New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-24
Robert E. Jones


in a production work independent of one an
otner. The author turns his finished manu-
.c,int over TO the manager. The manager reads
:, and turns il over to me. try to carry out
.ho au,bor,s intentions as we'll as I can. But
nav not be wholly in sympathy with some OF
b;s ideas any more than he is with some oil
mine. Under ideal conditions-conditions 'na'
will come some day-the dramatist will take
his idea. lust the outline of it, you Know 10
some producer who is equally an artist -
I'm afraid gasped. "Some what" SAID
ooh +here are some" He named two. "As
saw. the dramatst will take his IDEA 10 'he
producer and the producer will call IN 'ne ac'o'
and the scene painter. Then all four VIII "orN
an, that idea together. From the beginning
T,ey will try to clothe that idea as perfectly
as thew can. That's all that counts-the IDEA
We don't matter, any of us. At our best we
arc the medium through which the idea IS
tr,,smitted. Like a window-a window OF
clear rlass-when we're good enough"
lie was silent, and we sat watching the back
drop as 1t grew under the painters hands IL
was growing late and the light was beginning
10 fade. The black bulk of the cathedrai
ssened 70 lose some Of its ponderous quality
There seemed TO be a blue mist over it as 1t
stood IN. huge and spectral, against its painted
skv. At last asked him how ne came 70 get
the Russian Ballet commission.
Luck again." he replied. at is NiJinskyS
IDEA 20 make the ballet truly international
and part Of his plan for the furtherance OF
this purpose includes the use of costumes ana
scenery designed by artists native to the couh-
tries in which the ballet performs. was
fortunate enough to be the American chosen
That's all.
.Niiinskv's wonder!" he exclaimed en-
Enthusiastically "He is true artist. BY that
mean that his artistic ideals are universal.
They 20 beyond his particular medium OF eX-
preston The fact that he is dancer rather
than q scene painter, for example, is only
an accident of talent He may not pant
scenery, but he has just as definite VISION
Of what he wants scenery to be as have.
Another reason why like to work with
him is his capacity for enthusiasm. You
know. when you're really interested in some
thing it's hard to find people whose interest
can keep pace with yours. When get on the
subject of stage decoration l tire most people
out But Nijinsky can tire me out-n my
own line. When you find some one like that
you'll do anything for him.
All this time he had been nervously finger
inr an amber cigarette holder, twiddling 1t
between his ringers, gesticuating with It, tap
pias it against his teeth. 1t worried me-
was affected by it as | am by the sight OF an
actor smoking on the stage or in the MOVIES.
7 was seized with an ungovernable desire to
smoke at once As he paused rehectively |
took out box Of cigarettes offered him one
and took one myself.
"By the way" | said. when / asked you
about getting the commission to do the Barker
scenery you said it was just luck and when
smoke Of the Russian Ballet you said that was
list luck. too Aren't you accomplishing the
luck part of it? Doesn't merit come in some
where?'
lie lighted the cigarette, took preliminary
puff and then pointed with it toward the back
drop.
II might feel excited about getting ahead
if il we're all matter of merit But 1t isn't
Five years ago | was here, looking for
chance. Anythng-posters, costumes, scenery.
| thought might do some fairly good work
If people would let me. But they wouldn't.
did do two settings, one for Gertrude Hof
mann and one for Gaby Deslys. But nothing
happened. had some Of the regular fiction
experiences-al in the city, not enough to
eat, ill-that sort Of thing Then | managed
TO get to Germany"
"You studied under Reinhardt, didn't YOU
interrupted.
"No, you couldn't call it anything so formal
as study. They did give me extraordinary
privileges around the theatre. ] allowed
10 examine effects at first hand, to see how they
we're produced. But it wasn't formal instruc
ton.
Then / came back and managed 10 get my
first chance-luck, largely. And here ! am.
There's nothing rational about it,"