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Russell Kerr (choreographer)
Russell Ian Kerr (10 February 1930 – 23 March 2022) was a New Zealand ballet dancer, choreographer, and producer. After spending the 1950s dancing in Europe, he returned to New Zealand where he was instrumental in the development of the New Zealand Ballet Company (now the Royal New Zealand Ballet) and ballet as an art form in New Zealand. He was recognised as one of New Zealand's most significant living artists in 2005 with an Icon Award from the Arts Foundation of New Zealand. Biography Kerr was born on 10 February 1930 in Auckland. He attended Ellerslie Primary School and Otahuhu College. As a boy he suffered from muscular rheumatism and received medical advice that taking up dancing would help. He began his career as a ballet student of Kathleen Whitford. In 1950, he received a government bursary for travel to Europe. He spent the 1950s dancing with well-known dance companies such as the José Greco Spanish Company, Sadlers Wells Ballet (now the Royal Ballet), Balle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auckland Star
The ''Auckland Star'' was an evening daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, from 24 March 1870 to 16 August 1991. Survived by its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Star'', part of its name endures in ''The Sunday Star-Times'', created in the 1994 merger of the ''Dominion Sunday Times'' and the ''Sunday Star''. Originally published as the ''Evening Star'' from 24 March 1870 to 7 March 1879, the paper continued as the ''Auckland Evening Star'' between 8 March 1879 and 12 April 1887, and from then on as the ''Auckland Star''. One of the paper's notable investigative journalists was Pat Booth, who was responsible for notable coverage of the Crewe murders and the eventual exoneration of Arthur Allan Thomas. Booth and the paper extensively reported on the Mr Asia case. In 1987, the owners of the ''Star'' launched a morning newspaper to more directly compete with ''The New Zealand Herald''. The '' Auckland Sun'' was affected by the 1987 stock market crash and folded a ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rowena Jackson
Rowena Othlie Chatfield (née Jackson; 24 March 1926 – 15 August 2024) was a New Zealand prima ballerina. Early life Jackson was born in Invercargill on 24 March 1926 to William Ernest Jackson and Lilian Jane, née Solomon. As a young child her ballet teachers were Stan Lawson and Rosetta Powell in Dunedin. She attended primary schools in Invercargill (Waihopai School), Dunedin (Musselburgh School) and Auckland ( Maungawhau School), followed by Epsom Girls' Grammar School. In 1939 there was a benefit concert held at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland to raise funds for Jackson to continue her study in Paris, however because of World War II Jackson and her mother went to Melbourne and Sydney instead. In 1941 Jackson won the first Royal Academy of Dance scholarship in New Zealand. Career In 1946, Jackson joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet in London. She was notable for her role as Swanhilda in the ballet ''Coppélia'', and danced with Robert Helpmann and her husband Philip Chatfi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auckland Museum
The Auckland War Memorial Museum (), also known as Auckland Museum, is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building constructed in the 1920s and 1950s, stands on Observatory Hill, the remains of a dormant volcano, in the Auckland Domain, near Auckland CBD. Museum collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Auckland Region), natural history, and military history. Auckland Museum's collections and exhibits began in 1852. In 1867 Aucklanders formed a learned society—the Auckland Philosophical Society, soon renamed Auckland Institute. Within a few years Auckland Museum was transferred to Auckland Institute, thereafter known as Auckland Institute and Museum until 1996. Auckland War Memorial Museum was the name of the new building opened in 1929, but since 1996 it has been more commonly used for the institution as well. From 1991 to 2003 the Museum's Māori-language, Māori n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Officer Of The New Zealand Order Of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits", to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity. In the order of precedence, the New Zealand Order of Merit ranks immediately after the Order of New Zealand. Creation Prior to 1996, New Zealanders received appointments to various British orders, such as the Order of the Bath, the Order of St Michael and St George, the Order of the British Empire, and the Order of the Companions of Honour, as well as the distinction of Knight Bachelor. The change came about after the Prime Minister's Honours Advisory Committee (1995) was created "to consider ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2000 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)
The 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours in New Zealand, celebrating the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, were appointments made by the Queen in her right as Queen of New Zealand, on the advice of the New Zealand government, to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders. They also incorporated gallantry awards, and a special honours list recognising military operational and other service in East Timor. They were announced on 5 June 2000. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour. Order of New Zealand (ONZ) ;Ordinary member * His Eminence Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams – of Wellington; Catholic Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand. File:Tom Williams ONZ 2007 (cropped).jpg, Tom Williams New Zealand Order of Merit Principal Companion (PCNZM) * The Right Reverend Te Whakahuihui Vercoe – of Rotorua. For services to Māori and the community. Distinguished Companion ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1986 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)
The 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours in New Zealand, celebrating the official birthday of Elizabeth II, were appointments made by the Queen in her right as Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, on the advice of the New Zealand government, to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders. They were announced on 14 June 1986. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour. Knight Bachelor * Neil Isaac – of Christchurch. For services to conservation. * The Right Honourable (Mr Justice) Ivor Richardson, Ivor Lloyd Morgan Richardson – of Wellington; judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand, Court of Appeal. * Earl Richardson (businessman), (Lionel) Earl George Richardson – of Auckland. For services to manufacturing. Order of Saint Michael and Saint George Companion (CMG) * Ted Keating, Edwin Joseph Keating – of Silverstream. For public an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queen's Service Medal
The King's Service Medal (created as the Queen's Service Medal in 1975 and renamed in 2024) is a medal awarded by the government of New Zealand to recognise and reward volunteer service to the community and also public service in elected or appointed public office. It was established in 1975 and is related to the Queen's Service Order. The QSM replaced the Imperial Service Medal as an award of New Zealand. On 3 May 2024, the Queen's Service Medal was renamed to the King's Service Medal by Royal Warrant. Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal from 1975 until May 2024 will continue to use the 'QSM' postnominal with recipients of the King's Service Medal from June 2024 using the postnominal 'KSM'. Appearance 1975–2007 The original medal was made of sterling silver, in diameter. The obverse bears the same effigy of The Queen as the badge of the Queen's Service Order. Surrounding the effigy are the Royal styles and titles "ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F.D.". The revers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dmitry Kabalevsky
Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky ( ; – 14 February 1987) was a Soviet composer, conductor, pianist and pedagogue of Russian gentry descent. He helped set up the Union of Soviet Composers in Moscow and remained one of its leading figures during his lifetime. He was a prolific composer of piano music and chamber music; many of his piano works were performed by Vladimir Horowitz. He is best known in Western Europe for his Second Symphony; the "Comedians' Galop" from '' The Comedians'' Suite, Op. 26; and his Third Piano Concerto. Life Kabalevsky was born in Saint Petersburg in 1904, but moved to Moscow at a young age. His father was a mathematician and encouraged him to study mathematics, but he showed a fascination for the arts. He studied at the Academic Music College in Moscow and graduated in 1922. He then continued his studies with Vasily Selivanov. In 1925, he then went on to study at the Moscow Conservatory where he learned composition with first Georgy Catoire, then ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early Modernism (music), modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Along with Gustav Mahler, he represents the late flowering of German Romanticism, in which pioneering subtleties of orchestration are combined with an advanced harmony, harmonic style. Strauss's compositional output began in 1870 when he was just six years old and lasted until his death nearly eighty years later. His first tone poem to achieve wide acclaim was ''Don Juan (Strauss), Don Juan'', and this was followed by other lauded works of this kind, including ''Death and Transfiguration'', ''Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks'', ''Also sprach Zarathustra'', ''Don Quixote (Strauss), Don Quixote'', ''Ein Heldenleben'', ''Symph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consisting of 156 stories across nine volumes, have been translated into more than 125 languages. They have become embedded in Western culture, Western collective consciousness, accessible to children as well as presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers., p. 388 His most famous fairy tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale (fairy tale), The Nightingale", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Red Shoes (fairy tale), The Red Shoes", "The Princess and the Pea", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Match Girl", and "Thumbelina." Andersen's stories have inspired ballets, plays, and animated and live-action films. Early life Andersen was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Nutcracker
''The Nutcracker'' (, ), Opus number, Op. 71, is an 1892 two-act classical ballet (conceived as a '; ) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination featuring a Nutcracker doll. The plot is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's 1844 short story ''The Nutcracker'', itself a retelling of E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King''. The ballet's first choreographer was Marius Petipa, with whom Tchaikovsky had worked three years earlier on ''The Sleeping Beauty'', assisted by Lev Ivanov. Although the complete and staged ''The Nutcracker'' ballet was not initially as successful as the 20-minute ''Nutcracker Suite'' that Tchaikovsky had premiered nine months earlier, it became popular in later years. Since the late 1960s, ''The Nutcracker'' has been danced by many ballet companies, especially in North America. Major American ballet companies generate around 40% of their annual ticket ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swan Lake
''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoje ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, links=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular ballets of all time. The scenario, initially in two acts, was fashioned from Russian and German folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger (Václav Reisinger). The ballet was premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet on at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Although it is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet on 15 January 1895, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. For this revival, Tchaikovsky's score was revise ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
