About Souvenir Programs

At the heart of the term "souvenir" is the desire "to remember." The desire, however, is tied to a physical object – a seashell recalling an ocean, pressed leaves of a visit home, a ticket stub of an evening in the heater. These are keys to trigger memory.

Souvenirs have been a part of human endeavor, one suspects, since before recorded history, a chance to touch time itself by capturing a moment in a significant object. Mourners used to clip a lock of hair, or lop off a bit of funeral shroud to mark the passing of important personages. Indeed, the invention of the honor guard may have been less a case of homage than defense against desecration.

Whence came the commercial souvenir? Did some ancient Greek traveler bargain for a model pyramid to remember a voyage up the Nile? Did a painted vase from Athens have sentimental value for a young man of classical Rome, completing his studies? We can only guess. Neither theater history nor sociological research reveal when the souvenir program came to be.

But a prime example for both theater and dance must be the "BALET COMIQVE DE LA ROYNE," a 1582 publication "avec privilege" from the "Impremeurs du Roy" (Adrian le Roy, Robert Ballard, Mamert Patisson). Was this commemoration of a court spectacle, or a desire to exert political propaganda? For sure, this publication, which describes in detail the production (a paean for a new "golden age" as exemplified in the marriage of the queen's sister to a royal noble) might just as well have provided a remembrance – a souvenir to any of the courtiers who participated or witnessed the event.

During successive centuries "airs de ballet" (booklets of featured tunes) were printed in France. Surely these count as commercial souvenirs (and yes, commercial enterprise and souvenirs have been linked since inception).

But it wasn't until the 18th century and the cult of the performer that theatrical souvenirs became popular. Look at all those lithographs of early ballerinas, gracing sheet music for the newly respectable parlor piano. Surely the next permutation must have been, by then, obvious? – a booklet, offered to theater patrons and taking much of the effort out of souvenir mongering.

As a definition, then, a souvenir program could be described as:
(1) a commercial enterprise (often produced as part of a marketing plan)
(2) designed to emphasize a company or show and the personalities connected whether on stage or as creative forces (e.g. author, composer, choreographer or lyricist) with
(3) photographs, short biographies and related information.

At its best a souvenir program can contain accurate and otherwise unavailable company histories, biographical notes and repertory lists. Noted critics were solicited for essays evaluating the company in question. More rarely artists themselves contributed. Anton Dolin, Eugene Loring and Antony Tudor all wrote for the early Ballet Theatre's souvenir books. The exact facts of a dance production (music, libretto, costumes, lighting) can often be found in the lowly souvenir program.

Additionally a souvenir program may contain fine art photography by noted artists, such as George Platt Lynes for the New York City Ballet, or hard-to- find information such as a discography of Philippine music from the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company. While souvenir programs are predominantly attached to staged shows, they may be issued, too, for exhibitions and gala film openings. (Though it pains, it must be admitted that some programs have virtually no value beyond naming company members.)

The Carson-Brierly Dance Library's holdings comprise an initial 640 items spanning nearly the whole of the 20th century. The earliest, ca. 1906, is devoted to Adeline Genee; one of the most recent is for Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance. The first has a dance history expanded with quotations by Genee; the last merely notes the show was "Created, choreographed and produced by Michael Flatley," with many color photographs of Flatley and the barest mention of other company members.

As a further aid to remembrance, some souvenir programs have newspaper reviews or house programs laid in, or autographs from the performers themselves.

The souvenir programs are arranged in alphabetical order by company name or performer's surname. Please note, some performers and some companies have been through several name changes, duly noted in the last column. The programs are under the name as it appears on the program (thus, "Ballet Theatre" AND "American Ballet Theatre") with one notable exception: Pavlova is under the surname rather than the confusing permutations and partnerships she created. The entire collection is contained in manila envelopes in four legal-sized file drawers. Additions will be added as received.