Royal Ballet Greeted By Gala Occasion

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28840, 10 March 1959, Page 2

Royal Ballet Greeted By Gala Occasion

Nothing was left undone in making the opening of the Royal Ballet’s season in Christchurch last evening the gala occasion it was.

The magnificent floral decorations throughout the theatre, the well-dressed audience, a wonderful performance of the full-length version of “Swan Lake,” made it a night to remember for those who attended.

“The floral decor here tonight Is as well done as anything I have seen at Covent Garden for a gala performance,” a member of the Royal Ballet remarked. “These flowers are as attractively arranged as the theme we had at Covent Garden when the President of France, then Mr Coty, attended a performance with the Royal Family,” he said. Decor Theme The theme of the floral decor in the Theatre Royal gave an impression of graciousness and generosity, without being overdone in any way. Entering the foyer, patrons saw two huge pedestal arrangements in soft pink and white flowers on the stalls doorways. The two bowls were connected by a trail of white tulle held up by a flying cherub. At the foot of the stairway was another pedestal piece of gold toning against a massed background of greenery. Garlands of blue-shaded flowers, caught with pink posies, trailed up the ballustrades.

Centrepiece in the upstairs foyer was a floral motif of “Swan Lake.” This was carried out with the. imagination of a true artist in tall white frosted twigs, white leaves, white gladioli (tipped with pale pink), little white feathered masks and a trailing of ice blue tulle

For each change of programme this centre-piece will be changed to represent one of the ballets to be shown.

Floral wall plaques, specially constructed, were another feature of the decorations up the stairway and in the circle foyer. Across the blue plush frontage of the dress circle were vandyked trails of helichrysums, ,with centre-pieces of pink-toped flowers. Garlands draped . the boxes, in which stood impressive bowls of tall greenery and chrysanthemums. It is impossible to estimate the

number of chrysanthemums, dahlias, lilies and other flowers used or the amount of greenery, but a staff averaging 20 men and women worked on the floral scheme from Saturday morning till late yesterday afternoon to complete the assignment Most of the team were women volunteers, many from country districts, who had studied floral art under the city florist in charge of the work.

The nucleus of the floral decor has been designed to last the full ballet season. As the centrepieces begin to wilt they will be replaced by fresh arrangements. But it is not expected that the background greenery will need to be renewed. ■

Christchurch audiences, which have lost the habit of dressing formally for the theatre, also rose to the occasion for the most part. Beautiful evening gowns, whether long, ballerina-length or short, worn by the women were an audience tribute to a ballet company with the Royal Charter. In one of the boxes were two leading members of the ballet, watching the performance. They were Anne Heaton, dramatic prima ballerina of the company, and Donald Mac Leary, who were not required to dance last evening. They were joined at the third act, the most taxing for the prima ballerina, by Lynn Seymour who will dance the dual role of OdetteOdile this evening.