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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 1 March 8, 1939

Ballet

page 3

Ballet

The Covent Garden Russian Ballet has come and gone; perhaps now the excitement has died down we can view the performances objectively and without the stage lights blinding our eyes. We have viewed the ballet from the gods and from the stalls; we have interviewed the principal dancers; we have obtained outside opinions on the ballet as a form of art; and we present our readers with our impressions and views.

Impressions.

The whole audience gazed at the left-hand box nearest the dress circle; women gasped and strong men blanched; Dorati, about to lead the [unclear: orchestra] stopped with his baton up-lifted; the atmosphere was electric.

For the Opera House cat, doubtless desiring to emulate Josinsky's performance In "Carnaval" which had just finished, was standing on the edge of the box straining over the edge, obviously about to attempt the leap into the Dress Circle. Its whole body tense, the cat suddenly leapt through the air; a woman screamed, and it landed safely on the edge of the circle. There was a terrific burst of applause—much greater than any which [unclear: Riabouchinska] received during "Carnaval."

We were rather disappointed with "Carnaval."The decor, although designed by Bakst, seemed shabby and inadequate, and the stage was horribly dirty. "Swan Lake" was infinitely better—mainly owing to the superb technique of Baronova and Dolin. "Swan Lake" Improves vastly on a second view; but the awful model swan which Jerks across the stage at the conclusion of the ballet is an anti-climax.

The best ballet was, of course, "Les Presages." In no other ballet was the synchronisation of music and movement so perfect; the groups were wonderfully striking, and the solo dancers—Baronova, Petroff, [unclear: Riabouchinska] and Jasinisky, gave their best performances (although the pas de deux in "Aurora's Wedding" was the best individual item). The Masson decor and costumes were brilliant, although only from the gods could the dazzling formations be properly viewed. The Passion scene went across best, perhaps because it was the story of a pair of lovers with a most effective stage villain.

"Les Sylphides" and "Papillons" were, like the music of Chopin, merely a sensuous moment; "Aurora's Wedding" was a disunited collection of brilliant dances, and, we understand, did not compare favourably with the Diaghileff production of "The Sleeping Princess"; "Schenerezade and "Cendrillon" were spectacular pantomines; and "Union Pacific," though described in the daily papers review as "surrealistic." was in truth merely realistic, and perhaps could be placed next to "Presages" in order of merit, mainly because of the lovely discordant Nabokoff music and the scene where the railway line was built up from corpses.

We saw "Spectre de la Rose" four times, and could have seen it forty, though we should have liked to see Dolin in the main part. The leap through the window was disappointing (as was the Slave's death in "Scheherezade"), but it was Riabouchinska's best role. Baronova could not have taken the part: her technique was so brilliant as to be breathtaking, and her grace of movement and line superb, but her constant agonised expression and almost complete lack of personality detracted somewhat from her performances. Riabouchinska made up for a slightly faulty technique with a most pleasing personality and delightful stage presence.

Off Stage.

And what are these glamourous creatures who flit like thistledown across the stage like in real life? "Salient" determined to find out, and penetrated into their labyrinthian dressing rooms just before a performance.

Anton Dolin, making-up furiously, a man of unbounded energy and the mainspring of the company, commented on "Salient's" suggestions that a National School of Ballet be formed In New Zealand. "You won't be successful," he said, "All the ballerinas in our company have devoted years of study to their art; a dancer must be prepared to give up everything for his or her career. Moreover it is essential that only the great dancers be employed to coach all aspiring ballerinas. I have discovered several excellent dancers while conducting classes here—one girl in Auckland is particularly outstanding. I am myself going to see to it that she receives the best training possible without charge."

Husband of Pavlova.

A distinguished looking gentleman entered the room and spoke to Dolin—none other than Mr. Victor Dandre, Managing Director of the company, but better known as the husband of "the incomparable" Pavlova. Mr. Dandre readily recounted many Incidents in his life-long association with the Ballet. He stated that in New Zealand few people realised what an integral part the Ballet took in Grand Opera, particularly in London, Paris and Warsaw. The leading members of this company, including Roman Jasinsky. Irina Baronova and Tamara Grigorieva, have appeared at Covent Garden Opera House in such well-known operas as "Carmen," "Faust," and "Manon Lescaut".

The first three scenes of Act V in "Faust" are devoted entirely to Ballet and provide a brilliant setting for a grand climax. With regard to forming a School of Ballet, M. Dandre did not believe New Zealand to be ready.

Ballerina.

Irina Baronova, looking ravishing in her heavy make-up, was next interviewed by our commentator. She is the wife of the Director of the company—or so we are told. She expressed a keen desire to encourage the formation of a School of Ballet. In Paris and Warsaw the leading schools are sponsored by the Government. Receiving financial support they are able to acquire the services of the great masters to coach pupils. Another aspect which plays such an important part in the development of the pupil is the fact that in Europe there is a wonderful tradition, enriched through the ages.

A few words with Tatiana Riabouchinska, whose huge dog goes with her everywhere—(we understand that a certain Wellington Hotel refused to let her stay there because she wanted her dog with her in her bedroom when she was alone)—a glimpse of feathery ballerinas in the yellow "Papillon" costumes—and our visit behind scenes was over. Riabouchinska's dog is a magnificent creature—we are told that white in Wellington she and David [unclear: Lichine] used to exercise it round the Railway Station each night after the show.

Artwork of a ballarina shoes hanging on a rail

More gossip—Sono Osato, the Japanese-American ballerina, is married to Jasinsky.

Gods and Goddesses.

It was very cheerful in the gallery, which was packed [unclear: every] night we were there. The atmosphere was entirely different in the [unclear: circle and] front stalls; the Inhabitants of these select localities clapped very little, and looked terribly bored, and it was obvious that the majority had dressed in their strapless frocks and put on their pearls and earrings, and come to the Bullet because it was "the thing" to do. The people in the gallery had waited, most of them, for two or three hours, and were eager as could be to see the show.

The occupants of the boxes were dull, except when the great Folkine and his striking wife watched the show.

A New Art?

And what is the significance of Ballot as a form of art? Will the artists of the future express their ideals and emotions in the "plastic art of choerography"? It is easy to argue that Ballet makes movement mechanical when it ought to be spontaneous: that the repetition of the routine steps is in direct conflict with the Ideals of artistic expression; that the art is not "plastic" at all. The difficulty of recording the stops and dances in Ballet is at present Insuperable—Nijinsky went mod trying to find a method—and is likely to repel artists who might otherwise turn to choreography.

We interviewed Professor James Shelley. Director of Broadcasting, on the subject:—

"The ballet," said Professor Shelley, "like all the arts, is an attempt to escape from the material into the realms of pure expressive rhythm. It is as exquisite as the "Primaverar" of [unclear: Botticelli], as lovely as the flying buttresses of Beauvais, as . . . but what's the use of talking? If architecture is frozen music, the ballet is liquid music, and it escapes the fixed values of words just as its own quintessence of movement escapes the many hundredweights of human flesh and blood which produce it."

The Covent Garden Russian Ballet has come and gone: next year we are told they are returning with—inter alia—"Petrouchka" and "The Fire Bird."

We sincerely hope so.

—R.P. and R.L.M.