Pavane

Photographer unknown: Tamara Grigorieva, Irina Zarova, Alberto Alonso (as the Dwarf in front), Georges Skibine and Nicolas Ivangin in 'Pavane', Original Ballet Russe [1] , between 1938 and 1940

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Inspired by Velazquez's famous painting 'Las Meninas', Serge Lifar's Pavane was an arrangement of an earlier Massine ballet created in 1916 for the Diaghilev Ballets Russes. The international premiere of Lifar's Pavane took place in Sydney on February 23, 1940 during the Original Ballet Russe tour. It was a divertissement style piece, only eight minutes in length, set to Gabriel Faure's Opus 50 with costume design by Jose-Maria Sert and scenery executed by Prince A Schervachidze.

On opening night, the cast of five consisted of Tamara Grigorieva and Irina Zarova as the Maids of Honour, Nicholas Ivangine and Georges Skibine as the Gentlemen, and Yura Lazovsky as the Dwarf. A review of the ensuing Melbourne season described the work as 'a shadow of a ballet – a stately an[sic] formal Spanish dance offset by the disturbing counter-theme of a cringing and pathetic beggar'.

Bibliography:

'New Ballet's Success: Rich offering', The Argus, 26 March 1940

See also: Ballets Russes Australian tours ; Lifar, Serge

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Research Materials

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Other resources

Find more about Pavane in:

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