Special items relating to the Australian Ballet and the Borovanskys, 1963-91

Containers:

Box 11

Component identifier:

File 63

Content Summary:

Birth certificate of Xenia Borovansky (Smirvov).

A letter from James T. Laurie, Director of Concerts Management (London), outlining agreements for the Australian Ballet's overseas tour with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev.

A letter from Ingram to Nureyev expressing his gratitude and congratulations for his wonderful career, together with a program for Nureyev's farewell to Australia as a dancer.

Draft of a letter from Frank Tait and H. C Coombs to Robert Helpmann concerning his appointment as joint artistic director of the Australian Ballet; draft of an article on the Borovansky Ballet Company (1961).

A proposition for the formation of a permanent professional ballet company; formation of a ballet school connected with the Australian Ballet; and criticism of the Elizabethan Theatre Trust by Senator Turnbull and Senator Ormond.

Included in the special items, but located in Folio 1, is a copy of the will of Vlodia Smirnov, Xenia Borovansky's father, who served the Czar with the rank of General. He left Russia in 1920, penniless. The original will is thought to be in the Russian Department at Melbourne University.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were purchased from Geoffrey Ingram by the National Library in several instalments between 1987 and 1993. Two further additions were donated by Ingram in 1997 and 1998.

Names:

Geoffrey Ingram

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