Book Detective Assistance for OLD Bolshoi Books

[LazerCanary]

Would you happen to know of this book?

I bought Ballet in Moscow Today by Helene Bellew at a used bookstore

earlier this year. It was published by the New York Graphic Society, but there

is no information provided on the copyright date. Usually, one may pick up

a clue when the author signs the Preface but not in this instance.

I am curious about the date of publication, because I would like to know more

about the context in which this author is writing. It is probably around the 1960's,

and the Western author seems to write as if she spent a season watching the

Company perform...in the USSR.

Profiles of the prinicipal and character dancers are written about in minute detail.

Ulanova, Lepechinskaya, Plisetskaya, Struchkova, Yermolaev, Preobrazhenski,

Kondratov, Koren, Lapauri, Karelskaya, Chorokova, Cherkassova, Gotlieb, Sekh,

Evdokimov, Andrianov, Zhdanov, Chistova, Bogolubskaya, Banke, Tikhorminova,

Farmanyantz, Kouznetsov, Horlov, Gerber, Homutov, Radunsky, Kashani, Olenina,

Golovkina, Iluchenko, Kapustina, Tuchina, Efremova, Makedonskaya

Many thanks for assistance in the detective work! B)

I am also looking for the title and publisher of another book about the Bolshoi.

Unfortunately, the only clues I can provide here are that it was a coffee table

book (large format) with many, many color photographs of the Bolshoi to match

their repetoire. What fascinated is that through these photos was my first

encounter with "The Fountains of Bakhchisarai", and an overhwelming joy at

viewing photos of "Stone Flower" (more than just 1 and in color). There were

other ballets that I had never seen, and guessed were deemed not popular

enough outside of the former USSR? I am soooooo happy to hear that the

Bolshoi will be bringing these ballets forth. I am not so worried about whether

the story line was strong enough to withstand the test of time, as I am about

viewing these dances to get a sense of what audiences viewed back then.

If you are familiar with such a book, please share the title! I keep kicking

myself for having not sprung for it at the famous Strand Books (eight miles

of used books *gasp*).

~Giselle the Lazer Canary

[Alexandra]

Hi, Lazer Canary!

This is what I found at a site that sells book. "Bolshoi Ballet Today": London: Thames & Hudson, 1956. First Edition. Small 4to, pp. 203.

I'm not sure about the coffee table book, but I have a book that sounds like it: "The Bolshoi: Opera and Ballet at the Greatest Theater in Russia," William, Morrow and Company, Iinc., New York, 1979.

[LazerCanary]

Thank you, Alexandra.

The former is unlikely , but the latter recommendation sounds

vaguely familiar and may just be the very thing!

~Giselle

[native New Yorker]

Giselle,

I also have this book but it's lent out right now so I can't refer to it. Here is a link to the AddALL used book site that will give you a bit more info. It was published in 1965.

AddALL

Edited October 20, 2004 by native New Yorker

[LazerCanary]

Perfect. That is the very thing! Thank you!

[Richka]

Would you happen to know of this book?

I bought Ballet in Moscow Today by Helene Bellew at a used bookstore

earlier this year. It was published by the New York Graphic Society, but there

is no information provided on the copyright date. Usually, one may pick up

a clue when the author signs the Preface but not in this instance.

I am curious about the date of publication, because I would like to know more

about the context in which this author is writing. It is probably around the 1960's,

and the Western author seems to write as if she spent a season watching the

Company perform...in the USSR.

Profiles of the prinicipal and character dancers are written about in minute detail.

Ulanova, Lepechinskaya, Plisetskaya, Struchkova, Yermolaev, Preobrazhenski,

Kondratov, Koren, Lapauri, Karelskaya, Chorokova, Cherkassova, Gotlieb, Sekh,

Evdokimov, Andrianov, Zhdanov, Chistova, Bogolubskaya, Banke, Tikhorminova,

Farmanyantz, Kouznetsov, Horlov, Gerber, Homutov, Radunsky, Kashani, Olenina,

Golovkina, Iluchenko, Kapustina, Tuchina, Efremova, Makedonskaya

Many thanks for assistance in the detective work! B)

I am also looking for the title and publisher of another book about the Bolshoi.

Unfortunately, the only clues I can provide here are that it was a coffee table

book (large format) with many, many color photographs of the Bolshoi to match

their repetoire. What fascinated is that through these photos was my first

encounter with "The Fountains of Bakhchisarai", and an overhwelming joy at

viewing photos of "Stone Flower" (more than just 1 and in color). There were

other ballets that I had never seen, and guessed were deemed not popular

enough outside of the former USSR? I am soooooo happy to hear that the

Bolshoi will be bringing these ballets forth. I am not so worried about whether

the story line was strong enough to withstand the test of time, as I am about

viewing these dances to get a sense of what audiences viewed back then.

If you are familiar with such a book, please share the title! I keep kicking

myself for having not sprung for it at the famous Strand Books (eight miles

of used books *gasp*).

~Giselle the Lazer Canary

I am answering your post but with information that you undoubtedly already have because your quest was 6 years ago and I've only been member of Ballet Talk for several months. Anyway, I have the book "Ballet In Moscow Today". The copyright is New York Graphic Society, Greenwhich, Connecticut, USA but publshed in England by Thames and Hudson Ltd, London. It was printed in Milan, Italy. So Alexander is right. Oddly enough, there is no date included. However, it was a gift to me and inside cover has date 1961 and I think it was already used, so I cannot see how it was published in 1965 as native new yorker says.

The other book you mentioned I had but recently sold on eBay. It had autographs of every Bolshoi member during their tour of 1966, given at a party for them at Harkness House. I'm now sorry I sold it as I asked far too little.

Please let me know if you have found out anything about the first book.

[Mel Johnson]

Ballet in Moscow Today was first published in the UK in 1956 to issue at roughly the same time as the first performances in the West by Galina Ulanova. It sold very well, and the New York Graphic Society picked it up. It served as a precursor to the first full Bolshoi tours.

[innopac]

Re: The Bolshoi - Opera and Ballet at the Greatest Theater in Russia here is a review and image of cover. It looks like there are several inexpensive copies on abebooks.

[Lidewij]

There is also a second book like this, with some other ballets in it. I have it at home (which is not where I am now), I can look up the title if you wish. It is from the 80's, don't know the exact year.

[bart]

Re: The Bolshoi - Opera and Ballet at the Greatest Theater in Russia here is a review and image of cover. It looks like there are several inexpensive copies on abebooks.

The text of the product review adds the following:

I have also found just the ballet half of this book for sale under the title "The Bolshoi Ballet", presenting only the ballet portion of this book.

[Lidewij]

There is also a second book like this, with some other ballets in it. I have it at home (which is not where I am now), I can look up the title if you wish. It is from the 80's, don't know the exact year.

I came upon this thread again by accident, but as I'm home and have the book here right now, I might as well reply.

The book is called "The Bolshoi Theatre" (subtitle: History - Opera - Ballet) and was published in 1987 (Planeta Publishers - they also brought out the previous book in two parts). It contains beautiful photos from opera and ballet productions of that time.