Beverley Brown
Ballet Scrapbook, Colonel de Basil Program and Borovansky Programs, 1937-c1940
MSS 0177
Notes
This collection, comprising one ballet scrapbook, one Borovansky Ballet program and two Ballet Russes du Colonel W. de Basil programs, was compiled by Beverley Brown, co-founder of The Friends of the Australian Ballet SA.
In 1992 Beverley and Lorna Hurford established the Australian Ballet Forum, when more than one hundred ballet and dance enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the formation of a support organisation for dance in Australia. The Forum was a response to ballet lovers in South Australia who wanted to share and stimulate their interest in dance, and support the Australian Ballet on its annual visits to the State.
In 1997 the Forum adopted the name Friends of the Australian Ballet (S.A.) at the request of The Australian Ballet management. Today the Friends' organisation provides support not only for the national company but for guest companies visiting from around the world. It also fosters knowledge and understanding of ballet and dance by providing close contact with the dancers and with artists who work behind the scenes.
Contents
The ballet scrapbook, comprising 98 leaves, contains newspaper cuttings, photographs and magazine articles of various ballet dancers, mainly associated with the Russian Ballet and Saddler Wells Ballet Company. It also includes photographs of some Adelaide performers. The contents date from 1937 to 1939.
Included with the scrapbook are two Borovansky Australian Ballet programs, one for the week commencing 27 May 1944 and the other for the week commencing 15 June 1944. Performances include 'Les Sylphides', 'L'Amour Ridicule', 'En Saga', 'Facade', 'The Swan Lake', 'Vltava', 'Sea Legend' and 'Capriccio Italien'. Shows were held at the Theatre Royal, Adelaide. Also included with the collection is a program for Colonel W. de Basil's Ballet which performed at the Theatre Royal from 10-12 June 1940. Performances included 'Le Lac des Cygnes' (The Swan Lake), 'Francesca da Rimini', 'Le Spectre de la Rose' (The Spirit of the Rose) and 'Graduation Ball'.
