Australia Dancing - Sleeping Beauty, The

Sleeping Beauty, The

McMurdo, Don: Ulrike Lytton as Carabosse in Maina Gielgud's production of 'The Sleeping Beauty', the Australian Ballet, 1984

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Set to a score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Marius Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty, which premiered in St Petersburg in 1890, was not performed in Australia until 1951. By then, however, Australian audiences were familiar with excerpts from the work. The 'Bluebird pas de deux' from the third act was performed during the 1929 Pavlova tour by Ruth French and Aubrey Hitchins. Aurora's Wedding, an independent work based on the third act, was then staged by all three of the Ballets Russes companies that toured Australia during the 1930s.

Early in 1951, Edouard Borovansky commissioned Miro Zloch to stage Aurora's Wedding for his company, a foretaste of the Australian premiere of the full-length work later that year. Entitled The Sleeping Princess, following the example set by Serge Diaghilev for his 1921 London production, and directed by Edouard Borovansky with decor and costumes by William Constable, this production opened to great critical acclaim in Melbourne on 22 December 1951. Zloch was responsible for reproducing Petipa's choreography, and on opening night danced the role of the Prince to Peggy Sager's Princess Aurora. Dorothy Stevenson appeared as the Lilac Fairy, Phyllis Kennedy and Charles Boyd as the Bluebirds, and Paul Hammond as Carabosse. The production was billed as 'an important milestone in the history of ballet in Australia'.

Borovansky Ballet continued to stage this work through the 1950s. It was revised, with choreography by Algeranoff after Petipa, for the 1959 Sydney season which saw the partnership debut of Marilyn Jones, then nineteen, and Garth Welch. On the 18th of December, the day of Borovansky's death, the scheduled performance of The Sleeping Princess, with Iovanka Biegovic dancing the title role, went ahead. At the conclusion, the audience rose in a two minute silent tribute. Roland Robinson, in his review, hailed the work as 'an example of traditional ballet which was dear to the heart of M. Edouard Borovansky', 'the general high level of this ballet's presentation' making it 'a fitting and sincere valediction'.

Peggy van Praagh staged Aurora's Wedding for the Australian Ballet in 1964, but the full length work did not enter the repertoire of the flagship company until 1973, when The Sleeping Beauty was selected for the Australian Ballet debut season at the Sydney Opera House. This production was directed by Sir Robert Helpmann and designed by Kenneth Rowell with a set described by Clement Crisp in the program notes as 'simple in design though eloquent in materials'. Van Praagh's reproduction, after Petipa, included her original choreography in the Act One 'Garland Dance', and the Prince's Variation in Act II was by Frederick Ashton. In the premiere performance Lucette Aldous danced as Princess Aurora with Garth Welch, in his final season with the Australian Ballet, as her Prince. Ai-Gul Gaisina and David Burch appeared as the Bluebirds, and Ray Powell as Carabosse. The illness of both Lucette Aldous and Marilyn Rowe during the 1974 Melbourne season prompted Maina Gielgud?s first performances with the company, dancing the lead. The Brisbane season marked the return of Marilyn Jones as guest artist, dancing as Princess Aurora fifteen years after her first performance in this role with the Borovansky Company.

A new production for the Australian Ballet was staged in 1984 by the artistic director Maina Gielgud. The choreography was credited to 'Marius Petipa, reproduced by Monica Parker from the Nicholas Sergeyev notation, with additional choreography by Maina Gielgud', and described by Gielgud in the program notes as 'as close to the Petipa original as it is possible for it to be, nearly a century after its St. Petersburg premiere'. Christine Walsh and David Ashmole danced the first night leads, with Lisa Pavane as the Lilac Fairy, and Greg Horsman and Fiona Tonkin as the Bluebird and Princess Florine. Carabosse was danced by Ulrike Lytton, Gielgud's production being notable for this casting of a female in the role. Hugh Colman's lavish design and costumes drew on French Rococo style, and were of such grand proportions that the Opera House stage was unable to accommodate the set ? Sydney performances took place at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Gielgud's production remained in the repertoire, marking the opening of the new Australian Ballet Centre in 1988. It was also presented during the Bicentennial tour, notably at the Royal Gala Performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on 26 July 1988. The Sydney Opera House Trust, in celebration of both the 20th birthday of the Opera House and Maina Gielgud's first decade as artistic director of the Australian Ballet, funded the 'shrinking' of the set to enable the work to be staged at the Opera House in 1993. Lisa Pavane and Greg Horsman took the lead roles on opening night, as they had in a 1991 Melbourne season. David McAllister as the Bluebird was accompanied by Lucinda Dunn as Princess Florine, Sian Stokes danced the role of Carabosse, and Lisa Bolte the Lilac Fairy.

A new version of The Sleeping Beauty, with choreography by Stanton Welch and designs by Kristian Fredrikson, opened in Melbourne on 14 September 2005. Lucinda Dunn danced the role of Aurora. She was partnered by Damien Welch as Prince Florimund.

Bibliography:

Edward H. Pask, Enter the Colonies Dancing. A History of Dance in Australia 1835-1940 (Melbourne: OUP, 1979); Edward H. Pask, Ballet in Australia. The Second Act 1940-1980 (Melbourne: OUP, 1982).

Research Materials

Australia Dances, 1990 (Moving picture): Narrator: Lowe-Henricks, Kathryn; Director: Heimans, Frank; VHS videotape; colour, sound, PAL, 84 mins; This documentary, narrated by Kathryn Lowe-Henricks, examines the role of dance in Australian society. Areas covered include traditional Aboriginal dance, colonial and Australian bush dance, social and folk dance, ballroom dancing, tap dancing, ballet, contemporary dance and the teaching of dance. Interviewees include Keith Bain, Clive Barnes, Nell Challingsworth, Kai Tai Chan, Hanny Exiner, Mark Gordon, Dorinda Hatner, Geoffrey Ingram, Janet Karin, Graeme Murphy, Edward Pask, Robyn Rawson, Paul Saliba, Dame Margaret Scott, Cheryl Stock, Emmy Taussig, Jonathan Taylor, Leigh Warren, and Drid Williams. The documentary includes excerpts from a number of theatrical productions including The Display, Elektra and The Sleeping Beauty by the Australian Ballet, Jari Jari by the One Extra Company, Birds and Women by Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, Daphnis and Chloe, Rumours and Shining by Sydney Dance Company, Demon Machine by the Bodenwieser Ballet, Desert Magic by Dance North, Never Mind the Bindies by Australian Dance Theatre, The Host with choreography by Natalie Weir for National Capital Dancers, and footage shot by Joseph Ringland Anderson of the Ballets Russes companies performing in Australia.; Dance North ; Shining ; Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre ; Lowe-Henricks, Kathryn ; Karin, Janet ; Murphy, Graeme ; Saliba, Paul ; Stock, Cheryl ; Ingram, Geoffrey ; Pask, Edward ; Bain, Keith ; Scott, Margaret ; Gordon, Mark ; Warren, Leigh ; Chan, Kai Tai ; One Extra Dance ; Weir, Natalie ; Australian Dance Theatre ; Sydney Dance Company ; Display, The ; Australian Ballet, The ; Daphnis and Chloe ; Ballets Russes Australian tours ; Exiner, Johanna (Hanny); Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 52211

The Australian Ballet Favourites, 1994 (Moving picture): Cast: Artists of the Australian Ballet; VHS videocassette, produced in conjunction with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; colour, sound, PAL, 80 mins; Selections from the Australian Ballet repertoire, introduced by Maina Gielgud. Includes excerpts from Giselle, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Spartacus and Songs of a Wayfarer.; Australian Ballet, The ; Giselle ; Gielgud, Maina ; Spartacus ; Coppelia; Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 331320

[The Australian Ballet in Sleeping Beauty], 1974 (Moving picture): Cast: Maina Gielgud, Gary Norman, Ai-Gul Gaisina, John Meehan and artists of the Australian Ballet; 8 mm film, shot by Bruce Morrow; colour, no sound, 4 mins; Excerpts from the van Praagh production of The Sleeping Beauty including sections of the Rose Adagio, the grand pas de deux, Aurora's variation and the Bluebird pas de deux.; Australian Ballet, The ; Gielgud, Maina ; Meehan, John ; van Praagh, Peggy ; Norman, Gary ; Gaisina, Ai-Gul; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 444107

[Borovansky Ballet: Laurie Bishop Home Movie], 1952-1957 (Moving picture): Cast: Kathleen Gorham, Peggy Sager, Jocelyn Vollmar, Royes Fernadez, Paul Grinwis, Vassilie Trunoff and artists of the Borovansky Ballet; 8 mm home movie recording, filmed by Laurie Bishop; colour and black and white, no sound, 30 mins; Members of the Borovansky Ballet perform excerpts from various ballets including Giselle, Sleeping Princess (Beauty ), Swan Lake, Francesca da Rimini, Les Presages, Nutcracker, Symphonie fantastique, and The Three Devils. Artists appearing include Peggy Sager, Vassilie Trunoff, Kathleen Gorham, Paul Grinwis, Royes Fernandez and Jocelyn Vollmar.; Borovansky Ballet ; Gorham, Kathleen ; Sager, Peggy ; Trunoff, Vassilie ; Grinwis, Paul ; Swan Lake ; Nutcracker ; Fernandez, Royes ; Presages, Les ; Francesca da Rimini ; Vollmar, Jocelyn ; Symphonie fantastique; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 426943

Stringer, Walter: Paul Grinwis and Kathleen Gorham in 'Corrida', Borovansky Ballet, 1956

[Borovansky Ballet: Xenia Borovansky Collection], 1950s (Moving picture): Cast: Edouard Borovansky, Royes Fernandez, Kathleen Gorham, Peggy Sager, David Lichine, Paul Grinwis and artists of the Borovansky Ballet; 16 mm film; black and white and colour, no sound, 125 mins; This footage, thought to have been at least in part shot by Edouard Borovansky, includes excerpts from a variety of ballets from the Borovansky repertoire. Ballets represented include The Black Swan, La Boutique fantasque (which includes sequences showing Borovansky dancing the role of the Shopkeeper), Le Carnaval, Giselle, Graduation Ball, Nutcracker, Petrouchka, Pineapple Poll, The Sleeping Beauty, Los Tres Diablos, Aurora's Wedding and Swan Lake. In addition David Lichine is seen conducting a rehearsal onstage for his ballet Corrida and there is brief footage of Margot Fonteyn, who guested with the Borovansky Ballet in 1957, in excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty. The recording also contains some non-dance footage including scenes of Borovansky on fishing expeditions with his friends, travel footage from Czechoslovakia, New York and other destinations, and some footage of the Melbourne Olympic Games.; Borovansky Ballet ; Borovansky, Edouard ; Fonteyn, Margot ; Petrouchka ; Gorham, Kathleen ; Sager, Peggy ; Grinwis, Paul ; Swan Lake ; Ingram, Geoffrey ; Fernandez, Royes ; Lichine, David ; Black Swan, The ; Nutcracker ; Carnaval, Le ; Borovansky, Xenia ; Graduation Ball ; Boutique fantasque, La ; Aurora's Wedding ; Pineapple Poll; Location:; The Xenia Borovansky Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 1465

Stringer, Walter: Paul Grinwis and Kathleen Gorham in 'Corrida', Borovansky Ballet, 1956

[Borovansky Ballet: Xenia Borovansky Collection], 1950s (Moving picture): Cast: Edouard Borovansky, Royes Fernandez, Kathleen Gorham, Peggy Sager, David Lichine, Paul Grinwis and artists of the Borovansky Ballet; 16 mm film; black and white and colour, no sound, 125 mins; This footage, thought to have been at least in part shot by Edouard Borovansky, includes excerpts from a variety of ballets from the Borovansky repertoire. Ballets represented include The Black Swan, La Boutique fantasque (which includes sequences showing Borovansky dancing the role of the Shopkeeper), Le Carnaval, Giselle, Graduation Ball, Nutcracker, Petrouchka, Pineapple Poll, The Sleeping Beauty, Los Tres Diablos, Aurora's Wedding and Swan Lake. In addition David Lichine is seen conducting a rehearsal onstage for his ballet Corrida and there is brief footage of Margot Fonteyn, who guested with the Borovansky Ballet in 1957, in excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty. The recording also contains some non-dance footage including scenes of Borovansky on fishing expeditions with his friends, travel footage from Czechoslovakia, New York and other destinations, and some footage of the Melbourne Olympic Games.; Borovansky Ballet ; Borovansky, Edouard ; Fonteyn, Margot ; Petrouchka ; Gorham, Kathleen ; Sager, Peggy ; Grinwis, Paul ; Swan Lake ; Ingram, Geoffrey ; Fernandez, Royes ; Lichine, David ; Black Swan, The ; Nutcracker ; Carnaval, Le ; Borovansky, Xenia ; Graduation Ball ; Boutique fantasque, La ; Aurora's Wedding ; Pineapple Poll; Location:; The Xenia Borovansky Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 1465

[The Sleeping Beauty : The Australian Ballet], 1974 (Moving picture): Cast: Artists of the Australian Ballet; 8 mm film; colour, silent , 31 mins; Excerpts from all acts of Peggy van Praagh's production the The Sleeping Beauty. Excerpts include some of the Fairy Variations, sections from the Garland Dance, excerpts from the Rose Adagio, Florestan and his Sisters, Puss in Boots and the White Cat, the Three Ivans, the grand pas de deux and the finale. Some shots of curtain calls are also included.; Australian Ballet, The ; van Praagh, Peggy; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 450291

[Sleeping Beauty Variations], 1972 (Moving picture): Cast: Artists of the Australian Ballet; 16 mm film; colour, no sound, 4 mins; This recording contains excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty including a brief extract from the Garland Dance, parts of the Rose Adagio and Aurora's variation from Act I, the entrance of the White Cat, and another solo for a female dancer.; Australian Ballet, The; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 463073

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