New-York tribune., 1911-11-21
AT THE WINTER GARDEN
New Performance Includes Vera
Violetta" and "Undine.

After considerable heralding and some
adventures to its credit the Winter Gar
den's new entertainment. the second OF
this fall season. was seen for the first time
here last night. The little German OPP
eretta, Vera Violetta." by Leo stein, the
principal air of which could have been
heard in every cafe in Berlin four years
ago, forms the principal claim TO interest
in the present production. In this adapta-
ton. done by Leonard Liebling and Harold
Attridge, the always dubious element OF
plot is practically absent. so here is one
musical attraction that is unhampered
by cumbrous characters who have to rush
in every so often and give hasty. excited
explanations about what has happened to
the plot while the audience was occupied
watching the last song and dance. In
Vera Violetta" ttere are two scenes, the
foyer OF a skating rink in Paris and the
anteroom Of the same rink later. TWO
wives come there looking for escaped hus-
bands Each finds the others, and finds
him more attractive than her own. one OF
these wives in distress. more or less, is
Olga from the Voga. played sung and
danced by Jose Collins: the other Is Adele
de st. Cloche, portrayed in shimmering,
changing charms by Gaby Deslys,
Vera Violetta is a wonderful perfume Ct
strange powers which has been discovered
and is exclusively used by Olga. Olga Is
dangerous person, with a Russian back
ground. who makes your blood curdle al
most as badly as the lady Of the tiger ski
IN "Three Weeks" once did. But she pro
vides the operetta with It's principal win
some tune. so she must be forgiven. This
little air. which is called after the piece In
which II appears, was lost in last nights
admiration, and that is a pity, for In the
original It was quite winning.
or course the bright particular feature OF
the evening was Mile Gaby, with her smile
her pearls, her glide and her personality
Is she not a subject for another Portuguese
sonnet? But, alas. no one takes her seriously
While a rapt audience gazes at her. think
ing of her romance and counting the great
radiant pearls Of the now historic necklace
thew seem TO be missing the grace OF her
stem in the dance, the subtle moves and
evnressions which make her worth watch
ing She is a novelty to the American
vaudeville stage. and stands quite distinctly
onart from the rest. She has repose.
brought into this production and 1t found
favor with the audience. The most loudly
applauded feature Of the operetta' ano
something which, of course, had nothing
n do with it, was Al Jolson's singing OF
tho Haunting Melody" and Rum. TuT
riddle" both OF which he did with hne
spirit.
The sketch "Undine" merely served &c
introduce Annette Kellermann In poses ano
diving. She has still the same skill ir
curying her way from the spring Of higf
dive to the surface OF her pool
The new performance has points-mos'
of them have been seen many times. But
audiences will go TO see Mile. Gaby anc
will not be disappointed. BY the way sh'
Of the lilies speaks English" in her ne"
part-at least the programme tells you so
and several persons in hte audience seemed
to recognize number OF the words sh'
said.