HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE
Commencing WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, at 8 p.m.
THE GREATEST BALLET TOUR IN HISTORY
J. C. WILLIAMSON, LTD. Has the privilege and pleasure of presenting an attraction of extraordinary interest — one of the Biggest Theatrical Enterprises ever undertaken in New Zealand.
COLONEL W. DE BASIL'S
MONTE CARLO
MONTE CARLO
MONTE CARLO
RUSSIAN BALLET
RUSSIAN BALLET
RUSSIAN BALLET
RUSSIAN BALLET
Famous Organisation of 80 NOTABLE ARTISTS
Now creating a positive sensation in Australia.
Direct from COVENT GARDEN OPERA HOUSE and THE ALHAMBRA THEATRE, LONDON. Famous artists, whose names are familiar in London, New York and Europe, include
LEON VOIZIKOWSKY
VALENTINA BLINOVA
HELENE KIRSOVA
Nina Raievska, Nathalie Branitzka, Nina Golovina, Tamara Tchinarova, Nina Youchkevitch, Irina Vassilieva, Sonia Woizikowska, Irena Bondireva, Helene Polouchina, Moussia Korjinska, Anna Skarpa, Vera Lipska, Vanrla Grossen, Olga Valcvska, Betty Souvorova, Mona Dimidova, Anna Severska, Mary Garina, Nina Natova, Lelia Ronssova, Xenia Kalinovska, Tatiana Mouravieva, Helene Antonova.
Thadee Slavinsky, Roland Guerard, Igor Youskevitch, Valentin Froman, Jean Hoyer, Valery Shaevsky, Birger Bartholin, Marjan Winter, Thomas Armour, Serge Unger, Milos Ristic, Jashf Dolotine, Dmitri Tovaroff, Valentin Baline, Serge Vladimiroff, Savva Andreieff, Alexis Frank.
FULL QPERATIC QRCHESTRA
Conductors: JASCHA HORENSTEIN : IVAN CLAYTON
Magnificent Repertoire includes: — "SCHEHERAZADE," "AURORA'S WEDDING," "LES PRESAGES," "CARNAVAL," "LES SYLPHIDES," "THE FANTASTIC TOY SHOP," "THE SWAN LAKE," "PORT SAID," "PRINCE IGOR," "MIDNIGHT SUN," "THE HUNDRED KISSES," "THE SPECTRE OF THE ROSE." 'THE SCHOOL FOR BALLET," "THE BEAUTIFUL DANUBE," ETC.
DURING THE GALA AUCKLAND SEASON FIFTEEN BALLETS WILL BE PRESENTED IN 13 NIGHTS. Watch for Full Details of this Marvellous Attraction. -NZ Herald, 9/2/1937.
INTOXICATED MOTORISTS
THEATRICAL ARTIST CHARGED
MEMBER OF RUSSIAN BALLET
SEQUEL TO CAR SMASH
Consequent on a motor car accident, which occurred on Sunday nighton the Anderson's Bay road, Thadee Slavinsky, a Pole, aged 35 years, who is one of the dancers in the Russian Ballet, and a jeweller from Lyttelton named Maurice Kendrick Whale, pleaded guilty in the City Police Court yesterday to being intoxicated while in charge of a motor car. Mr White appeared for both the accused.
Outlining the charges, the senior sergeant said that on Sunday Whale hired a rental car and took Slavinsky for a drive. They went over the Highcliff road, and on the return journey Whale handed over the wheel to his companion. After that they were both indefinite as to what had happened until the car crashed into a pole outside the Caledonian Ground, but there was no doubt that when arrested Slavinsky was absolutely drunk. Both men were admitted to hospital for treatment, Slavinsky subsequently being certified as intoxicated, while a medical officer at the Hospital stated that Whale smelt strongly of liquor. An independent witness, who was travelling behind the car in which the accused were driving, stated that at times it swayed as much as 10ft.
Mr White explained that Whale had never previously met Slavinsky, but they happened to be staying in the same hotel, and as it was the end of the ballet's season in Dunedin, Whale decided to give the visitor a run out in a car. The occurrence was disastrous so far as Slavinsky was concerned, as his company had left that morning for Wellington to join the boat for Sydney. He would now have to fly to Wellington.
"Unless he goes to gaol." interjected the magistrate (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.).
Continuing, Mr White said that Slavinsky had suffered an injury to the chest which would considerably affect him in his profession. Whale said that he had had very little liquor, but he felt responsible for his companion, who was a stranger in this country.
Referring to Slavinsky, the magistrate said that he had better get out of the country as soon as possible. The circumstances regarding him were certainly peculiar, but it seemed that, to a large extent he had suffered his own punishment. The fact that he was leaving the country almost immediately and had suffered physical injury would be taken into account, and he would be fined £3. Whale would be fined £10, with medical and Witness's expenses (£1 7s. 6d), his licence would be suspended and he would be prohibited from driving for six months. -Otago Daily Times, 4/5/1937.
THE RUSSIAN BALLET.
WEDDING IN MELBOURNE.
RUMOUR OF FURTHER ROMANCE.
MELBOURNE, July 1. Marriages, and rumours of marriages, have added extra excitement to the farewell season of the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet in Australia. Mr Thadee Slavinsky was recently married in Sydney to Miss Marie Doran, a Tivoli artist, and he has since signed a contract with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to remain in Australia to appear in the new production of "Balalaika.” It is said that Helene Kirsova, the principal ballerina of the Ballet, will remain in Australia for a holiday, and there are rumours that she may marry here. This morning two members of the ballet company, Miss Elizabeth Souvorova and Mr Aloysha Frank, were married quietly at the registrar’s office. Miss Helene Kirsova had promised to be bridesmaid, but she overslept after her performance on Tuesday night. She was awakened to her belated responsibilities by a telephone message from Mrs Frank, who said that the marriage had been already celebrated. -Waikato Times, 17/7/1937.
AUSTRALIAN FILM STARS OF THE FUTURE
CINESOUND TRAINS SCREEN ASPIRANTS (excerpt)
AT TALENT SCHOOL
Downstairs, once upon a time the executive offices of a fledgling Cine-sound, M. Thadee Slavinsky, well known ballet master, reigns supreme. To men and women who spend their time within prosaic office walls, he teaches grace of movement, limbering, correct posture and ballet dancing, where it is desired.
The old idea of walking with a weighty book balanced precariously upon the head still holds sway with M. Slavinsky. He says that there is no innovation to improve upon it for teaching the rudiments of graceful body carriage. Last week saw the conclusion of the School’s first term during which time every pupil has placed their first foot upon the ladder of screen success. They have played "extra” and minor roles in “Gone To The Dogs” which is Cinesound’s current production, and have received their first salaries as professionals. -Nelson Evening Mail, 17/6/1939.
THE WORLD OF MUSIC
Hamiltonian in Sydney
News comes from Sydney from Keith Priscott, the young Hamilton singer who is “trying his luck” in Australia.
Mr Priscott writes that he is loving Sydney, and already has made interesting contacts in stage and music circles, including Thadee Slavinsky, former partner of Anna Pavlova and understudy to Nijinsky, and Madame Slavinsky, a gifted singer. M. Slavinsky is inaugurating a Polish-Australian Ballet. Mr Priscott is to sing at a big party given by the Slavinskys, at which many of the leading theatrical people of Sydney are to be present, and is also to attend a rehearsal of the Savage Club Choir, with a view to joining it. Needless to say Mr Priscott has renewed acquaintance with Betty Welch, the Hamilton girl who has "made good” in Australia, and speaks of her great success and her striking personality and frocking. -Waikato Times, 15/6/1940.
DEATHS
SLAVINSKY. — On January 22, 1945, at Dunedin, Thadee, beloved husband, of Marie Slavinsky (Doran), of Melbourne, late of Borovansky Ballet. R.I.P. — Requiem Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral on Thursday, the 25th inst., at 6.45 a.m. — The Funeral will leave the Cathedral at 11 a.m. for the Anderson's Bay Cemetery.
— Hugh Gourley Ltd., funeral directors. -Evening Star, 23/1/1945.
DANCERS IN MOURNING
THADEE SLAVINSKY'S FUNERAL
"A VERY GOOD FRIEND"
Thadee Slavinsky was buried this morning. Only a few short days ago we saw him taking one of the leading parts in that exquisite ballet, 'Giselle,' in the beautiful 'Swan Lake,' in 'Facade,' and in 'L'Amour Ridicule.' Death came very suddenly to him, and his longhand successful career in the art of the ballet is finished. His body now lies in the Anderson's Bay Cemetery, overlooking the sea across which, thousands of miles away, is his native country, war-torn Poland.
Several circumstances combine to awaken public interest in the death. He was a member, a very distinguished member in past performances, of a profession whose adherents are always in the public eye; and though the life of a wayfarer may reasonably be expected to end away from home, there is a certain added pathos in death when it comes far from those whose love can soften the last dread accident.
Requiem Mass was held at St. Joseph's Cathedral early this morning, this, as well as the short service prior to the cortege leaving for the cemetery, being conducted by the Rev. Father Cartwright.
The members of the company, which had played a brief and successful season in Invercargill, arrived in Dunedin at 10.35 a.m. to-day. They at once proceeded to the Cathedral to attend the service there, and afterwards to the cemetery. Early this afternoon they continued their journey by special bus service to Oamaru, where they give a performance to-night. For it is recognised in the theatrical profession that, whatever may intervene, even death, "the show must go on." A large number of very beautiful floral tributes were laid on the grave, including one from the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron), on behalf of the citizens. His Worship also attended the services at the Cathedral and at the graveside.
"A VERY GOOD FRIEND."
''Thadee Slavinsky was a very close friend of mine; we have travelled the world together, and I had a great admiration for him, not only as a dancer, but as a man of character," said M. Edouard Borovansky this morning. M. Slavinsky was a product of the "National Theatre at Warsaw, and his first engagement was with the famous Diaghileff, who, incidentally, was responsible for bringing the Russian ballet to Europe. Slavinsky established his reputation during his seven years with this great master, and then, in 1927, was engaged by Anna Pavlova as a character dancer in her company, touring South America, and subsequently Egypt, India, China. Java, and Australia, returning to Europe to dance at the Opera Comique, Paris. It was after this that Slavinsky became associated with the Colonel de Basil Company and toured Australia and New Zealand. While in Australia he married Miss Marie Doran, a well-known soprano, and took up his residence there as a teacher of dancing. Some 12 months ago M. Borovansky engaged him as a member of his company.
M. Slavinsky was a man of cheerful, friendly nature, extremely popular with the members of the company, and in his last days was very happy in the knowledge that his beloved Poland was being freed. On the very last day of his life M. Slavinsky and his friend were chatting happily on this subject and about their joint experiences. Next morning he was discovered unconscious, and a few hours afterwards had passed away.
PREVIOUS DEATHS ON TOUR.
Our theatre register of this century records only two previous occasions on which leading members of visiting companies died in New Zealand. In Jannary, 1906, Little Gulliver (John Rumbelow), the dwarf comedian of a John F. Sheridan pantomime company, died in Dunedin Hospital, and some 10,000 people lined Princes street to witness, the funeral, which took place on a Sunday at the Southern Cemetery. It was estimated that some 6,000 persons entered the cemetery to hear the final rites, and considerable damage was involuntarily done to grave sections. The second occasion was the death at Wellington during the influenza epidemic in 1918 of Gerald Henson, husband and leading man to the famous Irish actress, Sara Allgood, who was touring New Zealand in 'Peg o' My Heart.' -Evening Star, 25/1/1945.
Dancer's Fatal Elation
Elation over the success of the Russian offensive was reported in Wellington to have been the cause of the death in Dunedin earlier in the week of M. Thadee Slavinsky, of the Borovarisky Ballet Company. M. Slavinsky, who was 43 years of age, died in the Dunedin Hospital after a seizure apparently brought on by his excitement over the liberation of Warsaw, his birthplace. He was an ardent Polish patriot. -Auckland Star, 26/1/1945.
M. THADEE SLAVINSKY
FUNERAL IN DUNEDIN
The Borovansky Ballet Company, which is at present touring the South Island, lost one of its prominent members by the death at the weekend of M. Thadee Slavinsky. M. Slavinsky had just concluded the Dunedin season of the ballet, and was preparing to leave with the remainder of the company for Invercargill on Monday morning when he had a seizure which later proved fatal. The company broke its journey from Invercargill to Oamaru yesterday to attend his funeral, arriving by the morning express and resuming its iournev in the afternoon by special bus service.
Requiem Mass was said early yesterday morning, and the funeral left St. Joseph’s Cathedral at 11 o’clock after a brief service conducted by Father Cartwright. The Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron) represented the city of Dunedin at the service and the funeral, and among the floral tributes laid on the grave was a wreath from the Dunedin City Council. -Otago Daily Tmes, 26/1/1945.
NEWS OF THE DAY
Tribute to a Dancer
Nearly three years ago, when the Borovansky Ballet Company was in Dunedin, a member of the troup, Thadee Slavinsky, died suddenly. He was buried from St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the Anderson's Bay Cemetery. Yesterday, before they departed from Dunedin at the close of the ballet season at His Majesty’s Theatre, the members of the present company visited the cemetery, where flowers were laid on the grave of their late colleague and the friend of the great Vijinsky. -Otago Daily Times, 8/11/1947.
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