This two-part broadcast "A night at the ballet" (December 1, 1986) was condensed from fourteen interviews ABC reporter Ellis Blain (d. 1979) conducted in 1971 with Sir Robert Helpmann, ballet dancer, actor, producer, choreographer and co-director of the Australian Ballet, who died on September 28, 1986. Besides his childhood and family, Sir Robert Helpmann talked about his dancing career in London, England at the Vic-Wells Ballet (now Royal Ballet) in the 1930s-1950s, including the 1947 film "The red shoes", and the 1955 Old Vic Shakespeare tour of Australia with Katharine Hepburn. People that he worked with and were his friends: Lilian Baylis, Ninette de Valois, Margot Fonteyn, Lord Berners, Gertrude Stein, Edith Sitwell, William Walton, Constant Lambert, Moira Shearer, Arthur Bliss, Sophie Fedorovitch, Frederick Ashton, Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne. Productions he performed in: Job: A masque for dancing (1931) / music by Ralph Vaughan Williams ; The haunted ballroom (1934) / music by Geoffrey Toye ; A wedding bouquet (1937) / music by Lord Berners, lyrics by Gertrude Stein ; Fącade (1931) / music by William Walton, lyrics by Edith Sitwell ; The red shoes (1948 film) / music by Brian Easdale ; Adam Zero (1946) and Miracle in the Gorbals (1944) / music by Arthur Bliss ; The prospect before us (1940) and Horoscope (1937) / music by Constant Lambert.
[Part 1]: A night at the ballet, 1st part: [Opening remarks ; Introductions] (Unidentified 4QG radio host) -- Sir Robert Helpmann's childhood ; His mother ; Athletics -- Major influences (Royal Ballet, also known as Vic-Wells Ballet): Lilian Baylis ; Ninette de Valois -- Job: A masque for dancing [ends abruptly]
[Part 2]: A night at the ballet, 1st part: [Excerpt, to end] Margot Fonteyn -- Ninette de Valois -- The haunted ballroom -- A wedding bouquet ; Lord Berners ; Gertrude Stein -- [Closing remarks] (Unidentified 4QG radio host)
[Part 3]: A night at the ballet, 2nd part: [Opening remarks] (Unidentified 4QG radio host) -- Fącade ; Edith Sitwell ; William Walton ; Constant Lambert -- The red shoes ; Moira Shearer -- Adam Zero ; Arthur Bliss [ends abruptly]
[Part 4]: A night at the ballet, 2nd part: [Excerpt, to end] Miracle in the Gorbals ; Arthur Bliss -- Prospect before us -- Horoscope -- Sophie Fedorovitch ; Frederick Ashton -- Constant Lambert -- Katharine Hepburn -- Old Vic 1955 Australian tour with Kate Hepburn -- People he admired ; People in the theater -- [Closing remarks] (Unidentified 4QG radio host)
Call number
*LTC-A 1386
Note
Title from original original audiocassette container spine.
"ABC-Australian National Radio; Tribute to Sir Robt. Helpmann"--From original audiocassette container spine.
"1-12-86; AM station 4QG, Brisbane, Australia ... As a tribute to his memory"--From original audiocassette container.
Sir Robert Helpmann's death date listed on audiocassette container (29-9-1986) is incorrect; he died on September 28, 1986.
Unidentified music tracks are interspersed throughout the broadcast.
Access (note)
Access via streaming audio restricted to onsite at New York Public Library secure reading rooms.
Credits (note)
Nancy Towl, (?) producer ; Wayne Jeffman and Michael Hubbart, technical production.
Source (note)
Billy Rose Theatre Division, Katharine Hepburn papers, 1854-1997 (bulk 1928-1994);
Linking entry (note)
Forms part of: Katharine Hepburn audiovisual materials, *L(Special) 08-31.
Title
Tribute to Sir Robert Helpmann : a two-part broadcast [from "A night of ballet" radio program] / from interviews granted to the late Ellis Blane.
Production
1971, 1986.
Playing time
003021 003016 003013 002853
Type of content
spoken word
Type of medium
audio
computer
Type of carrier
online resource
Credits
Nancy Towl, (?) producer ; Wayne Jeffman and Michael Hubbart, technical production.
Performer
Sir Robert Helpmann, interviewee ; Ellis Blain, interviewer ; with unidentified radio host.
Event
Broadcast 4QG AM station, Brisbane, Australia 1986 December 1 (radio program); Broadcast [Sydney, Australia] 1971 (original radio broadcast)
Access
Access via streaming audio restricted to onsite at New York Public Library secure reading rooms.
Original version
Archival originals: (2 audiocassettes : analog, mono) in *LTC-A 1386.
Linking entry
Forms part of: Katharine Hepburn audiovisual materials, *L(Special) 08-31.
Local note
Preservation files: (4 audio files : digital, WAV file, 96 kHz, 24 bit), in long term storage, Digital Library Processing server [myh_ltca1386_v01f01_em (part 1), myh_ltca1386_v01f02_em (part 2), myh_ltca1386_v02f01_em (part 3) and myh_ltca1386_v02f02_em (part 4)]
Source
Separated from; Billy Rose Theatre Division, Katharine Hepburn papers, 1854-1997 (bulk 1928-1994); 2007.