RUSSIAN BALLET

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20733, 17 February 1939, Page 9

RUSSIAN BALLET

NIGHT OF RARE DELIGHT PERFORMANCE IN HAMILTON DANCING AT ITS BEST New Zealand has had little experience of the Russian Ballet, its enjoyment of which had, until this season, been limited to visits by Genee and Pavlova years ago and Ihe Monte Carlo company in 1937. Last night, when the company imported by J. C. Williamson Theatres. Limited, appeared at the Theatre Royal, Hamilton was privileged to see ballet as it is produced at Covent Carden, London, and other world centres. Little wonder that the theatre was crowded with one of the largest audiences ever packed within its walls, and that as the programme proceeded those present gave themselves up to the magic of an art that has captured the world and within recent years has become increasingly popular in Eng-lish-speaking countries. It was ballet at its best, and the evening was one of rare delight. The first ballet presented was “Carnaval,” and was particularly interesting because it is by Michel Fokine and Fokine himself was in the theatre directing the performance. To music by Schumann it told the old story of Columbine (danced with delightful grace and abandon by Tatiana Riabouchinska), Harlequin (a particularly fine performance by Yura Lazovsky), and the tragic Pierrot (Edward Borovansky), supported by other fine dancers and the gifted corps de ballet. “Carnaval,” with its gaiety and exhilarating movement, was a good introduction to the company. The Lovely “Swan Lake” "Le Lac des Cygnes,” the second ballet, with music by Tchaikovsky, was perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful tiling seen in Hamilton. It is in the typical classic ballet style, and is set in a moonlight-flooded wood, where a Prince falls in love with a Princess who, having been turned into a swan by a sorcerer, is permitted to resume human shape from midnight to dawn. Irina Baronova, as the Queen of the Swans, danced as lightly as thistledown, and proved herself, despite the fact that she is only nineteen years of age, to be among the truly great. Hamilton is fortunate to have seen her. Anton Dolin partnered her perfectly, dancing with great artistry and effacing himself unselfishly at times to allow her greatness to be fully realised. The Dance of tho Little Swans by Miles. Nelidova, Razoumova, Tresaliar and Wassilieva, was particularly delightful, and was loudly applauded. “Les Presages,” to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, was a thrilling production. Danced against an impressionistic backcloth, it told in striking fashion of man's struggle with Destiny—bis defeats, his victories. Though there may have been some disappointment that David Lichine did not appear as the Hero, this was soon dissipated by the fine performance of Paul Petroff in the role. Irina Baronova was Passion, Tatiana Riabouchinska Frivolity, and Tamara Tchinarova Action, in weird makeup H. Algeranoff gave a very impressive performance as Fate. The work of the ballet was outstanding in this modernistic production. A Perfect Whole An orchestra of twenty players, with the New Zealander Haydn Beck as leader, was under the perfect control of Antal Dorati. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to its work was that the audience, except before the curtain rose, was never obviously conscious of the music; it was welded with flic ballet, part, of a perfect whole. Hamilton playgoers will remember the visit of the Covenf Garden Russian Ballet for a long time.