MONTE CARLO RUSSIAN BALLET

Evening Star, Issue 22627, 20 April 1937, Page 13

MONTE CARLO RUSSIAN BALLET

THE’DUNEDIN SEASON Although additional clerks' wer* added to the staff of the box office at the D.1.C., the queue which formed during the early hours yesterday morning to reserve Seats for ‘ the coming Monte Carlo Russian Ballet season, which begins at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday afternoon and evening next, was still in evidence at 5 o’clock last evening. Despite the fact that the hooking was a record for one day in. Dunedin, the reservations were soi evenly distributed over the seven nights and the three matinees, that seats in central positions for the two opening gala and for subsequent occasions are still available.The excellent demand for scats suggests that the Russian Ballet’s season could be considerably extended, but< unfortunately, owing to international engagements, an extension is impossible as tbe company must leave for Australia immediately at the conclusion of its season here. _ Colonel d» Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, which is touring under the direction of J. O. Williamson Ltd., consists of over 100 artists, including a full operatic orchestra of 25 Imported players. The artistry of the ballet created a sensation in the principal cities of and in Sydney and Melbourne the seasons had to be considerably extended,; and even then the capacity of the JC, Williamson Ltd. theatres in those cities were taxed to their limit at every, performance. Speculators bought up * number of seats for the first two weeks of the Sydney season, and sold them at large profits, as much as £3 3s being paid for a single seat. The reception accorded the Russian dancers on their initial appearance in Auckland recently will always be remembered by those who were fortunate _ enough to' procure seats for it. Nothing like the enthusiasm which was created by the magnificence of the dlancing has ever previously been known in a New Zealand theatre, and at the final close of the performance the audience, which! packed His Majesty’s Theatre, showed its appreciation in an unprecedented manner, and it was some time after the conclusion of the closing ballet before the theatre was cleared. There had been a record number of seats booked before the company made Its first appearance, and after that event the following morning the box plans were again rushed 1 , and practically tha whole of the theatre was booked out for the remainder of the season there.The four programmes of ballets to ba presented in Dunedin are those ini which the company achieved its best triumphs in London, Paris, New York, : , Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, We! lington, and Christchurch.