THE RUSSIAN BALLET

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 6

THE RUSSIAN BALLET

SEASON OPENS SATURDAY Seldom before in the history of Dunedin . has so much interest been taken in the advent of a theatrical attraction as in Colonel de Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, which will begin a season at His Majesty’s Theatre with two gala performances on Saturday afternoon and evening next. For three days the large staff of box office clerks attached to the D. 1.0. has been busily engaged accommodating intending patrons with reservations, and alveady tho success of the season appears to be assured. This result proves that Dunedin people dearly love firstclass theatrical fare. They have on previous occasions demonstrated this fact, but never -,80 as on the present occasion. Despite the heavy booking, there is an abundance of seats in central positions in either the dress circle or the stalls for the two opening gala performances, for the remaining six nights, and for the three matinees, to be presented on Saturday and Wednesday afternoons next, and on Saturday, May 1. _ Rarely (wrote a Christchurch critic), if ever, has any theatrical event in New Zealand been looked forward to so eagerly as the visit of Colonel de Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet. Ballet has been here before, it is true; there are those who recall Genee and there are many who saw Pavlova. But there is a fundamental difference between the ballet as brought here by that magnificent interpretative dancer Pavlova, and the Russian ballet that wont on developing under the influence of Diaghnoff, Fokine, Nijinsky and Massine after Pavlova (very enrly on) had broken away from the original organisation. Pavlova chose to shine as a personal star, but in the Russian ballet which grew under the direction of Diaghneff, and which is now continuing under his successor, Colonel de Basil, it is in the unity of the whole that its greatness Hes._ It is not everything in the repertoire of this conipanv tliat New Zealand is getting for the‘first time. Some of the older ballets are included. The- programme consists of ‘ Les Sylph ides ’ to music by Chopin, Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘ Schchma(]p 1 and Tschaikowsky’s.* Do Manage d’Aurore,’ and these three ballets gave all the dancers excellent opportunity for individual hut inter-related golf-

expression. ‘ Les Sylphides,*_ the opening ballet of the evening, is an enchanting formal choreographic, design by Fokme, suggestive of the classical art of Taglioni, famous particularly for her ‘La Sylphide * (c. 1840). Ihe great ballet of the evening was the spectacular drama ‘Scheherazade.’ Nina Raievska was fascinating as Zobeide, and Froman very human as the Shah,, but without a doubt the great part is that of the favourite slave, vitally and brilliantly acted and danced by Leon Woizikbwsky. ‘ Aurora’s Wedding,’ to music by Tschaikowsky, was the third ballet, and it introduces the remarkably fine dancer Valentina Blinova. Valentin Froman and Valentina Blinova reached the peak of tins lovely series of ballets in the ‘ Pas de Deux.’ The finale of the performance witnessed ■ a scene of enthusiasm rarely seen in a Christchurch theatre.