The Washington herald., 1909-10-12
THE NATIONAL.
La LoIe Fuller.


last night was transported 20 an Elysium
where nymphs and goddesses disported
| The jaded theatergoer. ever on the look
out for new and delightful sensations,
will find La Loie Fuller and her muses.
/ fully capable of giving him unalloyed and
| unbounded pleasure The entire enter
! tainment is unique-a programme OF
dancing; and such dancing. A specially
! engaged symphony orchestra. under the
/ direction OF Gustav. Hinrichs. played the
| music Of the masters to which the afore-
/ said nymphs and goddesses danced.
The programme is in two parts. the
! first being ushered in after the overture
of Tampa by three muses.. who fiutter
gracefully over and about the stage 70
the music of Berlioz's "Damnation OF
/ Faust" This IS the merest inkling of
/ the beauties to come. Four premiere
danseuses-Irene Sander. Gertrude van
Axen, Rita Sacchetto. and Orchidee-all
/ giving different phases Of dancing yet
all equally artistic ard interesting, are
| introduced Miss Sandens "Minuet' OF
Boccherini and "TambOurin" OF Rameau
at once conveyed 10 the spectator that no
/ ordinary performance was being given.
Later, when Miss Sander danced the
''Barcarole" OF Onenbach, dancing for
fourteen minutes, the audience rose at
her. Her third dance was THE Blue
Danube and she fairly lifted herself
from the stage in the ecstasy OF the
waltz. Her dancing is all poetry and
rhythm. rhythm and grace. the hands. The
body, the head as well as the feet, fol-
lowing perfectly the music
Rita Sacchetto looked truly 10 have
stepped out OF Velasquez on her first
! appearance in the royal Spanish dance
and Castagnette solo. Her appearance
was almost regal and her dance a mar
vel OF characteristic Spanish posturing
and dancing. The Tarantelle of Chopin,
which she gave later. Is a realistic bit
Of acting. In illustration Of the legend
that when one is bitten by a spider Cthe
tarantula) he may be saved from death
by dancing madiy. La Saechetto re-
ceived tremendous applause on this ef-
fort but owing TO the demands OF the
dance upon her strength she will not re-
peat II until Saturday afternoon.
Gertrude van Axen represents the
purely classical type OF dancer. Although
clad but lightly. her dances are free
from the slightest improperly or sug-
gestion. In her gray futtering drapery
| she looked like a Greek maiden-iithe
I active. almost athletic. She danced first
six waltzes OF Brahms, op. 80. each dis
tinct, yet all depending on each other.
II was as II the music gained new sig
nifcance by the interpretation TWO
Chopin numbers and one OF Beethoven
completed Miss van Axen's part OF the
programme. Her whole performance was
one OF exquisite loveliness.
| Orchidee and the muses., as Diana and
a hunting chorus, added much bright &C
ton 20 the series. Orchidee was like the
| Winged Victory. fairly floating about
the stage, followed by her attendants.
This was perhaps as well liked by the
audience last night as any number al
| though comparison between any OF these
dancers is practically impossible. The
reckless abandon and vitality OF Or
chidee's dancing is what makes II espe-
cially beautiful The Turkish March,"
Of Mozart, and a Chopin prelude gave
Orchidee further opportunities.
Ia Loie Fuller herself appeared for
the first time at the conclusion Of Part I.
when the AVE Maria" OF GOunod. was
played. She was shown as the Virgin,
with the worshipers at the shrine at her
feet below. The scene is given with
reverence and deep religious feeling.
there being no dancing steps taken, the
hands only indicating praise and exalta-
ton The dance OF the hands, inspired
by Rodin. with music by Fllaux Tiger,
was omitted last night, owing 10 a mis-
understanding with the conductor Of the
orchestra.
The Ballet Of Light" which consti-
tutes the second part Of the performance,
is a bewilderlng maze OF dancing, colors,
and light One can hardly recall the
dancing on account Of the marvellous
combinations OF light and coloring. or. on
the other hand. is apt 10 forget the latter
In contemplation Of the graceful dancing
Of the muses.. headed by La OTchidee and
La Loie Fuller. The production IS an
elaborate series OF changing scenes, each
dance being typical OF some beauty Of
nature-the sea, snowstorm, typhoon, the
bottom OF the sea. the clouds. the passing
| OF lights. volcanoes. wells Of fire, space.
| falling stars Aurora BOrealis. angels.
spirit butterflies, and ending with the
Great White Lily. In which La LOie exc
outes a dance with draperies which defies
description, II IS so big, so splendid, so
admirably conceived. and SO marvelously
executed.
The entire performance IS one which
will be more than a mere satisfaction to
| the curious or n pleasure 10 the novelty
! seeker. In a decided way II is educa-
tional. II represents the highest achieve
ment in the exposition Of modern and
ancient forms OF dancing. la Loie Fuller
has made a study Of dancing. and has
| lTaileu neT peOple Win lilOIOuBnneSs
which places them above all competition.
| Those dancers Of note whose modern
! conceptions are startling and amazing
the world have largely derived their in
spration and encouragement from La
/ Loie Fuller.
So well did last nights audience prove
| that It liked La Loie and her muses. that
/ It was reluctant 10 leave even after the
final curtain had fallen. They found the
performance all too short, perhaps for
/ getting the vast amount OF energy being
expended by the performers
La Loie and her museC give the most
novel and in many resyects the most at
tractive entertainmeTc that Washington
has seen this - on, and one which
| will linaer long lr ne memory