The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-08-14
The Bewitching Banseuse.
rhe second volume of Chevalier

The second volume of Chevalier
Wikof's memoirs contains a chapter
devoted to Fanny Ellsler, which is re-
produced in the New York Telegram
from an advance copy. Following is
the account of Fanny's debut in New
York:
The eventful day of the ordeal came.
and large concourse collected before
the theater hours before the doors
opened. L felt little nervous, but
concealed it from Fanny. / had no
apprehension of failure, but the result
might not realize my hopes. | escort
ed her to the carriage when she was
starting for the theater, and | remark
ed she was CHASTITY pale and her voice
very tremulous. The first farce was
half over when | strolled into Fanny's
room, assuming listless air. She
was dressed for the "Cracovienne,"
and looked very bewitching. She had
rouged her cheeks, so the paleness had
disappeared. She was standing in the
wings when the curtain rose. The
house was breathless with curiosity.
Now" and | spoke encouragingly,
zen avant. Do the best you can-du
courage"
She appeared. Such shout l never
heard. The men waved their hats, the
women their handkerchiefs, and cheers
of welcome resounded on all sides.
Fanny seemed to recoil before it. The
music struck up and she began. | saw
she was making desperate efforts, but
none of her buoyancy, her usual elan,
was there. She finished, and rs the
f,ll hN nril. ,f
deafening. | went up to her and said:
Very well; but you can do better
than that"
YES" she answered firmly, Il can
and will. If they applaud such dane
ing as that ] will astonish them before
the night is over"
| saw she was coming to herself, and
felt relieved, and she repeated the
''CraCOvienne' with far more grace and
effect.
The ballet began with an exhibition
of Sylvain's disciples, and they acquit-
ted themselves so well as to be much
applauded. OF 4 sudden Fanny bound
ed on the stage. A murmur of sur
prise and admiration ran through the
house. They now beheld the fair
creature their fancies had painted. Her
perfectly shaped head, her lovely bust,
her exquisite limbs and tiny feet, her
ticecy white skirts floating in the air,
seemed more vision of grace and
beauty than a reality. She danced,
and the rapidity, variety, and brillian-
cy of her pas and twinkling evolutions
far eclipsed all their imagining. Her
wondrous grace revealed in the SIM
piles, movement heightened the effect
Gradually the audience yielded to the
Sorceress, and abandoned themselves
to the widest delight, amounting at
times almost to frenzy. The enthu5i-
aoin was universal and knew no bounds
Fanny really did wonders Never be-
fore in Paris or London had she execut-
ed such feats. Her acting was on a
par with her dancing, Her pantomime
was SO expressive and intelligent that
people We're almost unconscious she
was not talking. When the curtain
finally descended 4 hurricane of ap-
plause brought her repeatedly before
it. | see no reason why | should not
MENTION in connection with her first
appearance, that there were three
young men, then unknown to fame,
who, having failed to secure seats in
the boxes resolutely fought their way
into the pit. to the serious detriment
of their coats and hats. The pluck
ana determination then displayed
have often since been displayed on
much grander occasions.
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