Papillons

Hall, Hugh P.: Tatiana Riabouchinska as the First Young Girl, Paul Petroff as Pierrot and artists of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet in 'Papillons', 1938

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Papillons, a ballet in one act choreographed by Michel Fokine to an arrangement by N. Tcherepnine of music by Robert Schumann, was first performed at the Maryinsky Theatre St Petersburg on March 10, 1912. This divertissement-style work entered the repertoire of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes on April 16, 1914 in Monte Carlo with Tamara Karsavina, Ludmilla Schollar and Fokine in the lead roles. Sets designed and executed by M. Doboujinsky were used in the 1914 revival, replacing the originals by Piotr Lambine, while costumes designed by Leon Bakst were used in both productions.

The de Basil Ballets Russes revival of Papillons, using the Bakst costume design and Doboujinsky set, premiered in Chicago on December 17, 1936. The work was included in the repertoire of the second and third de Basil companies to tour Australia in the late 1930s – the Covent Garden Russian Ballet and the Original Ballet Russe. Its Australian premiere took place on November 10, 1938, at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, with Tatiana Riabouchinska as the First Young Girl, Anna Volkova as the Second Young Girl and Paul Petroff as Pierrot.

See also: Ballets Russes Australian tours ; Fokine, Michel ; Petroff, Paul ; Riabouchinska, Tatiana ; Volkova, Anna

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