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Vassily Grigorievich Voskresensky (16 September 1888 – 27 July 1951), usually referred to as Colonel Wassily de Basil, was a Russian ballet impresario. By 1923 Wassily was doing well enough to hire Olga Smimova and Nikolay Tripolitov as his principal dancers on small tours in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It was at this point he adopted a "stage name" Wassily de Basil (essentially Basil de Basil) in 1923 and gave the name of his troupe as Ballet Russe directed by W. de Basil.[3] Around 1925, de Basil partnered with Alexey Tsereteli (also Zereteli) and Ignaty Zon to form the artist's agency called Zerbason.[4] In 1929–1930 de Basil's ballet troupe acted together with Tsereteli's opera troupe.[5] De Basil, Tseretelli, and Michel Kachouk, the manager of Feodor Chaliapin, became directors of the Opéra Russe à Paris, a company originally formed by soprano Maria Kousnetsova (also Maria Kuznetsova).[4] De Basil and René Blum, ballet director at the Monte Carlo Opera, along with financier Serge Denham, founded the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1931.[6] The ballet gave its first performance in Monte Carlo on January 11, 1932- the national holiday of Monte Carlo. Blum and de Basil did not agree artistically, leading to a 1934 split,[7] after which de Basil formed an arrangement with financier Sol Hurok.[7] Col. de Basil initially renamed the company Ballets Russes de Colonel W. de Basil. De Basil brought the Original Ballet Russe on a tour of Australia in 1939–1940,[6] traveling there aboard the P&O ocean liner RMS Maloja in September 1938. He had earlier organized tours to Australia in 1936–1937 and 1938–1939, although he did not travel with the company. During his visit to Australia, de Basil commissioned work from Australians, especially from designers, who included Sidney Nolan and Kathleen, and Florence Martin. He also instigated a design competition for an original Australian ballet, which was won by Donald Friend with designs for a ballet based on a fictitious event in the life of Ned Kelly. Source; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassily_de_Basil

His Majesty’s was the largest theatre in Brisbane and it hosted most of the productions by professional touring companies throughout its 95-year history. The Majesty theatre was demolished it on 23 October 1983 and the Hilton Hotel and Wintergarden Shopping Centre were built on the site. Source: zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Performance_of_Swan_Lake_a...(7946595504).jpg

Her Majesty’s Theatre originally opened on 2 April 1888 as Her Imperial Majesty’s Opera House (193 Queen Street between Albert and Edwards Streets) with a seating capacity of 2,250. It changed its name after the death of Queen Victoria to His Majesty’s Theatre on 23 March 1901, a name which is kept throughout the reign of the 3 Kings and even though some of Queen Elizabeth's reign, eventually being renamed Her Majesty’s Theatre. Sometimes referred to as the Brisbane Opera House, and affectionately known as “Her Maj“. Her Majesty’s Theatre earned the distinction of being the first in Brisbane to present an attractive facade as well as interior. Her Majesty’s Theatre was the theatre for the socially elite in Brisbane with a standard dress code for audiences of formal evening attire. A hotel was also included within the basic design of the building. The main entrance to the theatre was between two shops. The ceiling of the auditorium was decorated with an intricate design of cornices. The orchestra level seating housed almost 700 people and the stalls could fit 550. A further 400 people could sit in the Dress Circle which was accessed by its own entrance and staircase, while another staircase could access the Family Circle for 600 people. In 1928 extensive renovation of His Majesty’s Theatre took place which on reopening in 1929 now had a seating capacity of 1,387. This refurbishment also included the removal of the separate gallery and dress circle and the installation of a new combined dress circle. Further cosmetic renovations occurred in 1941. His Majesty’s Theatre was the largest theatre in Brisbane and it hosted most of the productions by professional touring companies throughout its 95-year history; J.C. Williamson's company held the lease on the theatre for more than 80 years. Her Majesty’s Theatre was sold to the A.M.P. Society for $3 million in 1973. Some of the final shows at Her Majesty’s Theatre included the Queensland Theatre Company production of the musical ANNIE from Nov/Dec 1981, the Lyric Opera of Queensland production of Il Trovatore starring Rita Hunter in September 1982, The Rocky Horror Show starring Stuart Wagstaff in October 1982 with a final production of JC Williamson’s production of EVITA in October 1983. Despite community protest, the Kern Corporation demolished it on 23 October 1983 and the Hilton Hotel and Wintergarden Shopping Centre were built on the site. The Kern Corporation caused a Union ban on construction at the site because, despite assurances that the facade of the colonial theatre would be kept as part of the new building, the entire building was destroyed. Source: tobysimkin.com/brisbane-theatre-history/#Her_Majesty8217s...

Brisbane Ballet Theatre’s First Production Brisbane Ballet Theatre was formed on 14 April 1953 with Mr Cyril Johns as Artistic Director. Its first production was Swan Lake, Act 2 performed at the Albert Hall, Brisbane on 26 October 1953. Nineteen dancers took part, led by guest artist Ruth Ellis and Cyril Johns, with a pianist and two violinists providing the Tchaikovsky music. This event was a co-production with the Brisbane Arts Theatre and the evening began with a performance of Noel Coward's play Hands Across the Sea. A lecture demonstration on ballet training was given by Cyril Johns and narrated by Brenda McCullough. The entire production was enthusiastically received by the audience. The Brisbane production was positively reviewed by the Courier-Mail’s critic Roger Covell under the headline BALLET THEATRE IN SUCCESSFUL DEBUT: The size and enthusiasm of the audience at the first performance of the Brisbane Ballet Theatre in Albert Hall last night made the evening phenomenally successful. If the newly-formed group had any doubts about their welcome in Brisbane, last night dispelled them. The house was packed and a long queue waited outside in the hope of returned tickets. If the audience showed more enthusiasm than discrimination, that was what last night needed. The Albert Hall stage, for instance, was far too small for the corps de ballet in Act II of Swan Lake. But a sympathetic eye could see the good work which the stage and an unsatisfactory musical accompaniment was hampering. And the work of the principals, Ruth Ellis and Cyril Johns set a worthy ideal for the rest of the company. For those who could not get in last night, the Ballet Theatre announced that it hoped to present soon a lunch-hour performance of Swan Lake Act II. Later that year on 13 November, the theatre group took its production of Swan Lake, Act II to Toowoomba, in association with Clare Drew's Cameo Ballet. Sources: Australia Dances: Creating Australian Dance 1954-1965 by Alan Brissenden and Keith Glennon & The Courier-Mail, 27 October 1953.

While the city awaits the outcome of the redevelopment of the remains of this priceless treasure, a reflection on its past follows. Built in 1929 to the design of Richard Gailey Jnr and Charles Hollinshed (designer of the Melbourne Regent) it was one of four opulent Regent theatres constructed in Australia in the grand Hollywood style of the time. Its site had been acquired by one of the doomed Mayne children, William, in 1892 and after his death, passed onto his brother James and sister Mary. During Bjelke Petersen’s reign in the 1970s, the auditorium was sacrificed to a Hoyts multiplex cinema and the city lost what was amongst the grandest theatre venues in Australia. It had boasted a 25000 pound Wurlitzer organ from New York (now in GOMA’s Cinematheque), an oval dome above the auditorium with a one-ton bronze chandelier, and extraordinary decorative plasterwork in the foyer. After protests, only the foyer was retained. What lies ahead is anyone’s guess but it appears that unfortunately the lessons of the demolition era have not been learned and yet again Brisbane may be about to lose again one of its dwindling irreplaceable works of art. Source: www.mustdobrisbane.com/visitor-info-arts-culture-history/...