12 replies to this topic

[rg]

the attached scan shows a page from VOGUE, (May 1, 1937) with a photo/illustration of Balanchine's 1937 ballet to Stravinsky's JEU DE CARTES.
previously the only pictures i've seen of Sharaff's costumes have been in black and white, presumably this colored illustration shows the ballet's color scheme.

Attached Files

•  37cardpartycaption.JPG   61.81K   90 downloads
•  GBsCP37wm.jpg   293.85K   128 downloads

[leonid]

rg, on May 10 2010, 12:37 PM, said:

the attached scan shows a page from VOGUE, (May 1, 1937) with a photo/illustration of Balanchine's 1937 ballet to Stravinsky's JEU DE CARTES.
previously the only pictures i've seen of Sharaff's costumes have been in black and white, presumably this colored illustration shows the ballet's color scheme.

Thanks for posting.

The costumes are wonderfull, really designed and beautiful.

Incidently it is the centenary of her birth this year.

The cast included: William Dollar (Joker), Annabelle Lyon (Queen of Hearts), Leda Anchutina (Queen of Spades), Ariel Lang [Helen Leitch] (Queen of Diamonds), Hortense Kahrklin (Queen of Clubs)

[Jack Reed]

Thanks, rg!  The colors  -- quite beautiful, yes --  seem to bring us a couple of steps closer to "Card Game" -- closer, and still so far!  *sigh*

[Helene]

The color shot is beautiful!

[atm711]

gorgeous photo---it brings to mind a quote I read about Leda Anchutina---"the smallest Ballet Russe dancer married to the largest"....(Andre Eglevsky)

[rg]

scan of an unidentified/uncaptioned 'action' photo, that is, a performance vs. a studiop/publicity shot, of POKER GAME in its Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo staging, in which Danilova and Markova as the Queen of Spades and Queen of Hearts, respectively, are evident.
haven't reseached at this point who was doing Queen of Clubs and Queen of Diamonds at the time.

Attached Files

•  CGbrdmc4someWM.jpg   292.73K   64 downloads

[bart]

The vibrancy of  the color shot makes me realize how much we are missing when we are limited to black and white for ballet photos from this period.  B&W seems  especially limiting when it comes to works with elaborate costumes, often making them look  dowdy.  I wish we had color shots (of this level of saturation) for so many other works ... the original Four Temperaments, for example.  Or Renard.  Or Picnic at Tintagel.

[ViolinConcerto]

rg, as usual your research, finds and insights are priceless!

[rg]

here are two related records of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's POKER GAME.
for good measure, i've scanned the photo/illus. on p. 90 of MARKOVA REMEMBERS by Dame Alicia Makrova, DBE, 1986.

Attached Files

•  PokerGlineupWM.jpg   175.06K   47 downloads
•  PokerGam&mpWM.jpg   114.09K   56 downloads
•  PokerGameAMbookillus.JPG   77.6K   37 downloads

[bart]

These photos make me wish I had seen the ballet -- EVEN in black and white.

rg, I have a question about the photo of Makova's head and torso (your third photo, on the right).  She appears to have NO ARMS.  Her sceptre, or whatever it is, is stuck into her bodice rather than held in her (nonexistent) hands.  What gives?

[rg]

if mem. serves, B. (i've now put my copy of MARKOVA REMEMBERS away), but i can paraphrase Markova's own caption to the effect that Balanchine posed her in that eccentric way, which she didn't question.
it is odd but it's also eyecatching.

[rg]

one set of notes i've now found identifies the Queen of Clubs in one BRdMC cast as Mladova, and the Queen of Diamonds as Krasovska, but i can't say these are the identifications of the less visible dancers in the BRdMC POKER GAME performance shot above.

[sandik]

rg, on 19 July 2011 - 10:16 AM, said:

it is odd but it's also eyecatching.

Absolutely -- it has a very architectural feel to it.