Australia Dancing - Prince Igor

Prince Igor

Dickson, Enid: Portrait of Vera Nelidova as a Polovtsian Girl in 'Prince Igor', Ballets Russes Australian tours, ca. 1939

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The Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor was choreographed by Michel Fokine for the first Paris season of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes in 1909. Based on the second act of the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin and set in the camp of wild Polovtsi warriors, Prince Igor fed the popular Western conception of Russia as exotic and primitive. Nicholas Roehrich's design combined a desolate landscape and mud-smeared faces with vibrantly coloured costumes evocative of Russian folk art. Fokine's stated choreographic goal was the creation of 'an excitement-arousing dance for the corps' – a goal he clearly achieved on opening night when the audience stormed the stage.

The visiting Dandre-Levitoff Russian Ballet introduced Australian audiences to Prince Igor, featuring the work in the opening program of the 1934-35 tour. It was also a popular inclusion in the repertoire of all three de Basil companies that toured Australia in the late 1930s. The Advertiser described the opening performance by the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet on October 20, 1936 as 'a most thrilling spectacle' that 'swept the audience off its feet'. Leon Woizikowsky's performance as the Warrior was hailed as 'electrical'.

Significant Australian companies have also staged Prince Igor. Serge Bousloff and Kira Abricossova's reproduction for the inaugural repertoire of the National Theatre Ballet in 1949 featured Joyce Graeme, Eve King and Rex Reid. Ballet Guild also staged the work in that year. In 1952, it was performed by the Polish-Australian Ballet in a production that included the opera chorus and in 1954 was staged by Vassilie Trunoff for the Borovansky Ballet, with decor and costumes by William Constable and featuring Trunoff, Anna Mariya and Christiane Hubert in leading roles. Trunoff's production again featured in the 1957/58 season of this company, with Trunoff continuing to dance the role of the lead warrior.

Prince Igor was performed by the Australian Ballet in its 1964 season, when Poul Gnatt's staging incorporated the Elizabethan Trust Opera chorus and Bryan Lawrence featured as the Polvtsian Warrior, Elaine Fifield as the Princess and Barbara Chambers as the Polovtsian Maiden.

Bibliography:

Michel Fokine, Anatole Chujoy (ed), Fokine: memoirs of a ballet master (London: Constable & Company, 1961)

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Find more about Prince Igor in:

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