Exhibition: The Golden Age of Russian Ballet and Theatre Design - and others

[aileen]

This (small) exhibition is at The St Petersburg Gallery in Cork Street, London. It runs until 28 July. If

anyone has been to see it perhaps s/he could report back.

[Ian Macmillan]

From last Sunday's Links, a small taster for those who can get there:

 

http://rbth.ru/arts/2013/05/05/london_gallery_showcases_russian_theatre_and_ballet_25483.html

 

NB that all the exhibits are for sale .... if your pockets are wide enough!

[aileen]

Sorry, I overlooked this.

[Amelia]

 if your pockets are wide enough!

 

Additionally, they have announced lectures as well:

 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF RUSSIAN BALLET AND THEATRE DESIGN

18TH APRIL 2013 - 28TH JULY 2013

LECTURE SERIES RSVP info@saintpetersburggallery.com

 

The lectures are interesting of course but the admission fees sweep off scale. Estimated, apparently, for the Russian Knightsbridge set.

[Irmgard]

I am sure there has already been a post about this exhibition but, as I can't find it, I hope a staff member will link this to the right place.

 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF RUSSIAN BALLET
AND THEATRE DESIGN
18TH APRIL 2013 - 28TH JULY 2013

St. Petersburg Gallery 5a Cork Street, London W1S 3NY

 

For anyone who has half an hour to spend before 29 July, this small but exquisite exhibition is well worth a visit - and it is free. (The gallery is behind the Burlington Arcade).

 

I finally managed to visit yesterday and it was a delight to be able to stand so close to a beautiful array of designs, in particular to see how textured are the designs by Benois for the Ballets Russes, with his liberal use of gold paint. Of special relevance are some of his original costume designs for "Petrouchka" with his handwritten instructions to the makers (luckily in French as I do not read Russian).  One for a dancer wearing a pig's head (not sure if this actually made it into the ballet), has the express instruction that the 'mask' must be lightweight which I am sure would have been much to the dancer's relief.

 

There is one well-worn costume on display and, as it is not protected by any casing, it is possible to get close enough to view the craft of the costume-maker in great detail - it fascinated me to see that the button-holes are hand-sewn rather than machine-stitched.

 

There is a selection of creations (figurines and plates) by a Russian porcelain factory and the figurines of Karsavina and Nijinsky are all the more remarkable as they depict ballets they never danced in Russia and therefore photographs must have been used as the models.

 

The exhibition covers works through to the end of the 1930s, including some seen only in Russia.  I was very interested to see a series of colour costume designs for the complete ballet "The Fairy Doll" and to realise that Pavlova kept the design for the Fairy Doll character, even down to the hairstyle, when she included the variation in her performances (and included in the films taken of her by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Hollywood).

 

All in all, a fascinating half hour.

[aileen]

Is it embarassing to go into the gallery if you don't look as if you're going to buy anything?

[Irmgard]

Absolutely not - and I'm not sure how many pieces are for sale as there are no price tags in evidence.  A very nice young lady answered the door to me (as with most small private galleries, you have to ring the bell for admittance).  I asked if I could look at the exhibition and then she just let me get on with it while she returned to her desk.  Rather nice to have a exhibition all to myself! (Although another couple came in a bit later). 

[John Mallinson]

Thanks for the reminder. I've linked this into the earlier thread.

[Amelia]

I didn't want to open a new topic, therefore, am putting this information here:

 

From DANCE TODAY:

London’s Gallery for Russian Arts and Design (GRAD) will explore Shostakovich’s

1931 ballet The Bolt in a new exhibition.

http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/dance-today-news/item/1677

Bolt is at GRAD from December 6, 2014 until February 28, 2015.
http://www.grad-london.com/whatson/bolt/

3-4a Little Portland Street London W1W 7JB

Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7637 7274.    Edited for adding the last 4 lines.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Amelia

[Amelia]

A TALE OF TWO CITIES: THE LOPUKHOV FAMILY AND RUSSIAN BALLET

Talk by Judith Mackrell.

15 January 2015,  6.30pm - 7.30pm. Free admission

 

GRAD gallery of Russian art

+44 (0) 20 7637 7274.  3-4a Little Portland Street London W1W 7JB.  info@grad-london.com

[alison]

Not only that, but a friend was telling me there's an exhibition of Russian theatre art from around the 1930s at the V&A at the moment. I don't know how much ballet is involved, but thought I'd mention it.

[jmhopton]

had a quick dash round it today after seeing the Constable exhibition and before attending Swan Lake (what a cultured day!) It was only a very quick look but I didn't see anything particularly pertaining to ballet; it seemed to be more theatrically based. Having said that it was interesting with a lot of posters and some stage designs. had a very quick run through the theatre galleries themselves and there was a 1960s costume of the cockerel in La Fille (though without his striped stockings), a tutu worn by Margot Fonteyn as Odile and another tutu worn  in an early Balanchine Ballet (can't remember the name of it but possibly a Ballet Russes ballet)

[Kate]

Also at The Courtauld there is an exhibition which ends Sunday with work by Natalia Goncharov who designed sets and costumes for the Ballets Russes (including Les Noces and revised 1926 The Firebird )and Alexandra Exter who collaborated with Bronislava Nijinska when she started her own company. 

Not sure if any ballet/theatre designs will be included but should be interesting all the same. 

 

 

http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/exhibitions/2014/jack-of-diamonds/index.shtml