Nijinsky’s Last Years (Press, 10 January 1953)

In her biography "The Last Years of Nijinsky," Romola Nijinsky recounts the difficult final years of her husband, Vaslav Nijinsky, the renowned ballet dancer who struggled with mental illness. After the couple wed in September 1913, their lives became entwined with the tumultuous world of ballet and the fallout of Nijinsky's mental health decline, which ultimately led to his battle with schizophrenia. Romola vividly portrays her unwavering devotion and the immense challenges she faced as she attempted to care for Vaslav in the face of societal pressure and the opinions of medical professionals who urged her to institutionalise him. Nijinsky was a celebrated artist until World War I, but after this period, his mental health began deteriorating. Romola describes how, despite warnings from renowned psychiatrist Professor Bleuler, she resolved to care for her husband herself, fully aware of the exceptional effort it required. The book addresses possible causes for Nijinsky's condition, suggesting a hereditary predisposition, noting that his brother also suffered from mental illness. As the couple faced the horrors of World War II, Romola’s narrative touches on their harrowing life in Hungary under Nazi rule. She feared not only for her husband's safety but also for the dire implications of being classified as insane during such a tumultuous time. Despite the constant struggle for survival, Romola clung to hope, believing that after the war, Vaslav would reclaim his status as an artist. At the end of the war, under the new Russian occupation in Hungary, Nijinsky exhibited signs of improvement. Influenced by the cultural connections to his homeland and the validation from Russian soldiers celebrating traditional dances, he began to communicate more openly with Romola. In a poignant reflection, she acknowledges that isolating him from the world exacerbated his illness and expresses regret for not introducing him to his home country sooner when he was in a better state of mind. Eventually, in 1947, the Nijinskys relocated to Britain, finding a semblance of comfort and security among old friends. However, Nijinsky's health continued to decline, and he passed away before Romola could realise her hope of starting a new life in America. Through this biography, Romola Nijinsky shares her intimate experiences, triumphs, and heartbreaks—ultimately illustrating the enduring love and determination that defined her relationship with one of ballet's most exceptional talents. Arnold Haskell's remark, drawing a parallel between Nijinsky and the character Petrouchka, poignantly captures the essence of the tragic yet passionate narrative that Romola unfolds.

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