The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-07


the ballet is the most important func-
ton Of the summer season.
This year we have had several inter
esting novelties offered to us at the
"crcations," or first nights. The great
Richard Strauss has come to Paris for
the special purpose of conducting his
much talked of ballet LA Legende de
Joseph" the first ever written by the
musician who is. perhaps, the most dis
cussed artist in Europe.
The ballet has been, and stil IS, sur
rounded by clouds of expectation. of
excitement. and yet II Is. to some Of
soul. I am aware that I am now tread
ing upon dangerous ground. The
adorers of the new star. Leonlde Mas
sine. will scott at the suggestion that
he is not capable of making ms forget
Nitnsky. But this is true Vaslaw Nj
tinsky was the soul of the Russian bal
let. He was a strange creature Of tenn
permanent. Of eccentricity of absolute
genius. AS a dancer he was, and Is.
beyond compare, But / am not now
thinking of him as a dancer. ! am
thinking of him as a genius.
The opening night of the ballet was
superb. The Opera was crowded as
for a royal gala Richard Strauss con-
Quoted Leonide MiaSsine looked. acted
and danced as an ideal Joseph might
have done. The scenery was superb,
the dresses more than manifcent. The
applause was generous. And YET some
thing was wanting.
In that generous applause one never
once felt the mysterious thrill Of genu-
inc enthusiasm, such enthusiasm as un-
failingly greeted Nijinsky when he
danced in Les sYiphiaes." TO the eho-
rtn srftfstt- sll4
a moenlit window in THE Spectre Of the
Rose" above all when he moved across
the stage with strange gestures and
amorous animal ewes IN Debussy's
'LApres midi dun Fauaa"
Ni1insky is genius The other
dancers. including the new star Mas
sine are extraordinarily clever There
in lies the difference Ard genius. sun-
consciously, arouses real enthusiasm.
For some reason Easlaw Ni1insky has
left the Russian ballet aud has started
on his own account And the loss 20
the ballet L. Il. !Ea.1.s.-.s ia;-
An unwritten law demands that the
loveiiest gowns and the most gor-
geous Jewels shall Ne worn on SUBJ
scription nights at Les Ballots Russes
On reviewing those brilliant functions
one realizes with a sigh of relief that
eeeeHt aa saas@sA.a- = sat-
the past especially eccentric head
dresses which express themselves In
such colors as metallic blue, pastel pink
or emerald green har
On the opening night OF tue Russian
ballet season there was not coiored
couture In the house. except one that
was born on tho stage an emerald
green. More than this, the vast major
fty of the women present wore their
hair simply dressed and in natural
colors.
There were a number ~ powdered
heads. OF course, bat these for the
greater part, were exploited by women
of IS or 50 and upward very few really
young women appeared IN powder and
patches. ] heraIded this. change some
time ago. for | saw that it was newt
able We are becoming almost an
necessarily natural We have already
the natural waist line. natural hair
even. In many cases. natural COM
plexions To look artificial nowadays
Is 10 label oneself "viveux jeu.'
One thing specially pleased me in
connection with the smart nights at
the Russian ballet and that was the
return Of the tiara and OF the tiara
comb. For important functions
diamond tiara is the most becoming
ornament woman can wear This new
tiara comb Is not unduly remarkable
and can be worn AT any time.
On several subscription nights I
noticed that the two most distinguished
looking woman in the opera house were
simply gowned in black chiffon: half
mourning dresses which were not
specially decollete. These two ladies
were the Grand Duchess Vladimir OF
Russia and her daughter-in-law, the
Grand Duchess Cyril. Both ladies wore
Russian tiaras composed of magnificent
diamonds and both had beautiful dia-
mond ornaments on the front Of their
simple black corsages. All eyes were
turned In the direction of their loge;
they were regal; spienddly simple.
The Parisiennes have, as mentioned
In recent article, been very much i'm
pressed by the spectacular effect of
what may be called royal dressing.
When Queen Mary was here her gowns
At first attracted polite smiles, because
OF their simple outline. then they at
.tracted admiration because of their
perfect taste. finally they were freely
copied. We are in for season of royal
fashions. and this is an excellent thing
We need a moment OF repose after a
long period of eccentricities
Those among us who are superstitious
regard the advent of the peacock feather
with something like horror. 1t is now
freely used for evening headdreSses, II
is made to stand erect above the fore
head. Just where the aigrette yoster-