RUSSIAN BALLET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1939, Page 2

RUSSIAN BALLET

COMING ATTRACTION. An interesting announcement « made by Maurice Ralph, well-known entrepreneur, of an artistic treat foi lovers of the ballet in Masterton. Some of the principals of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet Company, who recently toured the Dominion under J. C. Williamson Theatre, Ltd, are returning and forming the nucleus,of a company to play the provincial centres. The company opens in the Opera House foi a season of two nights on June 23 and 24. Among the principals with the company are Raissa Kousnetzova, whostudied and graduated from the Ballet School at Moscow. She had a distinguished career at the Bolshoi Theatre at Moscow as soloist, and on the last tour of the Dominion appeared in the roles of Blue and “Cat” in “Cendnllon and many others. Eduard Eobishevski is a graduate from Warsaw Opera House School. His first contract was with the well-known Ida Rubinstein, in Paris, at the Opera Comique. Recently he distinguished himself with the Covent Garden Russian Ballet, in such traditional roles in “Petroushka,” “The Three Ivans” and in “Aurora’s Wedding.” Valeri Shaievsky appeared for six years in the Warsaw Opera House and then visited New Zealand with both the Monte-Carlo and Covent Garden companies. Mlle-Orlova, celebrated premier ballerina, is unique among young dancers. Feodor Pellach, from the Opera House, Odessa, has toured extensively with the Ballet Russe. The most popular ballets of the repertoire include “Spectre de la Rose, Sulphides,” “Carnaval,” and excerpts from “Aurora’s Wedding.” Never before in the history of the theatre in New Zealand have such world-famous artists of the ballet undertaken such a comprehensive tour of the provincial centres. The box plans will open at Perry's on Tuesday.