The Ballets Russes in Australasia
Origins and Precursors
Ballets Russes is a generic name given to a succession of ballet companies which emerged in Europe after the demise of Serge Diaghilevs Ballets Russes in 1929. These companies were founded and managed by Colonel Wassily de Basil and Renee Blum, either jointly or separately. They continued the Diaghilev tradition performing much of his repertoire and using some dancers from the Diaghilev companies.
During the 1930s and 1940s there were several Ballets Russes companies which toured throughout Europe, the Americas and to Australasia. Three Ballets Russes companies were formed for touring to Australia between 1936 and 1940. Two of these tours, in 1936/37 and 1938/39, included New Zealand. All three Australasian tours were entrepreneured by J.C. Williamson.
Audiences in Australia had previously seen a sampling of the Diaghilev tradition through earlier tours by companies built around prominent ballerinas. In 1913, Adeline Genee toured to Australia with members of the Imperial Russian Ballet. Anna Pavlova toured to Australia twice with her own companies in 1926 and 1929.
In 1934, the Dandre-Levitoff Russian Ballet company toured to Australia, headed by the famous Russian ballerina Olga Spessivtzeva. These companies had strong links to each other, eg. Victor Dandre was Pavlovas Manager. As well, dancers such as Algeranoff came to Australia with Pavlova in 1926 and 1929, and later returned with the Ballets Russes.
[NB. The National Library holds collections of programs for each of these earlier visiting companies]
Back to the topNames
A ballet company by any other name?
The various companies formed by de Basil and Blum tended to use parts of each others names, which can lead to confusion.
For the Australasian tours the first company in 1936/1937 was called Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, sometimes abbreviated to The Monte Carlo Russian Ballet.
The second company in 1938/39 was called the Covent Garden Russian Ballet.
For the third company touring in 1939/40 three names were used Colonel W. de Basils Covent Garden Ballet, Colonel W. de Basils Ballet Company and finally The Original Ballet Russe.
[Further details on the companies lineages are given in various references such as Walker, Pask and Cargher see the Sources section]
Back to the topPublications produced for the Australasian tours: A cautionary note
In documenting the visit to Australasia of the three Ballets Russes companies in the 1930s, one of the prime aims is to establish which ballets were performed, when they were performed, and who performed in them. To achieve this, three critical factors have to be taken into account :
- The complex nature of the programs of ballets performed by the companies which involved frequently changing multiple bills on each program
- The particular pattern of program publishing practised by J.C.Williamson
- The variety of sources for the programs in the National Librarys PROMPT collections.
1. Multiple bills
Each tour of the Ballets Russes followed a familiar pattern of performing a large number of shorter ballets. None of the seasons included a program featuring just one full length ballet. Instead, there was an average of three ballets per program, sometimes up to five. In addition, the company changed programs frequently. The longest run of one program was for eight nights plus matinees, the shortest was for just one performance.
All these factors are common to any dance company, particularly a touring one. However with the Ballets Russes, the large number of ballets performed over a long period of time make for a particularly complex picture.
2. The publishing of programs
Beginning in the 1920s, the J. C. Williamson organisation [JCW] published a Magazine programme in cities with theatres operated by them, namely Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. These multi-purpose publications covered current and forthcoming attractions in JCW theatres in each of these cities for various periods.
The frequency of the Magazine programmes is difficult to accurately establish. Some assistance in dating is given on cast list pages announcing "Season commencing.June 23 ". In some cities such as Melbourne and Sydney where JCW operated up to three theatres the issuing of a Magazine programme appears to have been relatively frequent (either weekly or fortnightly) and the publications themselves were larger, often over 50 pages.
In general, the covers of the Magazine programmes were the same for long periods of time and were usually used in all cities. However, for major attractions such as the Ballets Russes tours, some special covers were used at various times. These special covers are indicated in the chronological listings for each Ballets Russes tour.
The Magazine programmes included a large amount of advertising and publicity material for current and forthcoming attractions with biographies, portraits, scenes from attractions and reports from overseas, featuring prominently. Much of this information was repeated or rearranged from issue to issue. Advance publicity increased in volume as the attraction drew nearer.
In relation to the Ballets Russes tours, Magazine programmes are particularly useful for the publicity surrounding the tours, articles by Arnold Haskell, biographies, and portraits of dancers, music staff and management. Product advertising using leading dancers is also of interest.
The combined publicity machines of de Basil and J. C. Williamson produced glossy Souvenir programmes for some of the seasons. Largely photographic in nature, they featured principal dancers of the company, scenes from some of the ballets performed, and leading personalities associated with the tour. These should not be confused with some issues of the routine Magazine programmes which have "Souvenir Programme" overprinted on the cover, but which contain nothing of a special nature.
Cast lists for musicals, variety shows, dramas and comedies were usually included in the text of the Magazine programme. However, for opera and ballet they were NOT included. Instead, separate four page folded Cast lists were published covering a season of a multiple bill, whether it was for one, three, five or eight nights duration.
It is important to note that two types of Cast lists occur indicating either repertoire or cast changes. These can appear to be duplicates but reveal changes after a careful internal examination of the text has been done. This is in spite of the same date span being stated, for example, "Week commencing Saturday November 7, 1936". Evidence suggests that these weekly Cast lists were in some instances issued daily. The second smaller type are those where the specific performance date has been printed at the top of the Cast list, for example, "Wednesday evening, December 9". These subtle changes may reflect cast or repertoire changes from one night to the next, a factor which the researcher needs to be aware of. Differences in dating which occur on Cast lists have been noted in the list which follows.
The collecting and preserving of these loose Cast lists are particularly important as they represent the best available evidence of the repertoire actually performed and who performed it.
The Library has acquired Cast lists from many sources over the years. Some have come to the Library loosely inserted into an issue of a Magazine programme and these have been retained in situ as it is assumed that is the manner in which they were issued. Others have been acquired as individual items which might have been handed out to patrons at the performance in that form. On the other hand they might have become separated from a Magazine programme. Cast lists held as individual items form the bulk of the documentation of the Ballets Russes tours in the PROMPT Collection.
Some examples of Advertising ephemera such as brochures, booking forms, invitations, etc have survived and are noted under the relevant season.
Advertisements, reports, reviews and listings in newspapers can also be used as source material for documenting the Ballets Russes tours. However these sources have NOT been included in this Holdings list.
3. Sources of the National Librarys holdings
Over the years, the Library has acquired published material on the Ballets Russes tours from three sources J. C. Williamson, Geoffrey Ingram, and through routine acquisitions of retrospective Australiana whether by gift or purchase.
When the firm of J. C. Williamsons closed in 1973, the Library acquired a significant collection of material from the Sydney office of the company (See the description in Potter. A Full house -reference in the Sources section). Included in the large collection was a bound set of Magazine programmes and Cast lists which provide a near complete record of JCW theatres in Sydney from the 1920s to the late 1960s. It is thought that they were probably working copies for JCW office staff, as they are well used, indexed and occasionally annotated.
In some cases these bound volumes constitute the most complete holdings of Cast lists for certain portions of the three Ballets Russes tours. These are referred to in the listing as "JCW/BS Vol ".
Individual Cast lists covering other portions of the tours were acquired from JCW and form part of the PROMPT holdings.These are referred to in the holdings list as separates.
Geoffrey Ingram is a former dancer with the Borovansky Ballet and was founding administrator of the Australian Ballet, as well as being a collector of historical Australian dance material. The Library acquired a significant portion of his collection including substantial holdings of Magazine programmes and Cast lists for the Ballets Russes, particularly the Melbourne seasons. These have been integrated into the PROMPT collection.
The Library is actively filling in gaps in its Australiana collections. As such it acquires retrospective material, including published material relating to the Ballets Russes tours. These are integrated into the PROMPT collection.
With the compilation of this holdings list, the Librarys holding of Ballets Russes programs and ephemera have been brought together for the first time to form a near complete record of these historic tours.
NB. JCW consistently used programme to refer to their Magazine programme. This meaning has been retained in this Finding Aid. The word program is used to avoid confusion and refers to a ballet season.
Back to the topRussian names
A caution about Russian names which can vary greatly. Spelling used in this Ballets Russes holdings list is based on that commonly used in the programs and cast lists published during the tours.
Repertoire
Between 1936 and 1940 the three touring Ballets Russes companies performed 44 separate ballets in Australia most of which were Australian premieres. Five ballets received their world premieres during the three tours. Twelve of the ballets became standard favourites and were repeated for each visit.
Below is a complete list of ballets in the repertoire of the Ballets Russes touring companies in Australia.
* - denotes a world premiere
** - denotes an Australian premiere
- "Performed tour 1" refers to the 1936/37 tour
- "Performed tour 2" refers to the 1938/39 tour
- "Performed tour 3" refers to the 1939/40 tour
L'amour sorcier **
Choreography
- Leon Woizikovsky
Music - Manuel de Falla
Scenery and costumes -
Nathalie Gontcharova Performed tour 1
L'apres midi d'un faune (Afternoon of a
faun) **
Choreographic poem
Choreography - After Waslaw
Nijinsky
Music - Claude Debussy from his "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un
faune"
Scenery - Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes - Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1, 3
Aurora's wedding SEE Le mariage d'Aurore
Le beau Danube (The beautiful
Danube)**
Book and choreography - Leonide Massine
Music
- Johann Strauss arr. Roger Desormiere
Costumes - Count Etienne de Beaumont
Scenery - Vladimir Polunin after Constantin Guys
Performed tour 1
Bolero **
Choreography - Anton
Dolin
Music - Maurice Ravel
Performed tour 2
La boutique fantasque**
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - Gioacchine Rossini arr. Ottorino
Respighi
Décor and costumes - Andre Derain
Performed tour 1
Carnaval**
Ballet in once act
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music - Robert Schumann orchestrated by
Rimsky-Korsakoff, Glazounoff, Liadoff, Tcherepnine
Scenery and costumes -
Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1- 3
Cendrillon (Cinderella) **
Ballet in three parts after Perrault's fairy tale
Choreography - Michel
Fokine
Music - Frederic d'Erlanger
Scenery and costumes - Nathalie
Gontcharova
Scenery executed by - Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes
executed by - B. Karinska
Performed tours 2-3
Les cent baisers (The hundred
kisses) **
Libretto - Boris Kochno after the fairy tale by
Hans Andersen
Choreography - Bronislava Nijinska
Music - Frederic
d'Erlanger
Scenery and costumes - Jean Hugo
Scenery executed - by
Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tours 1-3
Choreartium (Choreographic
symphony) **
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - J.
Brahms from his "4th Symphony"
Scenery and costumes - by Constantin
Terechkovitch and Eugene Lourie
Curtain - by Georges Annenkoff
Scenery
executed by Elisabeth Polunin Performed tours 2-3
Cimarosiana **
Ballet
divertissement
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - Domenico Cimarosa
Scenery and costumes - Jose-Marie Sert
Performed tour 3
La concurrence (The competition) **
Ballet - by Andre Derain
Choreography - Georges Balanchine
Music
-Georges Auric
Curtain, scenery and costumes - Andre Derain
Costumes
executed by B. Karinska
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tour 2
Contes russes (Children's tales) **
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - Anatol Liadoff
Scenery and
costumes - Michel Larionoff
Performed tour 1
Coppelia **
('The girl with the enamel eyes')
Ballet in two acts
Choreography - arranged by Anatole Oboukhoff after Marius Petipa
Music - Leo Delibes
After the story from 'The Tales of Hoffman'
Costumes executed by Olga Larose
Performed tour 3
Le coq d'or (The golden cockerel) **
Ballet in three scenes based on the fairy tale by Puchkine and opera
libretto by Bielsky
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music - from the opera
by Rimsky-Korsakoff adapted by N. Tcherepnine
Curtain, scenery and costumes
-Nathalie Gontcharova
Scenery - executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes - executed by B. Karinska
Performed tours 2-3
Cotillon (The dance) **
Ballet
- Boris Kochno
Choreography - Georges Balanchine
Music - Emmanuel
Chabrier arr. E. Chabrier, F. Mottl, Vittorio Rieti
Scenery and costumes -
Christian Berard
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes
executed by B. Karinska
Performed tours 1-2
Danses slaves et tziganes (Gypsy
dances) **
From the Russian opera "Roussalka"
Choreography by Bronislava Nijinska
Music - A. Dargomijsky
Scenery
- by A. Golovine
Costumes by C Korovine executed by Helene Pons, New York
Performed tour 2
Le Danube bleu (The blue Danube)*
Ballet to music by Johann Strauss
Scenes and dances arranged by Serge
Lifar
Scenery - Vladimir Polunin after Constantin Guys
Costumes - Count
Etienne de Beaumont
Performed tour 3
Les dieux mendiants (The gods go
a-begging) **
Pastoral by Sobeka
Choreography - David
Lichine
Music - G.F. Handel arranged by Sir Thomas Beecham
Scenery - by
Leon Bakst
Costumes - by Juan Gris
Performed tours 2-3
Les femmes de bonne humeur (The good humoured
ladies) **
Ballet in one act after a comedy by Carlo Goldoni
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - Domenico Scarlatti .
Orchestrated and arranged by Vincenzo Tommasini
Scenery and costumes - by
Leon Bakst
Performed tours 2-3
Le fils prodigue (The prodigal son) *
Scenes in three tableaux by Boris Kochno
Choreography - by David
Lichine
Music - by Serge Prokofieff
Scenery and costumes - Georges
Rouault
Scenery executed by - Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes executed
- by Mme V. Soudeikine
Performed tour 2
The Firebird SEE L'oiseau de feu
Francesca da Rimini **
Choreographic drama in two scenes by David Lichine and Henry Clifford
partly drawn from Dante
Music - P Tchaikovsky
Scenery and costumes -
Oliver Messel
Scenery executed by Prince. A. Schervachidze
Costumes
executed by B. Karinska
Performed tour 3
Graduation ball *
Ballet in
one act by David Lichine
Choreography - David Lichine
Music - Johann
Strauss. Compiled, arranged and orchestrated by Antal Dorati
Scenery,
costumes - Alexandre Benois
Scenery executed by Nadejda Benois
Ladies
costumes executed by Antoinette, Sydney
Male costumes executed by A. H.
Leiser, Sydney
Performed tour 3
Icare*
Choreographic legend in
one act by Serge Lifar
Choreauthor -Serge Lifar
Rhythms by Lifar
orchestrated by Antal Dorati
Scenery and costumes - Sidney Nolan
Performed tour 3
Jeux d'enfants (Children's games) **
Ballet - Boris Kochno
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music -
Georges Bizet
Curtain, scenery, costumes and designs - Joan Miro
Curtain - painted by Joan Miro
Scenery - painted by Prince A.
Schervachidze
Costumes - executed by Madame B. Karinska
Performed tour
2
Le lac des cygnes (Swan lake) **
Choreographic poem in one act
Choreography - after Marius Petipa
Music - P.Tchaikovsky
Scenery and costumes by C.Korovine
Scenery
executed by Prince A. Schervachidze (tours 1-2), O. Allegri (tour 3)
Performed tours 1-3
Lutte eternelle (Eternal struggle) *
Ballet in one act by Igor Schwezoff
Choreography - Igor Schwezoff
Music - Robert Schumann from "Etudes symphonqiues" orchestrated by Antal
Dorati
Scenery and costumes - Kathleen and Florence Martin
Scenery
executed by G. Upward
Costumes executed by Olga Larose
Performed tour
3
Le mariage d' Aurore (Aurora's
wedding) **
Choreography - After Marius Petipa
Music -
Piotr Tchaikovsky
Costumes - Alexandre Benois
Scenery - Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1-3
L'oiseau de feu (The firebird) **
Ballet in two scenes by Michel Fokine from Russian folk tales
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music -Igor Stravinsky
Scenery and
costumes - Leon Bakst (tour 1) and Nathalie Gontcharova (tour 3)
Performed
tours 1, 3
Paganini **
Fantastic ballet in
three scenes by S. Rachmaninoff and M. Fokine
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music - Serge Rachmaninoff from his "Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini"
Scenery and costumes - Serge Soudeikine
Scenery executed - Oreste
Allegri
Performed tour 3
Papillons (The butterflies) **
Ballet in one act
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music - Robert
Schumann arranged by N. Tcherepnine
Scenery designed and executed by M.
Doboujinsky
Costumes - Leon Bakst
Performed tours 2-3
Pavane (Pavane of the Infantas) *
Choreography - Serge Lifar
Music - Gabriel Faure Costumes - Jose-Maria
Sert
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tour 3
Pavillon **
Ballet - Boris
Kochno
Music - A. Borodine. Arranged and orchestrated by Antal Dorati
Choreography - David Lichine
Scenery - Nicolas Benois
Costumes-
Cecil Beaton
Costumes executed by B. Karinska
Performed tour 3
Petrouchka **
A burlesque in
four acts
Choreography - Michel Fokine Book - by Alexandre Benois and Igor
Stravinsky
Music - I. Stravinsky
Curtain, scenery and costumes -by
Alexandre Benois
Performed tours 1-3
Port Said **
Choreography -
Leon Woizikowsky
Music - Konstantinoff
Scenery and costumes - Michel
Larionoff
Performed tour 1
Les presages (Destiny) **
Choreographic symphony Book and choreography - Leonide Massine
Music -
P. Tchaikovsky from his "Fifth Symphony"
Scenery and costumes - Andre
Masson
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tours
1-3
Prince Igor **
Polovtsien
dances from the opera "Prince Igor"
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music
- Alexander Borodine
Scenery and costumes - Nicholas Roerich
Performed
tours 1-3
Protee **
Choreographic tableau
by David Lichine and Henry Clifford
Choreography - David Lichine
Music
- Claude Debussy from his "Danses sacree et profane"
Scenery and costumes -
Giorgio de Chirico
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Costumes
executed by B. Karinska
Performed tours 2-3
Scheherazade **
Choreographic
drama in one act by Michel Fokine and Leon Bakst
Choreography - Michel
Fokine
Music - N. Rimsky-Korsakoff
Scenery and costumes - Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1-3
Scuola di ballo (The school of
dance) **
A comedy by Carol Goldoni arranged and adapted by
Leonide Massine
Choreography - by Leonide Massine
Music - L.
Boccherini. Orchestrated by J.Francaix
Scenery and costumes - by Count
Etienne de Beaumont
Scenery executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tours 1-3
Soleil de nuit (The midnight sun) **
Russian scenes and dances from the opera " Snegoutotchka"
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - N. Rimsky-Korsakoff
Scenery
and costumes - Michel Larionoff
Performed tours 1-2
Le spectre de la rose (The spirit of the
rose) **
Romantic poem in one act by J.J. Vaudoyer after the
poem by Theophile Gautier
Choreography - Michel Fokine (reconstructed for
tour 1 by Leon Woizikovsky)
Music - C.M. Weber
Scenery and costumes -
Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1-3
Swan lake SEE Le lac des cygnes
Les sylphides **
A romantic
reverie in one act by Michel Fokine
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music
- F. Chopin. Orchestrated by Vittorio Rieti
Scenery - Prince A.
Schervachidze after Corot
Costumes executed by - O. Larose
Performed
tours 1-3
Symphonie fantastique **
An
episode in the life of an artist
Choreography - Leonid Massine
Music
and Book - H. Berlioz
Scenery and costumes - by Christian Berard
Scenery - executed by Prince A. Schervachidze
Performed tours 2-3
Thamar **
Choreographic drama
in one act
Choreography - Michel Fokine
Music - M. Balakireff
Scenery and costumes - Leon Bakst
Performed tours 1, 3
Union Pacific **
An American
ballet in one act and four scenes Libretto - Archibald MacLeish
Choreography - Leonide Massine
Music - Nicolas Nabokoff based on folk
songs of the period 1860
Scenery - Valentine Kashuba
Costumes - Irene
Sharaff
Performed tour 2
First Australasian Tour
Colonel W. De Basil's Monte Carlo Russian Ballet
Sometimes abbreviated to Monte Carlo Russian Ballet
Summary - October 1936 - July 1937. Touring to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, New Zealand, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide
Personnel
Dancers - as listed in Cast lists
Ballerinas
Helene Antonova, Valentina Blinova, Irina Bondireva, Nathalie Branitzka, Mona Dimidova, Mira Dimina (Madeleine Parker), Helene Ducrailova, Nina Golovina, Margot Guerard (Mary Garina), Vanda (or Wanda) Grossen, Xenia Kalinowska, Helene Kirsova, Marija (or Moussia) Korjinska, Vera Lipska, Tatiana Mouravieva, Nina Natova, Helene Polouchina, Nina Raievska, Lilia (or Lelia) Roussova, Anna Severska, Anna Skarpa (or Anna Skarova), Elisabeth Souvorova (Betty Scorer), Tamara Tchinarova, Maria Valevska, Olga Valevska, Irina Vassilieva, Sonia Woizikowska, Nina Youchkevitch
Male dancers
Savva Andreieff, Thomas Armour, Jean Aykoff, Valentine Baline, Birger Bartholin, Jashf Crandall (Joseph Crandall), Joseph (or Jash or Jashf) Dolotine, Alexis Frank, Valentin Froman, Roland Guerard, Jean (or Jan) Hoyer, Milos Ristic, Ivan (or Vania or Jean) Rykoff, Valery Shaevsky, Thadee Slavinsky, Arnold Spirka, Dmitri Tovaroff, Serge Unger (or Serge Ungern), Serge Vladimiroff, Marjan Winter, Igor Yousskevitch, Leon Woizikowsky
Dancers appearing briefly (Source: Walker, 1982)
Ballerinas
Jean Brandon, Edna Brusse, Cherlova (Melbourne, 1937), Peggy Chauncey (Petrova), Patricia Cape, Jean Edwards, E. Georgieva, Joan Hope, Anne Mackentosh (Anne Chloe Elder), Marianne Martin, Mourova, Lindsay Shaw, Alexandra Stepanova
Male dancer
Vassilie Trunov
Dance staff
Choreographer Leon Woizikowsky
Maitre de
ballet/Regisseur-General - Leon Woizikowsky
Regisseur/Assistant Regisseur -
Jean Hoyer
Music staff
Principal conductor - Jascha Horenstein
Associate conductor/musical
director - Ivan Clayton
Management
Director Jacques Lidji
Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo
Russian Ballet Founder and Director General Col. W. de
Basil
Colonel de Basils representative Alexander
Philippov
Liaison officer Arnold Haskell
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Note on holdings of publications
ALL publications listed below are held and filed in the National Librarys PROMPT collection.
The few cases of publications NOT being held in the PROMPT collection have been indicated. In these cases the details of the program performed have been taken from Potter see Sources section at the end of this holdings list.
For details on the file arrangement and access to the PROMPT collection refer to the Access section of this holdings list.
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General tour publication
Ballets Russes de Monte
Carlo Ltd. : Australia and New Zealand, season 1936-1937 / (Col. W. de
Basils
New York : Nicolas Publishing Co, 1936. [29 p.] : ill. (some
col.), ports. ; 31 cm.
A souvenir book issued for the Australasian tour featured a coloured cover of a reproduction of an original design by Ivan Bilibine of five women in Russian regional costume. The book contained a group photo of the company ; portraits of dancers ; synopses to 20 ballets ; 8 pages of colour illustrations of costumes, colour illustrations of scenery for Auroras wedding, Pulcinella, Scheherazade, Soleil de nuit, Loiseau de feu, Les cent baisers, Cotillon, Scuola di ballo, Les presages.
Tour
Adelaide
Theatre Royal
October 13, 1936
October 28, 1936
Publications
Magazine programme
Three issues of the Magazine programme were published for the Adelaide season. All have 32 pages and contain stories of 21 ballets, with several biographies of the artists and the company. Portraits of the three principals, some soloists and the baby ballerinas such as Sonia Woizikowska are included. The remainder of the content in the Magazine programmes is theatre gossip, advertisements, etc. Two issues had the same cover of a ballerina wearing a green hat. Above the illustration are the words "Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, Theatre Royal, Adelaide".
Two of the Magazine programmes contain programs of ballets to be performed in Programs 1-3 and 4-5 respectively. Another issue of the Magazine programme announced the exclusion of Le spectre de la rose. The program of ballets changed twice weekly.
Cast lists
In Adelaide Cast lists were not usually included in the Magazine programme.
Advertising material
1 leaflet, 11 x 25 cm., crème paper. Name of the company in red. Probably used as signage.
Season
October 13 (E), 14 (M&E), 15 (E)
Overture - Prince Igor
(Borodin)
Les sylphides**, Scheherazade**, Le spectre de la rose**, La
boutique fantasque**
"Program 1" as advertised in the first Magazine
programme
NLA- Separate Cast list not held
October 16 (E), 17 (M&E), 19 (E)
Overture - Prince Igor
(Borodin)
Carnaval** Scheherazade**, Le beau Danube**, Le spectre de la
rose
"Program 2" as advertised together with Program 1 in the first Magazine programme
NLA - Separate Cast list not held
October 17 (E)
Overture - Prince Igor (Borodin)
Carnaval,
Scheherazade, Le beau Danube, Le spectre de la rose
October 20 (E), 21 (M&E), 22 (E)
Overture - Merry wives
of Windsor (Nicolai)
Le lac des cygnes**, La boutique fantasque, L'apres
midi d'un faun**, Prince Igor**
"Program 3" as advertised together with
programs 1 and 2 in the first Magazine programme
NLA - Separate
Cast list not held
October 22 (E)
Overture - Merry wives of Windsor (Nicolai)
Le lac des cygnes, La boutique fantasque, L'apres-midi d'un faune, Prince
Igor
October 23 (E), 24 (M&E), 26 (E)
Les sylphides, Les
presages**, Le beau Danube
"Program 4" as advertised in the second Magazine programme
NLA - Separate Cast list not held
October 27 (E)
Carnaval, Le mariage d'Aurore**, Le beau
Danube
"Program 5" as advertised with program 4 in the second Magazine
programme
NLA - Separate Cast list not held
October 28 (M&E), gala farewell
Les presages, Le beau
Danube, Le mariage d'Aurore
Program as advertised in the second Magazine
programme
NLA - Separate Cast list not held
Melbourne
His Majestys Theatre
October
31, 1936 December 22, 1936
Publications
Magazine programme
Two covers were issued for the Melbourne season. The first cover for the earlier part of the season has a Baroque couple with a hovering cupid. This issue has 34 p. It includes page length portraits of Woizikowsky, Blinova, Kirsova as well as smaller portraits of other soloists. There are illustrations of scenes from five ballets and articles on the Companys history, and the history of the Russian ballet.
The second cover features a ballerina with a green hat. This larger issue has 46 p. Title page lists the company of 46 members and two conductors. Stories of the ballets are included with several biographies of the artists, company with portraits. Additional ballets such as Fantasie chinois, Casse noisette, La concurrence were advertised but there is little evidence of them being performed.
Ballet programs changed weekly on Saturday, however they were not printed in the Magazine programme.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide a statement of the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances usually over various periods, from one to six nights, beginning on Saturday evening.
NLA A complete set of Cast lists is held for this season, with annotations by hand indicating the changing program. In JCW/BS, Volume 24.
Season
Week commencing Saturday, October 31, 1936
Overture -
Rosamunde (Schubert)
Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Le mariage d'Aurore
Week commencing Saturday, November 7, 1936
Overture - Merry
wives of Windsor (Nicolai)
Carnaval, Les presages, La boutique
fantasque
Week commencing Saturday evening, November 14, 1936
Le lac
des cygnes, Petrouchka**, L'apres- midi d'un faune, Prince Igor
Week commencing Saturday evening, November 21, 1936
Overture
- Oberon (Weber)
Scuola di ballo, Le spectre de la rose, L'amour sorcier,
Le beau Danube
Week commencing Saturday evening, November 21, 1936
Overture
- Oberon (Weber)
L'amour sorcier**, Le spectre de la rose, Scuola di
ballo**, Le beau Danube
Order changed for remainder of week commencing
Monday evening, 23rd November
Week commencing Saturday, November 28 (E), 1936
Overture -
Russlan and Ludmilla (Glinka)
Cotillon**, L'oiseau de feu**, Le mariage
d'Aurore
Week commencing Saturday, December 5, 1936
Overture -
Rosamunde (Schubert)
Les sylphides, Contes russes**, Les cent baisers**,
Prince Igor
Tuesday evening, December 8, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Contes russes, Les cent baisers, Prince Igor
Wednesday afternoon, December 9, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Contes russes, Les cent baisers, Prince Igor
Wednesday evening, December 9, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Contes russes, Scheherazade
Programme
change
Thursday evening, December 10, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Contes russes
Same as for
Wednesday evening except different order of programme
Friday evening, December 11, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Contes russes
Same as for
Thursday evening except for cast changes
Saturday afternoon, December 12, 1936
Overture - Rosamunde
(Schubert)
Les sylphides, Contes russes, La boutique fantasque
Programme change
Week commencing Saturday evening, December 12, 1936
Thamar**, Carnaval, Port Said**, Petroushka
Saturday evening, December 19, Monday evening December 21, Tuesday
afternoon and evening, December 22
"Gala programme for the last four
performances"
Le lac des cygnes, Les presages, Soleil de nuit**, Le beau
Danube
Sydney
Theatre Royal
December 26, 1936
February 26, 1937
Publications
Magazine programme
One cover of the Magazine programme was used for the Sydney season containing a design by Norman Lindsay of a scene from Scheherazade. Some of the issues include the artists name on the cover. Many Magazine programmes were issued, each varying slightly regarding articles and advertisements. All issues contain 40 pages. A title page featured the members of the company [between 43-44] and the two conductors. Stories of all ballets performed in Sydney were included as well as biographies and portraits of the principals, some soloists, the baby ballerinas, and the company.
Programs of ballets performed were not printed in the Magazine programme.
Issues of the Magazine programme released prior to the season had a cover of a ballerina on points with an orchestra at her feet. They contained 40 pages and approximately 30% of it was given to the forthcoming JCW attractions, notably the ballet company. They included portraits of Woizikowsky, Blinova and Kirsova and others, introductions to the art of the ballet, biographies of some of the artists and baby ballerinas. Advertised repertoire included The good humoured ladies which was not performed in this season.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide a statement of the Program of ballets and casts covering performances over various periods, from one to six nights, beginning on Saturday evening.
NLA A complete set of Cast lists is held for this season, each annotated by hand or typed indicating daily changes. These are in JCW/BS, Volume 24.
Season
Week commencing Saturday, 26 December, 1936
Overture -
Rosamunde (Schubert)
Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Le mariage d'Aurore
Week commencing January 2, 1937
Overture - Merry wives of
Windsor (Nicolai)
Carnaval, Les presages, La boutique fantasque
Week commencing Saturday evening, January 9th, 1937
Le lac
des cygnes, Port Said, Le spectre de la rose, Petrouchka
Week commencing Saturday, January 16, 1937
Overture - Oberon
(Weber)
Les sylphides, Le beau Danube, L'apres-midi d'un faune, Prince Igor
Wednesday matinee, January 20, 1937
Overture - Oberon (Weber)
Les sylphides, Le beau Danube, L'apres-midi d'un faune, Prince Igor
[Wednesday evening, January 20, 1937]
Overture - Oberon
(Weber)
Les sylphides, Le beau Danube, L'apres-midi d'un faune, Prince Igor
Matinee deleted with autograph of date change to evening
[Friday evening, January 22, 1937]
Same program as Wednesday
evening, January 20
Matinee deleted with autograph of date change to
evening
Week commencing Saturday night, January 23, 1937
Overture -
Russlan and Ludmilla (Glinka)
Cotillon, L'oiseau de feu, Le mariage
d'Aurore
Week commencing Saturday, January 30, 1937
Le lac des cygnes,
L'amour sorcier, Les cent baisers, La boutique fantasque
Saturday matinee, February 6, 1937
Le lac des cygnes, L'amour
sorcier, Les cent baisers, La boutique fantasque
Week commencing Saturday, February 6, 1937
Carnaval, Soleil
de nuit, Scuola di ballo, Scheherazade
Saturday matinee, February 13, 1937
Carnaval, Soleil de nuit,
Scuola di ballo, Scheherazade
Sat., Mon., Tues., Wed (Matinee), February 13, 15, 16, 17
Les
sylphides, Port Said, Les presages, Prince Igor
Wed., Thurs., Fri and Sat. matinee (Feb. 17, 18, 19, 20)
Le
lac des cygnes, Port Said, Petrouchka, Prince Igor
Saturday matinee, February 20
Le lac des cygnes, Port Said,
Petrouchka, Prince Igor
Week commencing Saturday, February 20, 1937
Thamar, Le
spectre de la rose, L'oiseau de feu, Le beau Danube
Gala farewell performance - Friday, February 26, 1937
Carnaval, Port Said, Les presages, La boutique fantasque
----------------------------------------------------------
New Zealand
February April 1937
Publications
Souvenir book
Souvenir programme : Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, New Zealand, 1937. [Sydney : J.C. Williamson, 1937]. 36 p. : ill., ports. ;28 cm.
The Souvenir programme was issued on glossy paper for the New Zealand tour featuring the Sydney cover by Norman Lindsay as well as a "Behind scenes" design by his brother Daryl Lindsay. The title page lists the forty-two members of the company, and the conductors. Four programs of ballets to be performed were printed in the souvenir book. Also included are a brief history of company, page length portraits of de Basil, Woizikowsky, Blinova, Kirsova, Horenstein as well as smaller portraits of others, and biographies of artists. A centrefold montage of photos is entitled "Scenes and personalities. Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet". Brief summaries of the ballets included.
----------------------------------------------------------
Wanganui
Opera House
March 20, 1937
Publications
Advertising material
Cover title "The greatest ballet tour in history! J.C. Williamson Ltds huge attraction : Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet". 1 folded sheet [5 pages] ; 29 cm.
"Behind scenes" design by Daryl Lindsay. A second sketch by him included as no.3.
Centrefold taken from the Souvenir programme with some changes. Includes 15 illustrations of rehearsal, portraits, and performances. Advertisement includes a repertoire of Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Le mariage dAurore.
----------------------------------------------------------
Brisbane
His Majestys Theatre
May 8
27, 1937
Publications
Magazine programme
The cover of the Magazine programme for the Brisbane season contains a design by Norman Lindsay of a scene from Scheherazade. Some of the issues include the artist's name on the cover. A title page featured the members of the company [between 43-44] and the two conductors. Stories of all ballets performed in Brisbane were included as well as biographies and portraits of the principals, some soloists, the baby ballerinas, and the company. Programs of ballets performed were not printed in the Magazine programme.
Earlier issues held include publicity about the company, stories of the ballets, biographies and portraits of the dancers.
Season
NB. Season and dates taken from Potter see Sources
May 8, 10, 11, 12 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Scheherazade, Le
mariage d'Aurore
NLA - Neither Magazine programme nor Cast lists
held
May 13, 14, 15 (M&E), 17, 18
Les cent baisers, Les
presages, La boutique fantasque
NLA - Neither Magazine programme nor
Cast lists held
May 19 (M&E ), 20, 21, 22 (M&E)
Le Lac des cygnes,
Soleil de nuit, Port Said, Prince Igor
NLA - Neither Magazine programme
nor Cast lists held
May 24, 25, 26 (M&E)
Carnaval, Le spectre de la rose,
Scuola di ballo, Le beau Danube
NLA - Neither Magazine programme nor
Cast lists held
May 27, gala farewell
Scheherazade, La boutique fantasque,
Les cent baisers
NLA - Neither Magazine programme nor Cast lists
held
----------------------------------------------------------
Sydney
Theatre Royal
May 29 June 18,
1937
Return season
Publications
Magazine programme
Same Magazine programme in style, format, cover, content and advertisements as for the first Sydney season.
Only one cover of the Magazine programme was used for the return Sydney season containing a design by Norman Lindsay of a scene from Scheherazade Some of the issues include the artists name. Many Magazine programmes were issued, each varying slightly regarding articles and advertisements. Issues contain 40 p. A title page lists the members of the company [between 43-44] and the two conductors. Stories of all ballets performed in Sydney included. Biographies and portraits of the principals, some soloists, the baby ballerinas, and the Company.
Programs of ballets performed were not printed in the Magazine programme.
Issues released prior to the season had a cover of a ballerina on points with an orchestra. They contained 36 pages and approximately 30% devoted to forthcoming JCW attractions, notably the ballet season. They included portraits of Woizikowsky, Blinova and Kirsova and others, introductions to the art of the ballet, biographies of some of the artists including the baby ballerinas.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide a statement of the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances usually over four nights, commencing Saturday and Thursday evenings.
Some Cast lists advertise Max Dupains photographic exhibition of the artists and the Company: - "The magnificent collection of photographs of members of the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, at present being displayed in the foyer of the Theatre Royal, are from the studio of Max Dupain."
Season
Week commencing Saturday, May 29, 1937. Also Monday May 31; Tuesday
June 1; and Wednesday June 2 (Matinee)
Le lac des cygnes, Les presages,
Le spectre de la rose, Prince Igor
Commencing Wednesday, June 2, 1937. Also Thursday, June 3; Friday
June 4; and matinee Sat., June 5
Overture - Merry Wives of Windsor
(Nicolai)
Les cent baisers, L'oiseau de feu, La boutique fantasque
Week commencing Saturday evening June 5, 1937. Also Monday June 7;
Tuesday June 8 and mat., Wed. June 9
Overture - Merry wives of Windsor
(Nicolai)
Les sylphides, Contes russes, Le beau Danube
Week commencing Saturday evening June 5, 1937. Also Monday June 7;
Tuesday June 8 and mat., Wed. June 9
Changes to dance order for Contes
russes.
Overture - Merry wives of Windsor (Nicolai)
Les sylphides,
Contes russes, Le beau Danube
Wednesday evening June 9; Thursday evening June 10; Friday evening
June 11; Saturday matinee June 12
Overture - Rosamunde (Schubert)
Cotillon, Scheherazade, Le mariage d'Aurore
June 12, 14, 15, 16 (M)
Carnaval, Scuola di ballo, Le spectre
de la rose, Petrouchka
NLA -Cast list not held
Tuesday evening June 15, 1937
Carnaval, Scuola di ballo,
Spectre de la rose, Prince Igor
June 16, 17, 18 (M)
Les sylphides, Thamar, Port Said, Le beau
Danube
NLA - Cast list not held
----------------------------------------------------------
Melbourne
His Majestys Theatre
June 19
July 6, 1937
Return season
Publications
Souvenir book
JC Williamson re-used the ballerina with the green hat as the cover for the Souvenir book for the return Melbourne season. It contains 42 pages with page length portraits of de Basil, Woizikowsky, Blinova, Kirsova and Horenstein. There are smaller portraits of de Basils representatives, Clayton, the soloists and the baby ballerinas. A title page lists the company of 43 members and two conductors. It includes articles, biographies of some of the artists and stories of the ballets included.
Magazine programme
The same two covers used for the first season were re-issued for this season. The first of a Baroque couple with a hovering cupid and the second of a ballerina with a green hat. Contents are the same as for the first season.
Programs of ballets performed are not printed in Magazine programme.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide a statement of the Programme of ballets
and casts covering performances usually over a period of four days, with
changes on Saturday and Wednesday evenings.
NLASome Cast lists
held
Season
NB. Season and dates taken from Potter - see Sources
June 19, 21, 22, 23 (M)
Le lac des cygnes, Les presages, Le
spectre de la rose, Prince Igor
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
June 23 (E), 24
Les cent baisers, L'oiseau bleu, Le beau
Danube
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
June 25, 26 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Port Said, Le spectre de
la rose, La boutique fantasque
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
June 28, 29, 30 (M)
Carnaval, Scuola di ballo, Petrouchka
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
Wednesday, June 30th at 8 pm ; Thursday, July 1st at 8
Les
sylphides, Thamar, Port Said, Le mariage d'Aurore
Friday, July 2 at 8 pm
Overture - Merry wives of Windsor
(Nicolai)
Carnaval, Soleil de nuit, Les presages, Le beau Danube
July 3 (M&E)
Carnaval, Soleil de nuit, Contes russes, Le
beau Danube
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
Monday July 5, 1937 at 8 pm, Tuesday July 6, 1937 matinee and
night
Le lac des cygnes, Scheherazade, Le mariage d'Aurore
----------------------------------------------------------
Adelaide
Theatre Royal
July 7 14,
1937
Return season
Publications
Souvenir book
JC Williamson re-issued the cover from the Sydney seasons featuring Norman Lindsays scene from Scheherazade for this return season with the title:- "Souvenir programme 6d Colonel W. de Basils Monte Carlo Russian Ballet".
It contains 32 pages and includes page length portraits of Woizikowsky, Blinova, Kirsova and smaller portraits of the other soloists, and Ivan Clayton. Biographies of them are also included as well as an article on de Basil by Arnold Haskell and stories of the ballets.
One copy includes Irena Bondirevas signature adjacent to her portrait.
Magazine programme
No Magazine programmes are held and it is not known whether they were issued for this season in addition to the Souvenir programme.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide a statement of the Programme of ballets
and casts covering performances usually over various periods, from one to six
nights.
NLA Some held
Season
NB. Season and dates taken from Potter see Sources
July 7-8
Les sylphides, Port Said, Contes russes, La boutique
fantasque
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
July 9, 10 (M)
Thamar, Le spectre de la rose, Scuola di
ballo, Prince Igor
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
Saturday, July 10th, 1937 at 8 pm and Monday 12th, 1937 at 8 pm
Overture - Rosamunde (Schubert)
Les cent baisers, Les presages, Le
mariage d'Aurore
Includes 1 sheet insert of de Basil's portrait
Tuesday, July 13th, 1937 at 8 pm
Carnaval, Soleil de nuit,
L'amour sorcier, Le beau Danube
Wednesday matinee, July 14th at 2 pm
Carnaval, Soleil de
nuit, L'amour sorcier, Le beau Danube
July 14 (E)
Le lac des cygnes, Scheherazade, Le mariage
d'Aurore
NLA-Separate Cast list not held
Second Australasian Tour
Covent Garden Russian Ballet
Summary September 1938 April 1939. Touring Melbourne, Sydney, New Zealand, Melbourne, Adelaide
Personnel
Dancers - as listed in Cast lists
Ballerinas
Kira Abricossova, Irina Baronova, Irina Bondireva, Alexandra Denisova, Tamara Grigorieva, Vanda Grossen, Irina Kosmovska, Raissa Kouznetsova, Lina Lerina, Ludmila Lvova , June Mackay, Vera Nelidova, Lara Obidenna, Sono Osato, Galina Razoumova, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Lelia Roussova, Maria Sanina, Lisa Serova, Nadia Smirnova, Natasha Sobinova, Kira Strakhova, Tamara Tchinarova, Edna Tresahar, Anna Volkova , Irina Wassilieva, Helene Wolska
Male dancers
Gregory Alexandroff, H Algeranoff, Alberto Alonso, Lorand Andahazy, Boris Belsky, Edouard Borovansky, Serge Bousloff, Anton Dolin, Edouard Dzikovsky, Jan Hoyer, Serge Ismailoff , ?Ivanoff, Roman Jasinsky, Marian Ladre, Yura Lazofsky, Narcisse Matouchak, Paul Petroff, Dimitri Rostoff, Borislav Runanine, Simon Semenoff, Yurek Shabelevsky, Valeri Shaivesky, Edouard Sobichevsky, Oleg Tupine, Valentin Zeglovsky
Dance staff
"Ballets by Michel Fokine under his personal
supervision"
Choreographer David Lichine
Regisseur-General - Serge
Grigorieff
Assistant Regisseur Jan Hoyer
Music staff
Principal conductor - Antal Dorati
Assistant conductor
Vladimir Launitz
Leader of orchestra Haydn Beck
Management
Educational Ballets Limited Chairman and Director of Company
Victor Dandre
Managing Director G. Sevastianov
Assistant
Manager V. Grigorieff
----------------------------------------------------------
Note on holdings of publications
ALL publications listed below are held and filed in the National Librarys PROMPT collection.
The few cases of publications NOT being held in the PROMPT collection have been indicated. In these cases the details of the program performed have been taken from Potter see Sources section at the end of this Finding Aid.
For details on the file arrangement and access to the PROMPT collection refer to the Access section of this Finding Aid
Back to the top----------------------------------------------------------
Tour
Melbourne
His Majestys
Theatre
September 28, 1938 - November 21, 1938
Publications
Magazine programme
The Magazine programme for the Melbourne season varies from 50 to 54 pages. A sepia photograph cover of a scene from the ballet Francesca da Rimini is used for the season. The contents include "Stories of the ballets", short biographies of "Stars of the ballet" plus conductor Antal Dorati and small publicity paragraphs on the company. Photograph portraits of Irina Baronova, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Anton Dolin, David Lichine, Yurek Shabelevesky, Paul Petroff, Antal Dorati, Tamara Grigorieva, Roman Jasinsky and some group photos of other members of the company.
Cast lists
Cast lists cover programs of ballets with casts for periods of three nights, occasionally four. The program of ballets changed once a week.
Advertising material
Large advertising brochure for season. 4 page folder. Sepia tone photographs of stars and scenes from the ballets with listing of repertoire, stars, prices and ticket sales.
Small advertising brochure for part of season, October 627, includes ticket prices, repertoire.
Publisher’s advertising flyer
Scene from Les Sylphides with principal ballerinas Anna Volkova, Tatiana Riabouchinska and Vera Nelidova. One reproduced image from publisher’s flyer advertising the book Ballet in Australia : from Pavlova to Rambert by Hugh P. Hall (1948)
Season
September 28, 29 (M&E),
30 October 1 (M)
Overture
-Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakoff)
Les sylphides, Cendrillon **, Le
mariage d'Aurore
October 1, 3, 4 (E), 5 (M&E)
Overture- The Impresario
(Mozart)
Le lac des cygnes, Symphonie fantastique **, Prince Igor
October 6, 7 (E), 8 (M&E)
Overture -The Impresario
(Mozart)
Les dieux mendiants**, Petrouchka, La concurrence **
October 10, 11 (E), 12 (M&E)
Overture - Fete Poloniase
(Chabrier)
Jeux d'enfants **, Choreartium **, Scuola di ballo
October 13, 14 (E), 15 (M&E)
Overture - La Cenerentola
(Rossini)
Les femmes de bonne humeur **, Scheherazade, La spectre de la
rose, Soleil de nuit
October 15 (M)
Scheherazade replaced by Cendrillon - see
Potter listing and advertisement in previous cast list
NLA - No separate
Cast list held for this matinee
October 17, 18 (E), 19 (M&E)
Overture - The Impresario
(Mozart)
Jeux d'enfants, Le coq d'or **, Prince Igor
October 20,21 (E), 22 (M&E)
Overture - Capriccio Espagnol
( Rimsky-Korsakoff)
Le lac des cygnes, Cendrillon, Protee **, Danses slaves
et tziganes **
October 24, 25 (E), 26 (M&E)
Overture - Capriccio Italien
(Tschaikowsky)
Cotillon, Les presages, Protee
Orchestral interlude -
Kamarinskaya (Glinka)
Danses slaves et tziganes
October 27, 28 (E), 29 (M&E)
Overture - La Cenerentola
(Rossini)
Les dieux mendiants, Le coq d'or, Bolero, La concurrence
October 29
Bolero included in performances according to
Potter listing and advertisements in programme
NLA - No separate Cast
list held
October 31, November 1 (E), November 2 (M&E)
Overture -
The Impresario (Mozart)
Les sylphides, Bolero, Scheherazade, Le mariage
d'Aurore
November 3, 4 (E), 5 (M&E)
Overture - Hungarian folk
dances (Weiner)
Le lac des cygnes, Petrouchka
Orchestra - Danze ed aria
antiche (Respighi)
Union Pacific **
November 7, 8 (E), 9 (M&E)
Overture - Fete Polonaise
(Chabrier)
Symphonie fantastique, La spectre de la rose
Orchestral
interlude - Kamarinskaya (Glinka)
Danses slaves et tziganes
November 7, 8 (E), 9 (M&E)
Overture - Fete Polonaise
(Chabrier)
Les Cent Baisers, Symphonie fantastique,
La spectre de la
rose
Orchestral interlude - Kamarinskaya (Glinka)
Danses slaves et
tziganes
November 10, 11 (E),12 (M&E)
Overture - Midsummer night's
dream (Mendelssohn)
Papillons **, Le coq d'or, Le mariage d'Aurore
November 14, 15 (E), 16 (M&E)
Overture - La Cenerentola
(Rossini)
Les sylphides, Les presages, Protee, Union Pacific
November 17, 18 (E), 19 (M&E), 21 (E)
Overture -
Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakoff)
Le lac des cygnes, Cendrillon, Le
mariage d'Aurore
----------------------------------------------------------
Sydney
Theatre Royal
November 25, 1938
January 26, 1939
Publications
Magazine programme
The Magazine programme for the Sydney season is consistently 48 pages.
Two covers were used. One is a colour reproduction of a pastel/crayon drawing by Daryl Lindsay of a ballet dancer on stage. The other cover appears briefly towards the end of the ballet season, from January 20 onwards. It is plain white with brown lettering with the name of the company.
The contents include stories of the ballets, and biographies of leading dancers. Photographs of members of the company are more numerous than in the Melbourne Magazine programme and include Irina Baronova (a different portrait to the one used in the Melbourne season ), Tatiana Riabouchinska , Antal Dorati, Anton Dolin, David Lichine, Tamara Grigorieva, Michel Fokine, Yura Lavovsky, Lisa Serova, Paul Petroff, Roman Jaskinsky, Vladimir Launitz, Anna Volkova, and Sono Osato.
Cast lists
Cast lists cover programs of ballets and casts for 6 nights seasons. In
mid January they change to 3 night seasons, with the program changing once a
week.
NLA The most complete set of Cast lists are held in the
bound volumes at JCW/BS as indicated below.
Advertising material
Four fold large brochure for season. Red and yellow. Illustrated with photos of stars and scenes from ballets. Full repertoire listed, ticket prices.
Season
November 25, 26, 28, 30 (E), 26, Dec. 1 (M&E)
Les
sylphides, Le coq d'or, Le marriage d'Aurore
December 2,5,6,8(E), 3,7,(M&E)
Papillons, Symphonie
fantastique, Protee, Prince Igor
December 9,12,13,15, (E), 10,14 (M&E)
Les femmes de bonne
humeur, Le spectre de la rose, Union Pacific
December 16,19,20,22 (E), 17,21 (M&E)
Overture -
Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakoff)
La concurrence, Le lac des cygnes,
Petrouchka
December 23,27,29 (E), 24,26,28 (M&E)
Jeux d'enfants, Les
presages, Cendrillon
December 30, January 2,3,5 (E). December 31, January 4 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Le fils prodigue *, Cendrillon
January 6, 9, 10, 12, (E), 7,11 (M&E)
Les dieux
mendiants, Choreartium, Le mariage d'Aurore
January 13,16 (E) 14 (M&E)
Carnaval, Symphonie
fantastique, Scuola di ballo
January 17,9 (E), 18 (M&E)
Les cent baisers, Le fils
prodigue, Scheherazade
January 20,23 (E), 21 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Le coq d'or,
Le spectre de la rose, Danses slaves et tziganes
January 24,26 (E), 25 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes,
Petrouchka, Protee, Le mariage d'Aurore
----------------------------------------------------------
New Zealand
(February, 1939 March,
1939)
Publications
Souvenir book
"New Zealand season 1939. The Covent Garden Russian Ballet.
32 page
Programme. Cover illustration in red and brown, drawing of the
interior of a theatre including tiered boxes and curtain.
Contents include
same biographies, and photos of principal dancers as used in Australian Magazine programmes. Also included is a photo montage of 17 portraits
and scenes from performances and rehearsal under title "Come back stage and
meet the famous Covent Garden Russian Ballet".
Page 32 includes a
reproduction of the Christmas card designed by Daryl Lindsay used by members of
the company. It depicts koalas as dancers taking a bow on stage with a lizard
as the conductor.
The repertoire for the New Zealand season is listed in the Souvenir
book as comprising three programs:-
Programme No. 1. Carnaval, Le lac
des cygnes, Cendrillon
Programme No. 2. Les dieux mendiants, Scheherazade,
Le mariage dAurore
Programme No. 3. Les sylphides, Les presages, Union
Pacific
Cast lists are included under each ballet.
NB. The itinerary of the
NZ tour with dates and venues is not given in the Souvenir
book.
Advertising brochure
3 folds. Printed on both sides. Issued for the Grand Opera House, Wellington season commencing Saturday February 18, 1939 for " eleven nights and special matinees". Same cover and art work as the souvenir book described above, including the same photo montage but with one additional photo. One fold has three large photographs of scenes from Auroras wedding, Les sylphides, and Scheherazade. Brochure includes ticket prices and booking information.
Single sheet colour reproduction "Daryl Lindsays impression of a dancer". Dated "New Zealand 1939". Same image as used on cover of Sydney Magazine programme.
Single sheet on yellow paper announcement the presentation at the matinee February 25th, of "Le spectre de la rose" due to " hundreds of requests". Starring Paul Petroff and Tatiana Ribouchinska.
Program
Cover title "Maurice Ralph presents a Group of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet late of the J C Williamson Theatres Ltd and Royal Opera, Covent Garden, London". 4 fold with insert of programme (ie the repertoire). Photos of Valeri Shaievsky, Petruche Orlova, Raissa Kousnetzova and Eduard Sobichewsky, plus pianist Feodor Pellack. Two statements in the brochure record that this company toured to "the provincial towns" and the "the smaller centres" but the exact itinerary is not given. The programme in the insert lists solos, and pas de deux from Les sylphides, Les matelots, Tarantella, Blue bird, Carnaval, Spectre de la rose, Sleeping beauty, as well as 8 other special dances and instrumental solos.
----------------------------------------------------------
Melbourne
His Majestys Theatre
March
29,1939 April 12, 1939
Return season
Publications
Magazine programme
The Magazine programmes for the return Melbourne season vary between 34 and 38 pages. Text and photos of the company are variations on those already used earlier in programmes on the tour.
Two covers are used. One is a sepia photograph of a scene from the ballet Francesca da Rimini. The other is a colour cover with the head of a blonde woman, an orchid and string of pearls. This latter cover was used widely for other JCW Magazine programmes at the time. In some issues there is an additional eight page insert advertising the London Casino Revue appearing at the Kings Theatre from April 8.
Cast lists
Cast lists cover programs of ballets for three or four night seasons.
Invitation
Small slip of paper addressed "Dear Balletomane" inviting patrons to the
"first entertainment sponsored by the Ballet Club of Victoria" at the Comedy
Theatre on a Sunday night (date not given). Dancers Dolin and Algeranoff
"
have promised to attend.." and to give lectures on ballet and Japanese
dancing respectively.
Loose insert in Magazine programme with season of
March 29-April 1.
Advertising
Single sheet "Academy of Russian Ballet opening soon in Melbourne by Edward Borovansky Member of Covent Garden Russian Ballet. Details will be announced later ". Loose insert into Magazine programme with season April 3-5.
Exhibition flyer
Ballet photographs / by Hugh P. Hall at the Sedon Galleries, Melbourne, Monday March 27- Saturday April 1, 1939. Photographs of performances in Melbourne by the Covent Garden Ballet Company.
1 folded sheet ([3] p. ; 20 cm.) + 1 notice
Season
March 25,27,28 (E)
Carnaval, Choreartium, Le mariage d'Aurore
Conductor Launitz for Le mariage d'Aurore
March 29, April (M&E), March 30,31 (E)
Le lac des
cygnes, Le fils prodigue, Cendrillon
April 3,4 (E), 5 (M&E)
Les dieux mendiants, Symphonie
fantastique, Le spectre de la rose, Les femmes de bonne humeur
April 6 (E), 8,10 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Les presages,
Protee, Cendrillon
April 11 (M&E)
The Gods go a-begging, The prodigal son,
Le spectre de la rose, Le mariage d'Aurore.
Listed in Potter and in
advertisements in the cast list of the previous program as "Farewell
performances"
April 12 (M)
Dieux mendiants, The prodigal son, La spectre
de la rose, Le mariage d'Aurore
April 12 (E)
Le lac des cygnes, Symphonie fantastique, Le
spectre de la rose, Le mariage d'Aurore
Cast list is headed "Farewell
performance"
----------------------------------------------------------
Adelaide
Theatre Royal
April 13,1939 April
26, 1939
Publications
Souvenir programme
For the Adelaide season a 32 page Souvenir programme was issued. The cover was a reproduction in red and brown of an interior of a theatre seen from the stage with draped curtains and boxes (the same as the New Zealand cover). The contents included details of the company, photographs and biographies of dancers, conductors and key management personnel which had appeared in earlier programs.
The repertoire of the Adelaide season is listed as four programs which have been matched with the repertoire listed in Potter. (Potters listing is based on advertisements in the newspaper The Advertiser (Adelaide).
NB. Cast lists appear for each ballet in the Souvenir programme.
Season
April 13, 14 (E) 15 (M&E)
Programme No. 1. Listed in Souvenir programme
Carnaval, Le lac des cygnes, Cendrillon
April 17, 18 (E), 19 (M&E)
Programme No.2. Listed in Souvenir programme
Les sylphides, Les presages, Le coq d'or
April 20,21 (M&E)
Programme No. 3. Listed in Souvenir
programme
Les dieux mendiants, Union Pacific, Protee, Le mariage
d'Aurore
April 24, 25, (E), 26 (M&E)
Programme No.4. Listed in Souvenir programme
Les femmes de bonne humeur, Scheherazade, La
spectre de la rose.
The Souvenir programme announces that "The final ballet
on this farewell programme to be selected by popular request".
Potter lists
the ballet selected and performed as Les presages
April 27
Separate programme issued. Farewell performance of
principal artists.
Midnight performance.
Overture - The impresario
(Mozart)
Les sylphides (with Baronova, Riabouschinska, Dolin)
L'apres-midi d'un faune (with Lichine)
Bolero (with Dolin)
Le lac
des cygnes (with Baronova, Dolin, Ismailoff, Pierce)
Jeux d'enfants (with
Riabouschinska, Lichine)
Le mariage d'Aurore (with Baronova, Riabouchinska,
Dolin, Belsky)
NLA - Holds 2 versions one on blue paper, one on cream
paper
Third Australasian Tour
Colonel W. De Basil's Covent Garden Ballet
Also known as Colonel W. De Basil's Ballet Company
Also known as The Original Ballet Russe
Summary - December 1939 August 1940. Touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney
Personnel
Dancers - as listed in Cast lists
Ballerinas
Maria Azrova, Tatiana Bechenova, Kira Bounina , Lydia Couprina Alexandra Denisova, Nina Golovina , Marguerite Gontcharova, Tamara Grigorieva, Irina Lavrova, Anna Leontieva, Tatiana Leskova, Helena Lineva, Ludmila Lvova , Natasha Melnikova, Olga Morisova, Genevieve Moulin, Vera Nelidova, Vera Nemtchinova , Lara Obidenna, Sonia Orlova , Sono Osato, Nina Popova ,Galina Razoumova, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Nadia Smirnova, Natasha Sobinova, Tatiana Stepanova, Marina Svetlova, Lubov Tchernicheva, Tamara Toumanova, Nina Verchinina, Anna Volkova , Irina Zarova, Lubov Zlatina
Male dancers
Gregory Alexandroff, H Algeranoff, Alberto Alonso, Lorand Andahazy, Boris Belsky, Edouard Borovansky, Nicolas Ivangine, Vladimir Irman, Serge Ismailoff , Roman Jasinsky, Marian Ladre, Yura Lazofsky, David Lichine, Serge Lifar Narcisse Matouchak, Vassily Nicolaieff, Nicolas Orloff, Michel Panaieff, Paul Petroff, Dimitri Rostoff, Borislav Runanine, Igor Schwezoff, Georges Skibine, Sviatslov Toumine, Oleg Tupine, Serge Unguer, Kiril Vassilkovsky, Anton Vlasoff
Dance staff
Choreographer David Lichne
Regisseur-General Serge
Grigorieff
Music staff
Conductor Antal Dorati
Assistant conductors Max
Goberman, Gabriel Joffe (for Sydney return season July-August 1940)
Management
O.B.R. Limited Chairman T.H.Bischoff
Director
R.B.Popkiss
Colonel de Basils Ballet Company Founder and
Director General Col. W.de Basil
----------------------------------------------------------
Note on holdings of publications
ALL publications listed below are held and filed in the National Librarys PROMPT collection.
The few cases of publications NOT being held in the PROMPT collection have been indicated. In these cases the details of the program performed have been taken from Potter see Sources section at the end of this Finding Aid.
For details on the file arrangement and access to the PROMPT collection refer to the Access section of this Finding Aid
Back to the top----------------------------------------------------------
Tour
Sydney
Theatre Royal
December 30, 1939
March 13, 1940
Publications
Souvenir book
Souvenir completed by Claude Kingston.
Cover title -
"Souvenir Col.W.de Basils Ballet. Australia-New Zealand 1939-40".
Cover illustration in light brown of corps de ballet by Norman Lindsay.
Printed by Peerless Press, Sydney? 38 pages.
Inserted as the first page is
a one page colour advertisement for the exhibition "Art for theatre and ballet"
at David Jones. Design for advertisement by Loudon Sainthill.
Page three has
an etching by Harold Byrne of crowds arriving at a theatre the name
Theatre Royal has been over-printed at the top of the page.
Contains one page "Introduction" by Arnold Haskell on de Basil. No other
text.
Portrait photographs (63) of dancers and management.
Photos of
ballets in performance Les sylphides, Paganini, Good humoured ladies,
Protee, Symphonie fantastique, Auroras wedding, Swan lake, Francesca da
Rimini, Les presages, Choreartium.
A centre spread contains a large
montage of photos of the company on tour. A map of the Americas titled "The
tour of 1932-1936 " shows tours to locations in Canada and USA. A map of the
rest of the world titled "The tour of 1936-1940" shows the companies
tours in Europe and to Australia and New Zealand, although the tour route and
locations shown are not complete accounts of the antipodean tours.
One other
copy includes the words "Theatre Royal " on the back cover.
NLA
Three copies held including one signed by several members of the
company
Covent Garden book
A copy of the Russian ballet program for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, June-September, 1938 was signed in Sydney in 1939 by members of the company who toured to Australia. Forty- six signatures are included. The program includes colour reproductions of designs for the following ballets which were all subsequently performed in Australia - Coq dor, Francesca da Rimini, Symphonie fantastique, Choreartium, Cimarosiana, Jeux denfants, Les cent baisers.
Art for Theatre & Ballet
A souvenir season program for the Theatre Royal, Sydney. This program features “Many designs, Marquettes, and Costumes lent by Colonel W. de Basil” to the Exhibition “Art for Theatre and Ballet”. The program includes a repertoire listing, portraits of all the principles and scenes from several performances. 38 pages, [1940].
Magazine programme
Two covers were issued in Sydney. One featuring a brown photo of the corps de ballet in a scene (from Les sylphides?) credited to photographer Lionel Lunn. This cover bears the name "Colonel W. De Basils Covent Garden Ballet". A copy of this Magazine programme has a cast list for the opening program stapled in, and pages numbered in sequence. This was presumably issued for opening night, December 30.
A second cover, and more commonly used, is a reproduction of a red painting of the interior of a theatre seen from the stage with tiers of boxes framed by draped curtains. This cover bears the name "Colonel W. de Basils Ballet Company from Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Australia-New Zealand 1939-40". Both Magazine programmes are 32 pages. Photographs include :
- portraits of Colonel de Basil, Antal Dorati, Serge Lifar, David Lichine, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Tamara Toumanova, Tatiana Stepanova, Tamara Grigorieva, Anna Volkova, Alexandra Denisova, Roman Jasinsky, Paul Petroff, Yura Lazovsky, Michel Panaieff, Dimitri Rostoff, H.Algernoff.
- scene from ballet Paganini.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances over various periods, from one to six nights. Some cast lists have individual dates printed at the top of the first page these dates have been noted.
NLA The most complete set of Cast lists are held in the bound volumes at JCW/BS as indicated below.
Advertising material
One small sheet announcing the ballet Francesca da Rimini "For the first time in Sydney". Photo of Lubov Tchernicheva in costume, "Guest artist performing the role she created in this ballet". Loose insert in Magazine programme for January 3.
Small brochure headed "The greatest ballet tour in history". Includes
list of leading dancers, ticket prices, etc. Three copies with slightly variant
texts and repertoires for different periods in the Sydney season are held.
NB. These advertised repertoires do not necessarily tally with the
repertoire in the final cast lists.
Single sheet headed "Colonel W. De Basils Ballet Company", comprising black and white portrait photos of Nina Verchinina, Olga Morosova, and Sono Osato. Loose insert into Magazine programme for January 5.
One sheet advertisement/invitation for an Exhibition of art for
theatre and ballet at David Jones, George Street, February 5th "for one month".
It consisted of "500 original décor, costume, setting and backcloth designs" from productions of de Basil, Vic Wells Ballet, C.B.Cochran etc Artists represented include Benois, Beaton, Messel, Fedorovitch, Goncharova and the Australian Loudon Sainthill.
Single sheet headed "Memories of the ballet by Lionel Lunn", advertising the pictures of the ballet company by Lionel Lunn for sale in the foyer of the theatre. Inserted in JCW/BS Vol.28 as March 7.
Season
December 30, 1939, January 2,4,5 (E), 3 (M&E),1940
Les
sylphides, Paganini, Le mariage d'Aurore
Piano solo in Paganini - Eric
Landerer
NLA - Cast list covering all dates listed above included in
Magazine programme, pages 15-18
January 5,8,9,11 (E), 6,10 (M&E)
Carnaval or Les
sylphides, Paganini, Le spectre de la rose, Les femmes de bonne humeur
Piano solo in Paganini - Eric Landerer
NLA - Cast lists held as
follows -
- Cast lists dated January 5, 6 (E), 8, 9,10 (M&E) held in
JCW/BS Vol.28
- NB. Cast list dated January 6 (M) has Les sylphides as
first ballet
January 12,15,16,18 (E), 13,17 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes,
Cimarosiana, Protee, Cendrillon
Harp solo in Protee - Joyce Lang
NLA
- Cast lists held dated for all performances as listed above held in JCW/BS
Vol. 28
January 19,22,23,25 (E), 20,24 (M&E)
Les sylphides,
L'oiseau de feu, L'apres-midi d'un faune, Prince Igor
Flute solo for
L'apres-midi d'un faune - Americo Gagliardi
NLA - Cast lists held dated
for all performances as listed above held in JCW/BS Vol. 28
January 26,29,30, February 1 (E), 27,31 (M&E)
Les dieux
mendiants, Francesca da Rimini **, Le spectre de la rose, Les femmes de bonne
humeur or Le mariage d'Aurore or Cendrillon
NLA - Cast lists held dated
January 26, 29, 30, 31 (M&E) in JCW/BS Vol. 28 have Les femmes de bonne
humeur as last ballet
- Cast list for January 27 held in JCW/BS Vol.28 has
Cendrillon as last ballet
- Cast lists for January 31, February 1 held in
JCW/BS Vol.28 have Le mariage d'Aurore as last ballet
February 2 (E), 3(M&E)
Jeux d'enfants, Choreartium,
Cimarosiana
NLA - Cast lists held dated Friday February 2 in JCW/BS
Vol.28
- Cast lists for Saturday February 3 (M&E) held as separates
February 5,6,8 (E), 7 (M&E)
Paganini, Jeux d'enfants,
Choreartium
NLA - Cast lists held for dates listed above in JCW/BS
Vol.28
February 9,12,13,15 (E),10,14 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes,
Les presages, Protee, Le Danube bleu
Harp solo in Protee -- Joyce Lang
NLA - Cast lists held for dates listed above in JCW/BS Vol.28
February 16,19-22
Papillons, Le coq d'or, Icare*, Prince Igor
NLA - Cast lists held for dates listed above in JCW/BS Vol.28
February 17 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes, Le coq d'or, Protee,
Le Danube bleu
Special performances in aid of Red Cross
NLA - Cast
lists held in JCW/BS Vol.28
February 23, 26, 27, 29 (E), 24 & 28 (M&E)
Les cent
baisers, Symphonie fantastique, Pavane*, Le Danube bleu
NLA - Cast lists
for dates listed above held in JCW/BS Vol.28
March 1,4,5,7 (E), 2,6 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Graduation
ball *, Petrouchka.
NLA - Cast lists for dates listed above held in
JCW/BS Vol.28
March 8,9
Le lac des cygnes, Scheherazade, Le spectre de la
rose, Le Danube bleu
NLA - Cast lists for dates listed above held in
JCW/BS Vol.28
March 11
Le lac des cygnes, Scheherazade, Le spectre de la
rose, Graduation ball
NLA - Cast list held dated March 11 JCW/BS Vol.28
and as separate
March 12
Le mariage d'Aurore, Les presages, Protee,
Graduation ball
NB. Program decided as a "Result of plebiscite"
NLA
-Cast list held in JCW/BS Vol.28
March 12
"Midnight performance for Polish Relief organised by
Col. W.de Basil and Polish members of the Company"
Seventeen
Divertissements performed including world premiere of Etude choreographique
Choreography by Verchinina to music of Handel.
NLA - Program
held - one folded sheet (4 pages), line drawing on cover by Y.Lazowsky.
Back cover lists members of the Committee for Midnight Concert
March 13
Le lac des cygnes, Le mariage d'Aurore, Protee, Le
Danube bleu
NB. Program decided by "Result of plebiscite"
NLA - Cast
list held in JCW/BS Vol.28
----------------------------------------------------------
Melbourne
His Majesty's Theatre
March
14,1940 June 4, 1940
Publications
Souvenir book
Cover title - "Souvenir Col.W.de Basils Ballet. Australia-New
Zealand 1939-40".
Cover illustration in light brown of corps de ballet by
Norman Lindsay. Printed by Speciality Press, Sydney? 50 pages. Back cover -
Souvenir completed by Claude Kingston.
Eleven pages of Melbourne
based advertising.
Inserted at page 8 is a one page colour advertisement
for the exhibition "Art for theatre and ballet", "
to be held in Melbourne
during the season". Design by Loudon Sainthill.
Page three has one photo of
the audience at the Theatre Royal, Sydney attending a performance of the
company and another of the dancers taking curtain calls with de Basil. Contains
one page "Introduction" by Arnold Haskell on de Basil. Inserted at page 34 is a
half page, blue photograph of corps de ballet from "Les sylphides".
Portrait
photographs (63) of dancers and management.
Photos of ballets in performance
Les sylphides, Paganini, Good humoured ladies, Protee, Symphonie
fantastique, Auroras wedding, Swan lake, Francesca da Rimini, Les
presages, Choreartium.
NB. Same photographs as in Sydney edition but in
different order.
Centre spread contains large montage of photos of the
company on tour. A map of the Americas titled "The tour of 1932-1936" shows
tours to locations in Canada and USA. A map of the rest of the world titled
"The tour of 1936-1940" shows the companies tours in Europe and to
Australia and New Zealand, although the tour route and locations shown are not
complete accounts of the antipodean tours.
Magazine programme
42 pages with cover of blonde woman, orchid and pearls. Contains stories of ballets and portraits of leading dancers and personnel.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances over various periods, from one night to eight nights. Some cast lists have individual dates printed at the top of the first page these dates have been noted.
Advertising material
One sheet advertisement/invitation for an Exhibition of art for
theatre and ballet at the Exhibition Gallery, Mural Hall, The Myer
Emporium, Melbourne, April,18 May 16. It consisted of "500 original
décor, costume, setting and backcloth designs" from productions of de
Basil, Vic Wells Ballet, C.B.Cochran etc
Artists represented include
Benois, Beaton, Messel, Fedorovitch, Goncharova and the Australian Loudon
Sainthill".
NLA Several copies held, loosely inserted into
Magazine programmes, eg. April 29
Exhibition flyer
Ballet photographs / by Hugh P. Hall at the Sedon Galleries, Melbourne, 13-24 May 1940. Photographs of performances in Melbourne by Colonel W. de Basil’s Ballet Company taken during the 1937 and 1939 ballet seasons in Melbourne.
1 folded sheet ([2] p. ; 24 cm.)
Season
March 14,15,18,19,21,22, (E), 16,20,23 (M&E)
Les
sylphides, Paganini, Le mariage dAurore
NLA-Cast list for 20
March
March 25,26,28,29 (E), 27,30 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes,
Francesca da Rimini, Pavane, Le Danube bleu
April 1,2,4,5 (E), 3,6 (M&E)
Cimarosiana, Les presages,
Protee, Prince Igor
Harp solo in Protee - Adrian Bendall
April 8,9,11,12 (E), 10,13 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Le coq
dor, Graduation ball
April 15,16,18,19, (E), 17,20 (M&E)
Les femmes de bonne
humeur, Symphonie fantastique, Le mariage dAurore
NB. Cf.
Potters listing which substitutes Graduation ball for Le mariage
dAurore on April 19 and 20
April 22,23,25,26 (E), 24,27 (M&E)
Les dieux mendiants,
Loiseau de feu, Graduation ball
April 29,30, May 1 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes, Francesca da
Rimini, Lapres-midi dun faune, Le Danube bleu
May 2,3, (E) 4 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes, Paganini,
Lapres-midi dun faune, Le Danube bleu
Flute solo for L
apres-midi dun faune - Americo Gagliardi
May 6,7,9,10 (E), 8,11 (M&E)
Papillons, Petrouchka, Le
spectre de la rose, Graduation ball
May 9
Le lac des cygnes, Divertissements, Graduation
ball
Special charity matinee in aid of Royal Melbourne Hospital and
Childrens Hospital.
NLA Photocopy of program held. Original
in National Gallery of Australia Research Library
May 13,14,16,17 (E), 15,18 (M&E)
Carnaval, Thamar, Icare,
Cendrillon/Le coq dor
NLA Two Cast lists issued for the
period May 13-18
- One Cast list announces season "For six
nights
13-18 May" with Cendrillon as final ballet
- Another Cast list
announces season "For three nights ..16-18 May" has Le coq dor" as final
ballet.
Both Cast lists direct patrons to "See dailies for Matinees"
NB.
Potter also notes that Le coq dor replaced Cendrillon for some
performances
May 20, 21,23,24 (E), 22,25 (M&E)
Le pavillon **,
Scheherazade, Choreartium
May 27,28
Le lac des cygnes, Loiseau de feu, Scuola di
ballo
May 29 (M&E), 30 (E)
Les sylphides, Paganini, Scuola di
ballo
Piano solo in Paganini -- Erich Landerer
May 31 (E), June 1 (M&E)
Les sylphides, Icare, Les
presages, Le Danube bleu
June 3,4 (E)
Graduation ball, Le coq dor, Le mariage
dAurore
NLATwo Cast lists issued for June 3,4
- One
Cast list has order of ballets as Le mariage dAurore, Le coq dor ,
Graduation ball
- Another Cast list headed "Final performance" has order of
ballets as Graduation ball, Le coq dor, Le mariage dAurore
----------------------------------------------------------
Adelaide
Theatre Royal
June 5,1940 June 22,
1940
Publications
Magazine programme
24 pages. Cover red scene of theatre auditorium from a stage as per Sydney and Melbourne Magazine programmes. Includes stories of the ballets and 30 portrait photographs of dancers and members of the music staff.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances over various periods, from three to four nights. Some Cast lists have individual dates printed at the top of the first page these dates have been noted in the list which follows.
Advertising
One sheet advertisement/invitation for an Exhibition of art for theatre and ballet at the Australian Art Gallery, 97 Rundle St, Adelaide, June 18-July 2 inserted into Cast list for June 22. It consisted of "500 original décor, costume, setting and backcloth designs" from productions of de Basil, Vic Wells Ballet, C.B.Cochran etc Artists represented include Benois, Beaton, Messel, Fedorovitch, Goncharova and the Australian Loudon Sainthill".
Season
June 5,6,7,8
Les sylphides, Paganini, Le Danube bleu
June 10,11 (E), 12 (M&E)
Le lac des cygnes, Francesca da
Rimini, Le spectre de la rose, Graduation ball
June 13, 14 (E), 15 (M&E)
Le pavillon, Petrouchka,
Graduation ball
Piano solo for Petrouchka Dorothy Mendoza
June 17, 18
Les femmes de bonne humeur, Les presages, Pavane,
Le mariage dAurore
NLA No holdings of Cast list. Program
taken from Potter
June 20, 21
Le sylphides, Le coq dor, Protee, Le Danube
bleu
NLA No holdings of Cast list. Program taken from Potter
June 22 (M&E)
Le mariage d'Aurore, Le coq dor,
Graduation ball
----------------------------------------------------------
Brisbane
His Majestys Theatre
June 26-
July 11, 1940
Publications
Magazine programme
24 pages. Brown-sepia cover photo of corps de ballet (from Les sylphides?), photo credited to Lionel Lunn. Cover title "Colonel W. de Basils Covent Garden Ballet." Cf. Title page "Colonel W. de Basils Ballet Company from Royal Opera Covent Garden".
Included stories of ballets and 31 photo portraits of dancers and musical staff.
NLA Holds 2 versions of the Magazine programmes. Contents of the stories of the ballets vary and advertisements differ.
Cast lists
Cast lists provide the Programme of ballets and casts covering performances over various periods, from three to four nights. Some Cast lists have individual dates printed at the top of the first page these dates have been noted.
Season
June 26,27,28 (E), 29 M&E)
Les sylphides, Cendrillon,
Graduation ball
July 1,2,3
Paganini, Carnaval, Le Danube bleu, Le spectre de
la rose
NLANo holdings of Cast list. Program from Potter
July 4,5,(E), 6(M&E)
Francesca da Rimini, Le lac des
cygnes, Protee, Le mariage dAurore
July 8,9,10
Les femmes de bonne humeur, Les presages,
Graduation ball
NLA No holdings of Cast list. Program taken
from Potter
July 11
Le mariage dAurore, Les presages, Graduation
ball
NLA No holdings of Cast list. Program taken from Potter
----------------------------------------------------------
Sydney
Theatre Royal
July 13,1940 - August
21, 1940
Return season
NB. Name of company is given as "Original Ballet Russe"
Publications
Magazine programmes
24 pages. Red cover of reproduction of painting of a view of a theatre auditorium from the stage with ballerina peeking around corner of curtain signed Bernie Bragg. NB. Cover and title page has "Original Ballet Russe, Director General Col. W. de Basil".
One edition of the Magazine programme has stories of the ballets and photo portraits of the company. Another edition has stories of the ballets on one and half pages with the remainder taken up with advertising for forthcoming attraction "Ice Follies 1940".
Cast lists
Cast lists provide the Programme of ballets and casts
covering performances over various short periods. Some cast lists have individual dates printed at the top of the first page these dates
have been noted.
NB. Cast lists have "Original Ballet Russe" as company
name.
NLA The most complete set of Cast lists are held in the
bound volumes at JCW/BS as indicated below.
Season
July 13-17
Les sylphides, Icare, Les presages, Graduation
ball
NLA Cast lists held for 13 (E), 15, 17 (M&E) in JCW/BS
Vol.29
July 18-20
Le lac des cygnes, Le fils prodigue, Le spectre de
la rose, Scuola di ballo
NLA Cast lists held for 18, 19, 20 (E)
in JCW/BS Vol.29
July 22-24
Cotillon, Paganini, Le Danube bleu
NLA
Cast lists held for 22, 23, 24, (M&E) in JCW/BS Vol.29
July 25-27
Le pavillon, Paganini, Etude, Jeux denfants
NLA Cast lists held for 25, 26, 27 (M&E) in JCW/BS
Vol.29
July 29- August 3
Le mariage dAurore, Lutte eternelle,
Graduation ball
NLA - Cast lists held for 29, 30, August 1, 2, 3
(M&E) in JCW/BS Vol.29
August 5-7
Les sylphides, Symphonie fantastique,
Lapres-midi dun faune,
Les cent baisers
NLA Cast
lists held for 5, 6, 7 (M&E) in JCW/BS Vol.29
August 8-10
Le lac des cygnes, Thamar, Protee, Les dieux
mendiants
NLA - Cast lists for 8, 9, 10 (M&E) in JCW/BS
Vol.29
August 12-14
Francesca da Rimini, Pavane, Coppelia
NLA
- Cast lists held for 12, 13, 14 (M&E) in JCW/BS Vol.29
August 15-17
Carnaval, Les presages, Coppelia
NLA
Cast list held for15, 16, 17 (M&E) in JCW/BS Vol.29
August 19
Paganini, Coppelia, Le Danube bleu
NLA
No holdings of Cast list. Program taken from Potter and advertisement in
previous cast lists
August 20
Paganini, Coppelia, Etude, Graduation ball
NLA Cast list held in JCW/BS Vol.29
August 21
Paganini, Coppelia, Le mariage dAurore
NLA Cast lists dated Wednesday matinee August 21 held as separate
and in JCW/BS Vol.29
September 19
Theatre Royal
"Farewell Original Ballet
Russe. Midnight performance"
Carnaval, Divertissements (10), Le mariage
d Aurore
NLA Program held in JCW/BS Vol.29. 4 sheets folded,
cream parchment with blue printed text
Access :
The PROMPT Collection
The PROMPT collection is the name given to the National Librarys collection of programs and ephemera relating to the history of Australias performing arts and culture.
Files in the PROMPT collection are arranged in one sequence alphabetically by name. This sequence incorporates a mixture of names of companies, individuals, shows, and some venues. An on-line listing of PROMPT files is in preparation.
Short, descriptive minimal level entries for a selection of individual PROMPT files are progressively being entered on to the National Librarys OPAC.
Detailed Finding Aids for significant PROMPT files are being compiled and added to the National Librarys Web Page. This Ballets Russes Finding Aid is one such example.
Material from the PROMPT collection is available for use through the Petherick Reading Room, Ground Floor. Readers should complete a Petherick Reading Room call slip indicating the individual PROMPT file required and use the material in the Petherick Reading Room. It is important to note that individual theatre programs and ephemeral items are not listed or available separately. Using the PROMPT collection files is a browsing exercise in which the user may be confronted with a single item in a manila folder or a large number of folders in many boxes.
The Ballets Russes files in the PROMPT collection are arranged as follows : -
Ballets Russes
Tour No. 1
1936-37
(comprises 3
boxes)
Ballets Russes
Tour No. 2
1938-39
(comprises 3
boxes)
Ballets Russes
Tour No. 3
1939-40
(comprises 3
boxes)
Researchers should request files using these above headings, example:
PROMPT
Ballets Russes
Tour no
The most complete holdings of Cast lists for certain portions of the three tours are held in the bound volumes of the JCW segment of the PROMPT Collection. These are referred to in the Finding Aid as "JCW/BS Vol ".
Copies should be requested in the following manner, example:
PROMPT
JCW/BS Volume
.
Sources:
Published Other related materials
Published
Prime sources used in compiling the Ballets Russes Finding Aid
Pask, Edward H. Enter the
colonies, dancing : a history of dance in Australia, 1835-1940 (Melbourne :
Oxford University Press, 1979), p. 135-169.
N+ 793.30994 P282
Potter, Michelle. The
Russian Ballet in Australia 1936-1940 : sources for modernism in Australian
art [manuscript]. 1987. ( Thesis (B.A.)Australian National
University, 1987). Contains an important appendix entitled: Appendix II. The
Australian repertoire, 1936-1940 : chronology, leaves 113-143.
MS 8867
Walker, Kathrine Sorley. De
Basils Ballets Russes (London : Hutchinson, 1982)
N 792.80947
W232
Other published sources
Cargher, John. Opera and
ballet in Australia (Stanmore, NSW : Cassell Australia, 1977) p.
217-222.
Nq+ 782.10994 C276
Companion to theatre in
Australia (Stanmore, NSW : Currency Press, 1995) - "J.C.
Williamsons": p. 299-303.
NL 792.0994 C73
From Russia with love :
costumes for the Ballets russes 1909-1933 / [edited by] Susan Hall
)Canberra : National Gallery of Australia, 1999)
NLq 792.80940749471
F931
Garcia-Marquez, Vicente. The Ballets Russes : Colonel de
Basil's Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, 1932-1952 (New York : A. Knopf,
1990)
YY 792.80944949 G216
Haskell, Arnold L. Dancing
round the world : memoirs of an attempted escape from ballet / Arnold L.
Haskell ; [drawings by Daryl Lindsay] (London : V. Gollancz, 1937)
N
792.80924 H349d
Healy, Robyn. From studio
to stage : costumes and designs from the Russian Ballet in the Australian
National Gallery / Robyn Healy and Michael Lloyd (Canberra : Australian
National Gallery, 1990)
Nq 792.84 H434
Potter, Michelle. A Full
house : the ESSO guide to the Performing Arts Collections of the National
Library of Australia (Canberra : The Library, 1991)
NLq 792.80280994
P868
Potter, Michelle. A
Passion for dance (Canberra : National Library of Australia, 1997)
NLq
792.80280994 P868
Tait, Viola. A Family of
brothers : the Taits and J.C. Williamson : a theatre history (Melbourne :
Heinemann, 1971)
N+ 792.0994 T13
West, John. Theatre in
Australia (Stanmore, NSW : Cassell Australia, 1978)
Nq+ 792.0994
W518
Other Related Materials
Biographical files
Biographical material on some of the
personnel associated with the Ballets Russes tours are available in the
Librarys biographical cuttings file. They are accessed through the
National Librarys OPAC and retrieved through the Petherick Reading Room.
Film and Video
Another beginning [motion picture] (Sydney :
Australian Broadcasting Commission) [n.d.] 54 min.
FLM <A10114785>
D542 at Cinemedia, Melbourne
The Ballets Russes in Australia [video recording] : an avalanche of
dancing (Canberra : National Film and Sound Archive ; National Library of
Australia, 1999 ) 1 videocassette (VHS) (ca. 50 min.)
Nmt 3010
Internet links
Australia Dancing http://www.australiadancing.org/
Manuscript collections
Manuscript collections of personnel
associated with the Ballets Russes tours include Harcourt Algeranoff, Edouard
Borovansky, Margaret Walker, J.C. Williamson (Firm). The Geoffrey Ingram Ballet
Archive contains additional material on the Ballets Russes tours. All are
accessed through the Librarys OPAC with retrieval
through the Manuscript Reading Room, Second
Floor. Finding Aids for these collections are accessed through the
Librarys Web Site.
Newspapers
Newspapers contain articles, reviews of
performances and social notes on the Ballets Russes tours. They are accessed
through the Librarys OPAC with retrieval through the Newspaper and Microcopy Reading Room.
Oral History
Oral history interviews of some of the personnel
associated with the Ballets Russes tours include Paul Hammond, Geoffrey Ingram,
Valrene Tweedie, Max Dupain, Kira Bousloff, Tamara Tchinarova, Irina Baronova
and Edward Pask. They are accessed through the Librarys OPAC with retrieval through the Oral History Reading Room.
Pictorial
Pictorial images of some of the personnel
associated with the Ballets Russes tours include Edouard Borovansky, Irina
Baronova, David Lichine, Max
Dupain, Anton Dolin, Helene Kirsova, Valentina Blinova, Kira Bousloff,
Valrene Tweedie. They are accessed through the Librarys OPAC with retrieval through the Pictorial Reading Room and/or as digital copies
online.
Use Of The Librarys OPAC
For external users the National Librarys OPAC is available through the Librarys website http://ilms.nla.gov.au/webpac/ . This will guide users to the non-print and print sources.
The following search strategies are suggested to maximise efficient retrieval of Ballets Russes material on the OPAC.
Personal name searches of key personnel involved |
|
Title keyword searches |
Ballet(s) Russe(s) |
Monte Carlo Russian Ballet |
|
Covent Garden Russian Ballet |
|
Original Ballet Russe |
|
de Basil, de Basils |
|
JC Williamson Firm |
|
Educational Ballets |
|
Subject keyword searches |
Same as for title keyword searches, including |
Ballet Australia History |
|
Ballet companies Australia |
|
