efforts towards producing a ballet entitled Tom, inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's cabin. Kirstein first commisioned a libretto from poet E.E. Cummings and music from Virgil Thompson. These initial efforts, however, were rejected by choreographer George Balanchine. The following year, Kirstein comissioned set and costume designs from Ben Shahn and a new score from Nicolas Nabokov, working with both artists, as well as Balanchine, to write a more suitable libretto. Despite significant work, however, the ballet Tom was never realized.

From the description of Libretto and score for unproduced ballet Tom. [193-?]- (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 776713303

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