Omaha daily bee., 1895-04-21

hurts badly when somebody steps on their
tight-slippered toes people persevere, and
the merrlment is great The floor trembles
under the weight of the dancers
The real carnival however, is in the Large
hall' at the other end of the lily grotto.
This hall has two balconies, where people
are beginning to take their places for the
ballet. We have good seats in the box for
the ladies of the committeeman, and a fine
view over the floor, where the Francaise is
just being danced 1t is a dazzling sight, all
these masked figures that tread the stately
dance, their fanciful rainbow -colored cos
tunes shining in the brilliant light. One
becomes quite dizzy looking down at the
whirl of gayety. the frolics and fun, with
bursts of music and laughter sounding in
ones ears.
BRILLIANT TABLEAUX.
But even now almost as we have taken
our seats, the music stops, and the curtain
arises on the ballet, THE Triumph of Prince
Carnival" or "In Union There is Strength"
The students are inveterate actors. and used
to taking the part of women in the university
theatrlcals. so the blue and white court
ladies who were dancing minuet were really
excellent, though they did lift their skirts
pretty high, showing a little too much of
hite-stocknged calves for perfect grace.
But, dear me, boys will be boys" even II
they are past 20. The plot of the ballet
was, shortly, this; prince (CarnivaD woos a
princess CThe Public), but the old king, her
poor. So the prince goes out into the world
and has to combat with the managers OF not
alone the ordinary theaters, but of the va
riety theaters (of which there are many in
Copenhagen well; he calls first the stu
dents then the artists, to his aid but not
until both unite their forces does he conquer
the foe and win the required gold and the
princess. According to the program, the
first act occurs some or other place." and
the second "some or other other place"
Thn AraNg tg q in AVID he
dances were really very funny and we'll per-
formed too. Especially amusing was a dance
In which the king chased around the stage
and out, with all his eOurtiers in tail be-
hind him. The part Of the princess was taken
of course, by a young man, the son of a once
noted actress; he wore a pretty white and sill
yer brocade court dress and acted with
singular grace. To5see him before mirror,
decking himself out with jewels or gathering
his silken petticoati above his little feet, or
sweeping toward the prince and fainting grace
fully in his arms one marveled, and as for
his looks, why, all the ladies agreed that he
was "oh, so sweet" AS to Prince Carnival
himself, he and his troop were resplendent
in red and yellow satin, with high, pointed
caps and cabbage like roses in their shoes.
In the second act were some very witty
satires on the theaters; and varieties" and
the appearance OF the respective managers in
caricature was hailed with enthusiasm. The
students had put a great deal of work on the
pallet, ana most especially was TINS apparent
when caricatures of the principal. roles in
all the popular plays of the season appeared,
impersonated by young men perfect as TO
makeup and dress, from Madame sans
Gene" in her pink pegpoir and curls, es-
corted by perfect imitation OF Msrtimiss
Nlelsen's Napoleon, to ''Niobe," who stalked
around on the stage, followed by picked lot
of her many children One of these latter
was a tiny fellow OF three years or so, who
trotted along in wonderment, staring now at
the spectators and now at the actors with big,
astonished eyes. But 1t is Of no use to enter
into details, as the hits could not be reished
or even understood by outsiders. Suffice II
to say that h was success and much ap-
preciated.
MERRIMENT SUPREME
1t is not until the ballet is over that the
merrlest part comes Then social trammels
are cast aside and Prince Carnival reigns
indeed. We leave our box and mingle with