New-York tribune., 1909-06-20
SLAV OPERA In PARIS
French aroused to Enthus;o,n
Skill of Russian Dancers
Paris. June

the enterprise. In accordance with the E-.-
custom we have had opera and ballet a. &
ferent nights. In both the traditions nrf,.,-
and technique are utterly at variance vis5r.s1'
of Paris. classic. conventional. unvarvi,z -
the contrast was so piquant that Paris !, -
by surprise. has been carried away with
thusiasrn only comparable with that rnars,,-.-.
by them a few years ago for the Russia, ~
ance!
The old and ugly theatre OF the chs,.,.
proved a very suitable background for ~.
Oriental manifestations. The strong viotr
coIoring employed in the stage scenery was -
cuIated to alarm the impressionists with a..
prediction for half tones and suppressio- .
the definite in line as IN hue. but It fasei,,,.'
fully as much as 1t alarmed Imagine a sc..'
representing the interior Of an imperial 60
hung entirely in crimson, and against this b..,
ground imagine Gar clad in chain mail l..
a mantle Of purple. singing in a fine baryto.,
of slaughter and pi1lage to a delicate vor,-
princess clad in a shapeless garment OF br.,s
red. with sleeves OF violet, and high pearl bso4
dress, and you realize how this-a characts,.
istic color scheme Of Russian opera-aupesr,,
to the eyes accustomed to the insipid. blsacbss
'.decors' Of a RigoIetto or a Manon. And n
such an atmosphere OF primary color the an.
ing of Chaliapine, as the Car Ivan the Teruu.
and OF Mile Lipkowska, as the heroine, showed
a marked absence OF the artificial and convsu.
.ionaI gestures that seem so inseparabIy assn.
ciated with opera, both achieving conprsbsp.
sive expression Of successive emotions by II,
simplest and most natural movements Form,
thing. 1t must be said that the high headdrss,
Of the Princess Olga made it materially INNS.
sible for either her lover or her father to srsk,
her hair in grand opera manner. and torpsi
them to find some new system Of showing /,
the public their feeling for the heroine
II IS, however. the Russian corps de bsr.,
that will leave the strongest and most lasdr,
impression behind It in Paris. The perfscssa
TO which the difficult. delicate and charming an
Of dancing has been carried in the Russisa
schools is nothing short Of q revelation TIA
modern school OF rhythmical movement, which
is the dance. owes TO Italy its origin and ars
development. and was. in fact. carried to Russia
via Paris. The actual school OF St Petersburg
was for more than half a century managed by
d French maftre de ballet who reioices ii
the quantity appropriate name OF " Petitps
cor Mr.. ShOrtstep). TO whose teaching Russia
owes those brilliant etoiles. Miles. Eugene So
kolova. de Wazem ard Kschesinka. while the rs
ing etoiIe. the youthful Mile Preobrajenska, is
pupil Of the same master. and also OF Nile So
kolova On this classic Latin foundation the
Russian temperament has built UP ballet that
in graphic completeness leaves the Partisan
school very far behind
II IS many years now since the Paris OPERA
school Of dancing has trained any male bale.
dancers. For some reason or other. Paris cares
only for female dancers. and the male parts
which are always insignihcant-are invariably
performed by women n masculine dress IN
the eighteenth century. however, the Italian
Vestris raised immense enthusiasm among the
opera habitues in Paris by his prodigious agl-
fty. his grace and elegance The leading ms
dancer OF the Russian troupe now n Par5z
another Vestris. and Nijinsky's Perfor11anesa
not the least extraordinary feature q thsss
ballets. Without the smallest apparent szOEt
h. raises himself frorn the ground and then
gently reluctantly slowly. returns TO earth, %
leave II again Immediately. In the adagto. T
duet with his woman partner. he incarnatss |
before Partisan eyes the whole story OF ta /
emotional life OF Russia; II IS a frenzy OF SER /
and warrior. the Wild excitement OK fight
chase capture, a storm OF steps as cornpl-
Gated as rapid. and yet metricaL harmonious
and yoIuptuous The two roles can never D !
confounded; Nijinsky and his fellows remain
throughout vfriIe. II has been said that Rns'
STA Is the frozen East; IN the dancing Of Asf
children we see the thaw, thorough and for
Apart from the effectiveness impaired 70 tas
ballet bv the Introduction Of the male element
which makes II. Of course. infinitely more ss-
nifcant than it otherwise can be. the difference
Le~v-z 41rr6
mainly in the "fougue- that these Russians m
,roduce into their work. The Paris pu6ie has
for some time past viewed its ballet Win s1
Indifferent eye; at times there has even 's'-
q question OF suppressing it. and thlS co.1l-
naturally communicates itself 10 the o0i'
The Russian dancers have the advaAtase O. =
enthusiastic public. No citizen OF d
burg considers an evening too long 70 si'0
the ballet: the Partisan tOlerates II iof -
twenty minutes. and likes 70 take It sanDA,
In between the third and fourth ac's O-
,pera when IL does not form part OF the na---s
action Of the drama. The etOile OF tas - -
,auet Is Mile. ZambeIi. q very eleS4H'
yer>, highly finished dancer. hut she ACAS
Ere and enthusiasm Of Kschesinska OF
brafenska The stereotyped smile thaI apl0
10 he painted on the face OF many oaiie' -
9 absent from these Russians: theiF ls1'-
rIow with life. and every passing enlouON
,re translating into movement Is ren7'''
heir faces +ss
E,erhaps one reason OF the excellence "a =,
russian ballet is the rigorousness OF 10
rbo training oS these stoIles begins very
md each child is brought before 'n0 - 80, ga
IN automatic rotation. beginning al 80 -.
fifteenth year At thirty-hve n.
merit of the dancer. he or she Is place. n
etired list. pensiOned and dlscnarsVU' --r-sss
his way there is ever tide OF SO1'-l .,srs
through the corps. In the Paris scii0V' ,ss
ire no such severe laws, and as Ions n,r
lancer can skip or jump she appears --sss
accustomed place in the troupe. 70 '-- -.
letriment of the artistic value OF t'0