The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
A GROUP of dancers of the Russian ballet in "Solei de Mutt" danced
4! for the first time here last night. In the centre, indicated by a
cross, is Leonide MasIn, the principal male dancer. Above, to left, is

and inpenetrable shadows. The dane
Is a prinIa ballerina's solo. Mr.. Bolm's
contribution IS that OF the typical male
dancer. extremely well executed. though
he has been Ill ever since he arrived.
"Soleil de Nui,' shows a group OF
women in bouffaAt Russian gowns and
prodigious hcIddresses dancing, while
in the foreground men dance and simu-
late the playing of certain games. A
chorus from the opera chorus school
sings Russian folk music. and very we'll
too. The scene by VI. LarioIof n a tour
de force OF Effective stage decoration.
The summit Of artistic a~ttainmen; in
these productions Is 10 be sought In the
ensemble. This does not mean that there
is no individual art OF "A high order, ON
the contrary. the acting of Nine. Re-
wales as the Princess in tn Arabian
Nishts drama and of M. Bolin as the
Negro is of brilliant quality. But Il
falls into its right place as part of "A
whole. There Is no element so small
that II does not possess Importance In
.he*e pic'o ial interpretations. Every
woman and man on the stage has a
spcial action, aud this action. which Is
easily seen TO be planned with subtle
relation to evIy Other movement going
on AT the moment aud those to follow.
seems TO swim spontaneously to its sta
tion In the e|voluiions.
The color schemes are triumphs. Here
TIE SENSITIVE feeling for the nature OF
these entertainments which is revealed
In all the o'hoc arrangements reaches
perhaps its zenith. for this IL a tyne of
theatrical performance in which color
Is an essential element. Combined with
action and bodily d%elineation II fur
nishcs a whole capable OF reaching
its ends by avenues Var removed from
the path of speech.
The artists who have designed these
scenes and costumes have without doubt
gathered unto themselves suggestions
from the wide world. In the splendid
equipments of 'SchehereZade" Mr.. Rakst
has how a sure hand. He has doubt
less learned something from the veneer
able arts OF China and Japan. and some
thing frsm the youthful fantasies of the
post-impressionists. His color scheme
In the scene Is one OF a marvellous green,
treated with amazing variety OF tone
and astonishing nuanCe of light and
shades, Its fitness to the action is per-
rect. The costumes repeat this green in
certain minor details, but the prevail
ing tone among them IL n flame tint.
The hnal harmony is bizarre, Oriental
and completely coneonaat with the ac-
ton. Equally striking are the designs
of NJ Golovine In "L'Oiseau de Ecu"
The vague ard monstrous shapes OF the
sun, with its red domed castle, are brill
iantly conceived.
An Excellent Orchestra.
There is an orchestra OF ey-
ceIlence. which played all the music last
evening In q manner not customary in
local ballet representations, The conduc-
tor, Ernest Ansermet. showed himself
a capable director Of elastic performance
OF this choreographic type. Lastly there
was a new score by Stravinsky. that is
10 say, new to his city. 1t is already
classed as not n product OF the compos-
crs latest development. These moderns
move with incredible swiftness, and no
sooner have they formulated one style
mar they enter upon another.
If perchance creeping criticism should
some day overtakc this musical bird OF
fire and hold him long enough to ~analyze
him II might find that In this score ex-
list all the elements which cha racterize
the most recent creation OF his fertile
fancy. At any rate the %chronicler OF
incidents In the arena of music will have
no formidable difficulty in recording his
Impressions OF 'L'Oiseau de Ecu" 1t
Is "A little masterpiece OF It's kind To be
sure !, contains many strange sounds,
many ugly passages but It also contains
great and original beauty, The ugly
sounds are utilized 10 denote tho evil
factors in the drama the beauty sings
the thought Of the beneiicent ones.
There Is ingenuity of the virtuoso or
der In the Instrumentation. and yet there
Is no violence. Stravinsky has found ut
te,ances which never before issued from
the m~ultitudinous mouth of an orchestra.
Th"y have a pictorial value. which IL in
spiriting. This music convinces the
nearer that in composition OF this par
ticular type Siravinsky is in his most
cOngeniol territory.
He writes with mastery ease and
certainty. lie fits his musical speech ia
1.-THE weisd and remote character VI the