Guest performances of ballet company of Lithuanian state theatre in Monte Carlo and London in 1935

Valstybės teatre Kaune 1925 m. pirmą savarankišką spektaklį - Leo Delibeso „Kopeliją" - parodžiusios baleto trupės veikla nemažai tyrinėta, paskelbta straipsnių apie atskirus to laikotarpio baleto menininkus - choreografus, šokėjus, taip pat scenografus, prisidėjusius prie šios meno šakos spartaus formavimosi ir augimo. Vis dėlto atskiri prieškario Lietuvos baleto istorijos faktai nusipelno atidesnio žvilgsnio, kompleksiškesnių tyrimų. Toks yra ypatingas šio laikotarpio Lietuvos teatro istorijos faktas - baleto trupės gastrolės Monte Karle ir Londone 1935 m. pradžioje. Šio straipsnio tikslas - naudojantis iki šiol menkai žinoma archyvine medžiaga aptarti šį reikšmingą Lietuvos respublikos baleto ir kultūros politikos įvykį, išryškinti aplinkybes, kurių kontekste subrendo mintis pristatyti Lietuvos baleto meną užsienyje, atskleisti, kaip šis sumanymas buvo įgyvendintas, kokios buvo (ir galėjo būti) jo kultūrinės ir meninės pasekmės.The guest performance of the Ballet Company of Lithuanian State Theatre, which took place in Monte Carlo and London in 1935, is the exceptional cultural event of the history of Lithuanian theatre in the interwar period. It was organised with the help of Russian ballerina Vera Nemtchinova. The Lithuanian Ballet company performed in Monte Carlo in January 16-31, 1935, presenting three performances of "Raymonda" by Alexander Glazunov, two performances of "Coppelia" by Leo Delibes, two performances of "Swan Lake" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and two performances of one-act ballet "Islamey" by Mily Balakirev, "Carnival" by Robert Schumann, "Matchmaking" by Balys Dvarionas and "Suite of Dance". In the "Alhambra" hall of London the guest performances took place on February 18-March 16 with seven performances of "Raymonda", five performances of "Giselle" by Adolphe Adam, six performances of "Swan Lake", six performances of one-act ballets "Lcs Sylphidcs" by Frederic Chopin-Alexandre Glazunov, "Matchmaking" and "Islamey" and ten programs composed of different ballet pieces. The tour in London was organised while performing in Monte Carlo, but the invitation, presented to the Lithuanian Ballet Company during its tour in London was never used because of the approaching crisis of Lithuanian economy or poor managerial abilities of Kaunas State theatre, but most of all because after the tour in London the leaders of the Lithuanian Ballet company - Russian dancers Vera Nemtchinova, Anatoly Obukhov and Nikolay Zvcrcv - decided to leave Lithuania, and the ballet company lost internationally renowned ballet artists able to attract the attention of the organisers of the international tours