RUSSIAN BALLET.

Auckland Star, Volume LVXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1937, Page 12

RUSSIAN BALLET.

ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE.

GRACE AND ARTISTRY,

Stirring music, grace and art'stry in both posing and dancing, and exquisite dressing held enthralled a large and enthusiastic audience at His -Majesty's Theatre last evening, when the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet danced for the first time in New Zealand.

The frock ing of the audience was outstanding, many beautiful new evening gowns and wraps making the night a truiy gala one.

Ti> the romantic strains of Chopin's music, which included dreamy nocturnes, animated mazurkas and langurous waltzes, the curtain rose, revealing the spiritual ballet "Les Sylphides." The sylphs in full ankle length frocks composed of layers of white tulle, were allied to tight-fitting white eatin bodices. Adorning their sleek hair, which was parted in the centre, and finished with a small knob at the back, were worn pastel b!ue floral wreaths. The stage, looking like fairyland, represented a nnonlit wood, while Helene Kirsova (prinia ballerina) and Igor Yousskevitch, dancing a delightful valse, transported the audience to another world.

This exquisite eetting wae followed by the powerful drama entitled "Scheherazade," taken from "The Arabian Nights." A drama of wholesale infidelity is wonderfully portrayed against a gorgeous Oriental background, which is matched in its blaze of colour by the costumes. Ked pillars before a gleaming green background, a-id there were royal blue gates, barred -with silver, while the ladies, of the harem, redlining on masses of gay cushions, formed a riot of colour. As Zobeid. the favourite wife, Nina Ralevska was a striking picture. Her trouserettes of cloth of silver were slit to reveal the limb, and her body was covered with black satin banded with palest pink and glinting with jewels, while on her head she wore a quaint arrangement of white ostrich leathers. "Le Manage D'Aurore" (Aurora's Wedding) was a feast of delight, with its flawless technique and charming divertissements. The stage picture wae realktic. It shows a wedding on the grandest ecale, with gorgeous iiHdental entertainments, Inclumng various fairy tales. Lovely white satin costumes were won by the seven ladies of honour and their partners' suits revealed a beautiful shade of peacock blue. The star. Nina Youchkeviteh in a delightful |)ink and silver brooH I. i l.allut skirt, looked like a delicate ;><.rcelii:n figure. Most fascinating were .!i 3 porcelain princesses, in their lovely Chinese costumes of black satin, figured with mauve and green, and as they danced the little bells on their coo'lie hats tinkled with joy. In theatrical art there is no form «o superbly beautiful as the ballet, and the youth and beauty of this wonderful visiting combination will, it is anticipated, remain an epoch in the memories of both youth and age. It wae art in its greatest perfection. Among the audience noticed wereLady Elliot. Mesflames lan McEwan F Duval, Hawa Rees. L. J. Shrubsall Nello Porter. Alfred Miller. Konning. H. Owers H. Court. J. F. Court. E. 3. Spence' Rooke* Smith, S. Spalding. J. Sneddon,' Bruce Elliot, J. Maekv. W. Coverdale F. Seccombe, Pittar. Skilling, McKenzie." •f. Kisslmg, Armitage. Alan Donald C Emanuel, C. Rout. T. Wilkin. M Davi,' lan Horton, W. Wilson, J. Farrell "' Hanmer. Gregg. J. B. O'Losrhler t' Brett Patrick. H. Colson. Misses P Franks, Featherstone. Rogers, Betty Sharman. DonaM, Rosenthal. Mvrtle Burns, Tennant. Ewart. O'Neil/ M McCov. Murray (2). Ooldie (2), Doris and Marjory Shrubeall.