Australia Dancing

Thamar

Sawyer, Raymond G.: Tamara Tchinarova in 'Thamar', Ballets Russes, c. 1939

Choreographed by Michel Fokine, Thamar was first performed by Diaghilev's Ballet Russe at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on 20 May 1912, featuring Tamara Karsavina as Queen Thamar and Adolph Bolm as the Prince. Thamar was set to the symphonic poem of the same name by composer, Mily Balakirev, which in turn was based on the literary work by Mikhail Lermontov.

The one act ballet begins as Thamar, Queen of Georgia, waves a scarf through her window to entice a passing suitor into her castle. When the Prince arrives she initially rejects his advances, however fervent dancing ensues and the pair kiss. They leave the room and the Queen's followers continue dancing wildly. When the Queen and Prince re-enter she suddenly stabs him and he falls through a secret panel into the river below. The Queen returns to the window to signal a new victim with her scarf.

The ballet was the last of six Orientalist ballets premiered by Diaghilev's Ballet Russe between 1909 and 1912 from a list that includes Scheherazade, Le Dieu Bleu and Cleopatra. These ballets, set in locations ranging from Central Asia to Egypt, depicted scenarios filled with forbidden sex, high drama and violent death. They portrayed the East as wild and sensuous, violent and decadent.

This vision of the East was captured spectacularly in the designs of Leon Bakst, who, in Thamar, drew on Georgian architecture for his design of the castle and created vibrant costumes and sumptuous sets. The Orientalist ballets and Bakst designs were hugely influential on fashion, art and interior design of the time. See the National Gallery of Australia's From Russia with Love online exhibition for further discussion of their influence.

Thamar was revived by de Basil's Ballets Russes in 1935 at Covent Garden in London. The work received its Australian premiere on their 1936 tour at Melbourne's His Majesty’s Theatre on December 12, featuring Nina Raievska and Leon Woizikowsky in the starring roles. The Argus reported on its premiere thus:

'Its simple theme is heavily dramatic, sensuous and sadistic ... Balaikireff's music, brooding and frenzied by turn, fits the mood of the piece to perfection, and the dancing, modelled by Fokine, has a barbaric Slav flavour. In Thamar, Melbourne has another opportunity of admiring the lavish art of the Russian painter Bakst, whose gorgeous scenery and costumes throw a riot of colour across the stage. Deep wine tones predominate, with prodigal splashes of royal purple, blue and green - a daring Oriental kaleidoscope. The effect, when the music seethes and the dancers giddily gyrate, is visually magnificent and emotionally exciting'.

Thamar was also performed in the Sydney season and in return seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. The ballet was equally well received by Sydney press:

'Thamar ... is one of the most effective productions of the season. As the queen, Nina Raievska gave one of her best interpretations. There were in her dancing a sombre passion and an air which boded ill for the hapless traveller ... Perhaps the most interest sting part of Thamar is the dance in which the traveller is stabbed: the poignancy is derived not entirely from sympathy for the traveller, but also the queen whose every action displays a torture as great as that being suffered by her victim'.

Thamar was performed again in Sydney and Melbourne by de Basil's Ballets Russes on their 1940 Australian tour.

Footage of the Ballets Russes performing Thamar in Australia, filmed by Ewan Murray-Will, is available online at the australianscreen site 'Monte Carlo Russian Ballet. Original Ballet Russe Clip 3: Thamar'

Bibliography:

'Humour in ballet and more Oriental splendour', The Argus, 14 December 1936, p. 4 ; 'Thamar presented: last week of season', The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 February 1937, p. 5 ; Cyril Beaumont, Complete book of ballets (New York: Grosset & Dunlop, 1938)

Research Materials

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Other resources

Find more about Thamar in:

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