A RUSSIAN COURT BALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13887, 23 October 1905, Page 11

A RUSSIAN COURT BALL.

A very interesting article on the Russian Court, written by Sir Herbert J. Hagerman, formerly of the American Embassy at St Petersburg, appears in the ‘‘'Century Magazine ” for June. Very few foreigners get introductions to the Russian Court. Hence there is a certain amount of novelty in Mr Hagermaa’s glimpses behind the scenes. He describes the ball with which the St Petersburg season opens. ' “ This ball generally takes place toward the middle of Russian January j(abdut February 1, our style). In© suite of enormous rooms on the second floor af the palace, part of them overlooking the Neva, and adjoining their Majesties’ private apartments, are used. The palace is so large that probably not one-fifth of its available State apartments are used on this occasion, in spite of the fact that about four thousand people are entertained. The guests, entering by various entrances as indicated on their invitations, are esoorted by heralds through halls and ante-rooms to the Salle Nicholas I. During this long and interesting progress one is constantly astonished at the beauty and variety of the liveries _ and uniforms. At every corner is stationed a palace servant clad in some gorgeous costume of immaculate neatness—chasseurs, footmen, postilions—and guarding each doorway, two cavalrymen, in the splendid, uniform of the guards, are standing with drawn swords, as motionless as bronze. , , , “ At various intervals are squads or soldiers, who from time to time flash their sabres in thrilling unison, as a salute to some illustrious personage. “In the Salle .Nicolas 1., under the blaze of thousands of electric lights, the guests are assembled around the hug© crystal ■ candelabra which- rise from the floor and border the room. Every man among them, with one or two exceptions, wears a more or less brilliant uniform—military, naval, civil or diplo-matic-glittering with gold lace, grand cordons and decorations. The diplomats are assembled near the entrance of the Halle des. Concerts, through which room the Emperor, and Empress must pass to reach the ball-room. Toward this door is directed the gaze of all in eager anticipation of the entrance of the Imperial party* “ Suddenly the doors are thrown open from behind, and the orchestra, hitherto silent, burst forth in' the regal polonaise of His Majesty Nicholas 11. and the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, proud and beautiful, fappear. They pause for a moment while < the whole assemblage, actuated by a single impulse, bow low in respectful homage.. After the polonaise of the Imperial party (nothing more, in fact, than a ■tately walk once or twice around the room), the Emperor and Empress speak for a. few minutes to the chief diplomats, and the dancing begins.

“ The Empress herself cannot enjoy it very much, as conventionalities require her to request the ambassadors to accompany her in the contra-dances. Sometimes these gentlemen, however aristocratic or powerful, are neither young nor graceful, and, as they fre- • quently know little or nothing about the dance, the lesult cannot be entirely pleasing either to themselves or to the Empress. . She occasionally calls upon some young officer to dance the . deux-temps with her, but even then I she must dance quite alone; the wands of the masters of ceremony tap the floor and all other dancers immediately retire. i “Just before supper, as at all Russian dances, great or Small, is danced the mazurka, that fascinating and peculiarly Russian dance so _ popular among all classes. It requires considerable skill to dance it gracefully, and it loses much of its charm if not accompanied with the military click of the spur. “In Russia our regular three-si,ep waltz is known as the ‘Boston,’ and is little danced. "What we call the twostep is virtually unknown, their deuxtemps being quite another dance. “Besides these are danced various difficult steps never beard of in this country. After supper there is a short cotillon, with few v favours except flowers, which, however, are without much exaggeration worth their weight in gold at that time of the year. It requires a person of unusual energy and presence of mind to lead the complicated movement of the cotillon at this ball, and the young officer who does so richly deserves the personal thanks of the Empress, which she very cordially renders him. “There is no lack of refreshment at any Russian function, and this is especially true of Court balls. The ballroom itself and two adjoining rooms open on a long corridor, the whole length of vfhich, probably six hundred feet, is occupied by a buffet covered with ‘ zaluski ’ (corresponding to horsd’ceuvre), cakes and wine. This buffet is one of several. After the first dance the champagne corks begin to pop with astonishing rapidity, but such a thing as anyone showing the effects • of too I much of that beverage at dances is virtually unknown. f I “Thc> supper itself is most astonish--1 ing. It is by no means a light repast, and is served, with four or five wines, t> every guest, all seated at table. . With five or six courses and four sand people, the, amount of porcelain required is enormous. It is all beautiful, of peculiar Slavic designs, made only for the Emperor’s private use at the Imperial factory near the city. , “In the magnificent Salle des ArI moires is laid the Empress’s table, a I round ■ oho on a raised dais, for the

Grand Dukes, Ambassadors and persons of the first rank—about thirty in all. The service for this table is of "old. Two semi-circular wings in this room accommodate other diplomats and Russians of high rank. “.Besides this room, four adjoining ones are filled. The candelabra and service throughout are of massive silver, and all the tables are covered with flowers and laid with remarkable richness and beauty. There is a servant to about every four guests, and the supper is conducted with such precision and excellence that all the guests are simultaneously served and all have finished when the Empress gives the signal to rise.”