New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-18

terry how trivial at once become tn.
elaborate hocuspocus OF, for instance,
the Metropolitan's Magic Flute"
The weak point in "The Fire-Bird'
was the Bird herself. Mile. Nenia Mae
lezoya is an accomplished techncian,
but she displayed little fancy or poetry.
I'm TschaikoWsky' la Prlucesse In
chantee" her technical powers were
shown to better advantage. though ".
Bolm was no Mordhine. and certainly
40 Nijinsky.
"Soleii de Mutt" series OF amusing
and bizarre Russian dances. arranged
by Leonide Massne 10 the music o.
Rimsky-k was q llttle ballet o.
great originality remarkably danced by
II. Massine himself, VI. /~erew and the
corps de ballet. II was NJ Massine's
first ballet, and it stamped the young
dancer a. u ballet master OF remarkable
talent and whimsical fancy.
The concluding ballet was "Schehcra-
zadc." arranged by MIR. Bakst ana
Fokine 10 the music OF Rimsky- horsa-
how. The music is we'll known ana
he ballet H. maSinativcly conceived
and executed. The remarkable impcr-
sonation Of the nego favOrtc OF 10
beide. Princess Of Samarcandc, by VI
Bolm will render the ballet incapable
Of production south OF Mason anc
DixOn's line Even 10 Northern minds
H. was repulsive. NcJ IT IS 4 scene
whose Oriental splendOr, color, animal
ity and lust will long remain with al!
who saw it. II it had not been given
SO wonderfully, 20 POLITICALLY. ~ would
rave been bestial. A. II was glyeL, }.
was a page OF the ARABIAN Nights
most gorgeous imagery.
1 az
and NJ. Bolm. the latter Of whom was
handicapped By illness. the most inter
cstiug single impersoustiOn WAS given
by Nine. Flora Revalles, as Iobeidc in
"Scheherazade,' an impcrsonauon OF
truly splendid seusuality and abandon
But when all is said and done n was
the perfection Of the ensemble. each
dancer Of which knew his or her place
ord never once stepped out of the pet
IRE. The corps dc ballet IN its dancing
came a. near 10 perfection as d. pos
siblc I'm this imperfect world. 1r
orchestra under tine direction o. M
Ansermet had . difficult role 90 ill anh
filed IL we'll The music o. Str@Win-
sky in particular is no chilG's play. gee
the orchestra played j. with fine spirit
and effect
As truly as Wagncrisn music-drama
is fusing Of the arts of music song
acting and painting. is the ballet a
given TO Us by the Russians fuslng
OF the same. with the dance substi-
tutcd for song. Indeed. those of us
Who are familiar with Waenerah
scenery may very well believe that in
the work OF Bakst and Golovine scene
painting has gone step beyond the
dreams OF Warner. Wagner ras, q ter
all, a rcalist in his ideas OF the mise
en-scene. and opera. and even music
drama never was. IS not and never
can be anything but hoghtcning oil
the real. Al best the lyric drama
compromise. Sometime one art l'
supreme, sometimes another but tho
balance always tips. SO. too. must the
ballet be ever compromise, for the
ccrfect artistic marriage IS not TOT
this world. The arts are jealous bed
fellows. and while they MAJ sleep ID
peace. when they awake then old s'ruG-
gle must rccommerce.
In the Russian Ballet as shown TO Ms
bv VI. de Diaghileff the arts arc very
ttuch awake, and so true wediock IS
rorbans inpoesibic. Yet TO those VINO
,atched and listened last night the
onarrel was not yet pcrceptibe. There
vas expressive music, beautiful dane
ing. fine acting, exquisite painting.
There was poise and dignity, sweetness
and light. sensuality and abandon. Al
human emotions were there and many
that arc divine.