RUSSIAN BALLET SEASON

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 147, 18 March 1937, Page 8

RUSSIAN BALLET SEASON

__ > Box Plans Open To-morrow I To-morrow morning at nine o’clock at ' the D 1.C., the box plans will be opened for the ordinary booking for the seats at 12/6 10/- and 7/6 tor thc " elhusla" .-.e.'isdn o£ Colonel de Basil’s renowned Monte Carlo Russian Ballet which is to be presented at the New Opera House ■ for the first time on Saturday afternoon and evening. March 27. A large nuni- ■ ber of applications have l>een received for preferential bookings, and the inquiries which have been made regarding tne ordinary booking indicate that the demand for seats here will be at least equal ’ to that for the Auckland season, which ended last night. The final performance Of the ballet in Auckland proved a icmarkable occasion because of the enthusiasm which was displayed by an audience that filled every space in the M tlltamson theatre. At the close of the performfl nee each of the principal dancers had

to come before the footlights in response to the calls from the audience, and the stage was literally covered with floral tributes'. There are over 100 travelling members in the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, including great dancing stars whose names are familiar in London, New York and on the Continent. These include Leon Woizikowsky, who has been acclaimed the best male (lancer in the world to-day, Valentina Blinova, an outstanding star, and Helene Kivs'ova, who created a furore of enthusiasm by the brilliancy of her dancing in the opening ballet in Auckland. "Les Sylphides.” The ballets to he presented in Wellington are those in which the company lias achieved its greatest successes in London and Australia, among which are “Les Sylphides” (romantic reverie with music by Chopin), "Scheherazade” (powerful drama with music by Rimsky-Korsakoff), “Le Marriage de’ Aiirore" (Aurora’s Wedding) gala ballet in one act witli music by Tscliaikowsky. These ballets will lie staged for the first four nights, and will lie followed by “Carnaval” (pantomime ballet in one net with music by Schumann), “Les Presages” (one of the most remarkable ballots of the repertoire. It. is full of passion and surprise, the music being by Tschaikowsky), and “La

Boutique Fantastique (the fantastic Toy Shop), with music by Rossini. The Russian Ballet presents not only a glorious entertainment in which grace, youth, and beauty are expressed, but also provides a. feast of music representative ot the greatest composers, and performed by a grand operatic orchestra of 25 imported players under the directorship of Jascha Horeiisteiu. formerly conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, and Ivan Clayton, from Covent Garden, London. The booking in each of the provincial towns han established new records for New Plvmouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North. Hastings and Masterton.