Madame MircevaEnter her story

Madame Mirceva — the life and legacy of N. F. Wulffius

Madame Mirceva, N. F. Wulffius. A pencil illustration of a ballerina, white horse and pig, framed by Saint Petersburg architecture on the left and a theatre facade on the right, beneath burgundy lettering and a gold crown.
Madame Mirceva · The legacy of an imperial ballerina
ENTER HER STORY

A LIFE ACROSS CONTINENTS

Ballerina. Teacher. Reader.
A story still unfolding.

Explore the life of Madame Mirceva — Nadine Wulffius — through her personal library, family documents and the stories that remain.

Black-and-white portrait of Nadine Wulffius, known on stage as Madame Mirceva
Photo to come
Explore the timeline · scroll or swipe
DISCOVER THE FAMILY STORY
Photo 1

HER STORY

Known on stage as Mirceva.Remembered as Nadine.

Nadine Wulffius (1899–1992) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher. Born in Latvia to Russian parents, she later made her home in Western Australia, where she founded a ballet school in Maddington and contributed to the early years of West Australian Ballet.

This family-led project brings together her personal library, surviving documents and the memories passed down through generations. It is being developed by her great-grandchild, alongside a biography, a Russian play translation and a novel.

Explore her biography & interviews
Vera Mirtseva bilingual edition cover concept
Ivory cover concept for Vera Mirtseva

THE PLAY · A NEW TRANSLATION

Vera Mirtseva.
A criminal case.

A play in four acts by Lev Urvantsoz, brought into focus alongside the family’s search for Madame Mirceva.

The supplied bilingual edition pairs the original Russian pre-reform transcription with an English translation, credited to N. J. HOFFMAN.

RUSSIAN & ENGLISH · EDITION IN DEVELOPMENT
THE PLAY’S JOURNEY

THE PERSONAL LIBRARY

A collection with a story.

Russian émigré publications, refugee-era books and inscribed copies. Each volume is a small piece of a much larger life.

Browse all books

A selection from a family library of approximately 400 books.

Catalogue in progress · descriptions under review

THE ARCHIVE

The traces we leave behind.

Inscriptions, clippings and everyday objects bring the people behind the books into view.

Explore the archive

THE NEXT CHAPTER · N. J. HOFFMAN

Her story continues.
In new words.

A biography, a play in translation and a novel are taking shape alongside the work of preserving the collection.

Vera Mirtseva — A Criminal Case — book cover

TRANSLATION · IN DEVELOPMENT

Vera Mirtseva — A Criminal Case

A bilingual edition of Lev Urvantsoz’s play in four acts, pairing Russian pre-reform transcription and English translation, credited to N. J. HOFFMAN.

Explore the play Publication details forthcoming
Finding Hope — book cover

BIOGRAPHY · IN DEVELOPMENT

Finding Hope

A great-granddaughter’s search for the truth. A family-led exploration of Madame Mirceva’s life by N. J. HOFFMAN.

Explore the book Publication details forthcoming
Cover to be added

FICTION · IN DEVELOPMENT

A novel taking shape

A separate work of fiction, presented alongside the historical research with its imaginative nature clearly identified.

Explore the book Publication details forthcoming
Meet the Author

PRESERVING THE PERSON BEHIND THE COLLECTION

Some stories are inherited.
Others, we bring back to life.

Return to her story