Death Comes to the Ballets Russes Read Online Free PDF

Natasha paused to help herself to a piece of chocolate cake.
    ‘I think the ballet and the opera people all get trained at the Imperial Theatre School in Theatre Street in St Petersburg. I think they can go there as boarders when they’re still quite young. They get a proper education, as well as being trained in their particular speciality, dancing or singing. Nijinsky was a pupil there – I remember my brother telling us that he was going to be the most famous ballet dancer in the world.’
    ‘Do they get on with each other? The ballerinas?’
    ‘You should try some of this cake, Sergeant,’ said Natasha with a smile. ‘It’s really good. There’s a bakery round the corner that’s one of the best in London. In answer to your question, Lord Powerscourt, I don’t think the world of ballet is an advertisement for brotherly love. Or sisterly love either. I don’t think they have regular readings of the Sermon of the Mount at mealtimes.’
    ‘Do they not get on with each other at all?’
    ‘I think there is one word that explains so much about their behaviour. Jealousy. Just imagine, Lord Powerscourt. You’ve been friends with this boy or girl for a number of years. You’re in the same class. You’re sharing your schooldays. Then, one day, out of the blue, your friend is promoted. He or she is made up a grade. They can see their way right up to the top now, premier danseur or prima ballerina, the summit of your profession, the chance to make dramatic leaps all over the stage and heaps and heaps of money off it. But you, the one not promoted, may spend years stuck in the corps de ballet. You could be there until you take your pension. People are sometimes so possessed with jealousy that they do terrible things.’
    ‘Stabbing each other to death with Cossack knives just used in a performance, perhaps?’ said Powerscourt.
    ‘I’ve never heard of anything that bad, but there are some terrible stories. One female dancer, who thought she was the one people came to see, was dancing with Nijinsky not long ago. At the end it was clear that the applause and the standing ovations that rang round and round were for him, not her. She’s never danced with Nijinsky again.’
    ‘God bless my soul,’ said Powerscourt.
    ‘Then there was another prima ballerina who found that her roles were drying up. She was cast in fewer and fewer ballets and her parts were getting smaller. She only found out the reason by accident. Another prima ballerina had gone to the choreographer Fokine we saw just now and told him that he, Fokine, must not put her rival in too many roles. She was consumptive. Too much dancing would be very bad for her health. Smaller roles, not too many performances, that was the secret.’
    ‘It all sounds a bit like London gangsters to me – why don’t we knife the boss of the gang next door?’ Sergeant Jenkins was brushing chocolate crumbs off his jacket. ‘I’m obliged to you, Mrs Shaporova, for the coffee and the cake. You were right about that. It’s delicious. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to the station. My inspector may have found somebody who speaks Russian for me by now. I wish you both a very good day.’
    Natasha Shaporova was also preparing to leave. ‘I will let you know the minute I hear from Fokine, Lord Powerscourt. Do you have any plans in the meantime?’
    ‘I do, as a matter of fact. I’m going to find out all I can about the gentleman Alexander Taneyev was staying with, Mr Richard Wagstaff Gilbert. In my rather disagreeable profession, Natasha, we learn a number of disagreeable truths. Jealousy may be one motive for murder. Money, especially money to be inherited, is undoubtedly another.’

3
    Relevé
    Literally ‘lifted’. Rising from any position to balance on one or both feet on at least
demi-pointe
, which is heels off the floor, or higher to full
pointe
(commonly for girls), where the dancer is actually balancing on the top of the toes, supported