Australia Dancing

Protee

Shier, Spencer: Anton Dolin as Protee in 'Protee', Covent Garden Russian Ballet, 1938 or 1939

Protee received its inaugural Australian performance, danced by the Covent Garden Russian Ballet, on 20 October 1938 in Melbourne. The work, with choreography by David Lichine, had premiered just three months earlier in July 1938 in London at Covent Garden. The libretto was a joint endeavour by Lichine and Henry Clifford, who had previously collaborated with Lichine on Francesca da Rimini and Le Lion amoureux. The scenario was intended as the basis for a choreographic essay on Greek classicism and centred on five nymphs who come to a temple by the sea to invoke the god Proteus. The work was danced to Claude Debussy's Danse sacree et danse profane and had set and costumes by Giorgio de Chirico.

In Australia the work, described as a 'choreographic tableau', was danced by Anton Dolin as Protee (Lichine had danced the leading role in London and although in Australia at the time of the Australian premiere was injured) with Sono Osato, Lisa Serova, Alexandra Denisova, Natasha Sobinova and Lina Lerina as the Maidens. Australian programs carried the following note:

Scene: A temple by the sea. A group of maidens offer [sic] prayers for the appearance of the God Protee, Prophet of the Sea. Protee appears and dances. The maidens try to catch him to learn their destiny. But the God disappoints them by changing his movements and leaping back into the sea.

The work was well received during its Australian season. Basil Burdett, writing in The Herald (Melbourne), called it 'one of the most perfect small ballets in the ballet repertoire'. He continued: 'The close identification of style and subject-matter is the real secret of its artistic success'. Protee was also performed in Australia in 1940 during the tour by the Original Ballet Russe. On opening night in Sydney in January 1940 the leading role was danced by Lichine and the Maidens by Osato, Denisova, Sobinova, Genevieve Moulin and Marina Svetlova. Later Roman Jasinsky danced Lichine's part.

In 1952 Kira Bousloff re-staged Protee for the Melbourne-based National Theatre Ballet then under the direction of Walter Gore and Paul Hinton. Henry Danton danced the leading role of Protee. The work was staged again for the National in 1953 while the company was under the direction of Valrene Tweedie. At that time Ronald Reay danced Protee.

Bibliography:

Basil Burdett, 'Success of "Protee" is triumph for Lichine', The Herald (Melbourne), 21 October 1938, p. 15; Vicente Garcia-Marquez The Ballets Russes (New York: Knopf, 1990).

Research Materials

Moving picture | Picture | All

Other resources

Find more about Protee in:

Internet - Google
Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
Pictures - Picture Australia