The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26

AlCH has been written In the
MI American press about the
Russian ballet, yet little has
been said " its real function. his
tory and soul The reason for that
Is the unfamiliarity of the Ameri-
ran writer's with actual Russian life
and conditions, which are 80 different
from the west European.
The Diaghileff ballet. which will
make its New York debut on January
!" at the Century under the manage
mcnt Of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany. Is a new word in the dance
world. II differs fundamentally from
the classic Russian ballet of which the
art of Pavlowa. Mordkin. kiascht.
Lopukova and Geltzer has given a
fragmentary idea. IL is a group Of
photographic revolutionists, an inter-
esting aesthetic part Of Russia. Their
art reflects the spectral shadows Of the
Siberian w.lds and the mysterious
inconsistencies and kremls.
Bakst. Stravinsky. Fokine, Nijinsky
n karsavina are all interesting art
rebels Of their semi-Oriental race.
Their plastic language Is bizarre,
vivid and colorful and they embody
Russian nature with all its %uncouth-
Ness and grace.
Before We consider the achievements
OF the Diaghileff dancers 1t is worth
while to get an idea of the old ballet
and It's unique history. 1t has been
admitted that the Russian dancer
brings the scent of his native trees
and flowers, the songs OF his native
birds. the leaps Of his deer and the
The Russian ballet exalts the gloom
and glow of a mi-Oriental life. the
glfttering towers of the cathedrals and
the Injuries OF the teremas. the idyllic
izbas of the moujiks and the lonely
peGal colonies Of Siberia. Its history
has been closely interviewer with the
most thrilling romantic and tragic
events of the naticO, more than that
Of any other art. As ! have written
IN my book on dancing:
"The unwritten history of the en-
chanting Russian dance would make a
thrilling record of three centuries. The
romances.~ tragedies. mysteries and in
trigues connected with this sealed
drama have often played a decisive
role in the affairs of the country.
"As the result Of a romance with
pretty Tcleshova. Griboyedoff,. the
famous dramatist, VAS killed in
Teheran. For having dedicated his
Eugene oneg.n' 10 the fascinating
1stomlna. prima ballerina of the I'M
perial Opera. Poushkin. the poet, .ost
the love Of his wife and was subse-
auently shot in a duel. The Car Paul
fell in love with Eugeny kolossova
and in consequence was strangled at
his palace in Petrograd. Before the
u. present Car assembled the throne he
was said TO have been so much in love
with Matilda ksheshinskaya that he
made plans to %nounc his throne and
marry her
Having borrowed from the French
the photographic skeleton and from
the Italians the mechanic Contrivances
Of the dance. the Russians have built
up themselves the actual body and
filled it with genuine racial blood. In
this they have created something en-
TREY different from what western Eu-
rope has known of the ballet.
Though D.delot and Marius Petipa
are considered the founders of the
classic Russian ballet. yet in actual
ity it was the nationalistic school Of
music. Glinka, Balakireif, DargomyJ-
sky, Serof, Moussorgsky, Tschaikow-
Sky. Rublnsteln and Rimsky-Korsa-