Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 8, 1975, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press por people Home science arts personalities Friday August 8, 1975 Ballyhoo brews Over critic s review by Al Colletti new York a Canadian critic s suggestion that the time has come for Rudolf Nureyev to leave the1 National Ballet of Canada has raised shockwave and caused embarrassment As the company is at the height of its new York season. John Eraser dance critic of Toronto Globe and mail gave a generally abrasive evaluation of Nureyev s three year association with the National Ballet in a recent article writ ten for new York times. The article was not published by the Globe and mail. Fraser said Nureyev As guest artist has been an up setting Factor in the com p a n y s development and should leave it As quickly As possible. He said Nureyev has been a Stormy figure and has done More harm than Good. Company officials and the dancers strongly objected to the article by letters to the times saying it was unfair and based on what they termed gossip and myth. I. H. Mcleod Board chair Man of the Ballet said the National Ballet owes Nureyev an enormous debt As All of our dancers Are Quick to he Nureyev has opened doors to the company on an International scale. The National Ballet does not share or. Eraser s eagerness to end an association which has been so healthy and so helpful for our Young com Pany in its developing Eraser s article appeared july 27 on the front Page of the times arts and Leisure sunday supplement. His comments came while Nureyev was performing As guest artist for the National Ballet one week into its three week season at the metropolitan opera Houise Here. Nureyev s production of the sleeping Beauty and Erik Bruhn s version of Coppelia in the first week received highly favourable reviews from the new York critics. The Canadian company also is up against teen com petition next door from the american Ballet theatre. Their seasons end sunday night. The americans have 24-year-old russian Mikhail had defected to Canada Ras guest artist. Fraser said much credit must be Given to Nureyev for raising the stature of the National Ballet but on balance there ire debits that weigh heavily against him. He de scribed the russian born dancer now 37, As a passing while his stage pres ence is always awesome his dancing certainly in t consistently so Gerry Eldred Ballet Gener Al manager said in an inter View what Point he Fraser was trying to make it hurts it makes Canada and the National Ballet laughable. We Don t feel that Way about Rudolf. We came into the relationship with him very consciously. There were great advantages for him and for the company. And they have always been very clearly Dis cussed with All of the people that form the in the letters to the times. John Fraser dance critic for the Toronto Globe and mail has suggested that the time has come for Rudolph Nureyev to leave the National Ballet of Canada. Here Nureyev is dancing with Mary Jago in Don Juan a Ballet created especially for the russian born dancer. Fraser s controversial comments appeared in a recent new York times article. Mcleod and the company s 19 principal dancers dissociated themselves from Fraser s Basic argument that Nureyev should leave the company for Good. Nureyev is appearing with the National Ballet Only for the met season this year but Mcleod said the company looks Forward to a continuing association with the rus Sian dancer As opportunities arise in the critic Fraser said the National Ballet and Canadian audiences have a great Deal to thank Nureyev for and our debt will be that much greater if he will now bid us a fond Farewell. The business of Ballet in Canada must continue to develop. It is in a curious rut now thanks in part to too much new station sets sights on local to prime time programming on Winnipeg s first new English language television Sta Tion in 15 years Cynd will rely heavily on imported material at least for the time being. Paul Morton president of c a n w e s t communication and owner of Cynd said thursday his station will offer More local programs than other Winnipeg stations in the pre and Post prime viewing periods. Because it in t affiliated with any network Cynd will meet its Canadian Content quota with extensive local Public affairs and sports broadcasts on weekends mornings and late nights. The station which hits the air Waves aug. .31, will be come More ambitious with its local programming once it is established and its staff n adequately trained or. Mor ton said. S t o n manager d. C. Brinton said Cynd has secured films such As gone with the wind that s entertainment and or. Zhivago for simultaneous broadcast with the american Abc Tele vision network. Local news be show at About an hour earlier than by other Winnipeg stations. It will utilize the global television net work news system in Toronto for National coverage and Abc for International. Or. Morton said Cynd has t linked with the global network of which he is vice president because of the heavy microwave charter expense to the Winnipeg Sta Tion. If the costs came Down the station might become a Western Canadian affiliate of the Ontario television net work. Cynd already had purchased six. Global pro Grams. The station now is installed at 603 St. Mary s Road St. Vital with an initial staff of 60. Operating on Channel 9, Cable 12, the station expects to reach about viewers in the Central Mani Toba area. Cheese stored Swiss cheese in particular recipes May be wrapped and Freezer stored for As Long As a couple of months. The principal dancers said in their lettered replies they could in no Way endorse Fraser s article. It is a pity that he would use Rumor and gossip to mis represent the thoughts and feelings of this company s a Frank Augustyn one of the signers said the article Hurt seemed it did t use the voice of the dancers. On the credit Side Fraser said Nureyev dramatically raised the excitement of bal let in Canada produced an outstanding sleeping Beauty a gift with Nettles on and picked Augustyn then an unknown boy of 18, As his understudy a decision which caused considerable resent but Nureyev was in Hie Nuuma and Nureyev chose Karen Kain As his principal setting her on her present course of rising International stature. He also got the National into the met. Fraser said the company s top male dancers like Augustyn Sergei Stefanachi and Tomas Schramek have to take seats when Nureyev is on the scene. The tension this creates shows. On occasion the com Pany can get so Down when Nureyev is carrying on in a particularly fierce Way that an entire evening can be general manager Eldred asked in the interview whether there is bickering and fighting when Nureyev is around replied 1 , nut. Mere in t. He is probably the har dest working person i have Ever met anywhere in the arts. He demands of him self Only the Best and he never gives you his second Best on the stage Ever. He demands of everyone that works with him and in every Way that it be first. Rate and god that s what we re All about that the Stan Dards should be the highest possible people talk about temperament and they talk about bickering and bickering. Well i just Don t find that kind of temperament. If somebody raises their voice and shouts it s because some thing in t happening that should be happening whether it s Rudolf or whether it s anybody on Sale saturday from 94m Ballet trouble shooter takes a mean photo by James Nelson Ottawa. Up Peter Garrick finds it strange to be talking about the new work he is doing in his retirement at the age of 27. Peter Garrick for six years a dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet he now is company manager a Job which he describes As being Mother and father to the company while it is on tour. The company was per forming at the National arts Centre this week prior to leaving on one of its major International Tours to Israel where it has been invited to perform at the Israel festival. Garrick was born and had his first dance training in South Carolina and went to a summer school in Nelson b.c., where Arnold Spohr artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg was teaching. Spohr recommended him for a scholarship in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school in 1968. He danced with the com Pany both in the chorus and in Lead roles for six years until this Spring when he decided to retire. While he still enjoyed dancing he said in an interview the Thrisi his earner years had gone out of it and he wanted something More varied to do. When he was in Paris with the company on tour in 1971, he bought a camera and began photographing his Fel Low dancers. This rapidly developed into such a Side line interest quickly built a reputation As a highly Quali fied dance photographer. I Don t claim my photos Are technically perfect but just because i do know dance r probably can get better shots than photographers who Are not familiar with the he said. The latest Royal Winnipeg Ballet souvenir program sold As a fund raising project for the company contains his photographs and on tour he provides the press with publicity photos. As company manager. Gar Rick s Job is to look after All the Day to Day problems of transportation and accommodation and act. As business manager and publicity agent working in Liaison with the company s head office in Winnipeg. For the 25 dancers and others that make up the travelling party of 3s, he is the principal trouble shooter a kind of Mother Superior and father confessor. After the Israel festival he will take the company to Washington and to nine of the 10 provinces this season As Well As on an extended . Tour. In Washington the Royal Winnipeg will perform As part of the Canadian Cul Tural contribution to the . Bicentenary celebrations in october. New dancer joins Ballet Eva Christiansen who has recently completed her dance training in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school s professional program has joined to j company s corps de Ballet to replace the in j u r e d Katherine Colling Wood. Zuiss Christiansen danced with the company National arts Centre performances monday to wednesday and will continue with the troupe for its appearances a Jerusa Lem. Tel Aviv end cae Sarea. 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