New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-18
DC Diaghileffs Open Sea-
son at Century with
Splendid Production.
PRINCIPALS ARE LOST
IN GREAT ENSEMBLE
Lights. Music, Costumes aud
Scenery Charm Big and En-
thusiastic Audience.
Nv CHENILLE VERNON

By GRENNILLE VERNON.
The Serge de Disghilef Russian
Ballet gave it, opening performance
in America last night at the Century
Theatre before large a brilliant and
nm enthusiastic audience. The oreanl
cation If not all the stars. which for
ihe last SIX seasons has been The artistic
sensation OF Paris. London and Be-
lin, has at length crossed the ocean TO
open into Western eyes the new ar
OF the dance. an art synthesized and
perfected by Mr.. de DiaghieN prac-
tcally within the last ten years. And
let it be stated at the beginning that
New York recognized last night new
art, the creation Of no passing mood
or esoteric fancy, but something vital,
spontaneous and instinct with rare
and poignant beauty. something which
evoked within the beholders a Spri'
OF once emotiors. and intellectual. TO
all those who had ears 20 near and
. ewes 20 see The Russian Bale, opens
! new doors into the infinite, new vistas
through the gardens of the spirit
Everything may have been SAID
Whites Roman ROLAND in his Nus
clans Of Former Days" and well may
we add with ". ROLAND, after haVin"
seen The Firc-Eird' and "Scnehcr@-
rade." yet everything IS still 20 say.
Richard Wagner wrote of the ar
work Of the future" and produced me
music-drama. But in the house Of AZ
there arc many mansions. mansions tor
the classic drama. COR the romantic
drama. for the music drama. Ana We
who have seen the ballet as II has
come 10 us out o. Russia feel sure
that We have entered into another
chamber whose walls await great mas
terpieces oil the future
Strength in Ensemble.
Ii was nci,he, iu The de.ah nov ODD
Tho dancers themselves .h@; 'a-'
nights performance proved supreme.
There ,Cas i'm the ensemble no Ann"
Pavlova. and those VINO saw the balle'
in Paris on London realized that there
was no Wassily NiUnsAy. We may a.
veil state AZ the outset that from
dramatic viewpoint the failure Of MI
[iiirskv 10 come TO America and 20
lesser degree. She like failure OF NINE
Narsal-.ina. are most regrettaole' IH
,hem the ballet has lost the services
cf Two artists the equal oil Whom D.
nss been unable 20 find. Let TINS loss
ts~d NJ the debit side Of the ledger.
,ureiv The credit iet j. long enough G"
.au.e Us 10 forge! II we have seen
Greater dancing we have seen no -dci
.nsoroble. no such perfect wedding o.
dance. music. scenery and costumes
N short. no such art OF the dance. J"
the artistic history or America Jahu-
arv Il. 1915. will long remain eloquent
Serge De Diaghilef did not create the
Rpseisn Ballet. The Ballet OF the
Iropcrial Opera in Petrograd had long
been the first in Europe, and there
bs been found the most perfect OK
annie OF the old art Of the oaiierlna'
the art Of Italy and France. Ny oe
piarhiief realized chat this ar Wa'
narrow and artificial. however eX-
ouisitc it may have been IN itseH' ne
realized that If il we're 20 be vitalized
,Lore n,r.t come radical change
n was this change that he produced.
He brought the ballet back 20 Ire
bv bringing life back to the ballet.
lie kent the technique OF the tadi-
ton. but refused TO stop at that teen
niope He believed in the power OF
.be ballet 20 interpret all life and al
emotion. and he realized that under
Tho old order this was impossible. lie
broke down the walls that surrounded
Tho form without destroying the form,
8. form which now was able to develop
i.eeIf in freedom and according 10 lts
own natures. In short, he led the
halle, out of the dollhouse OF arlsto-
cratic favor into the worlds sunlight
and storm A..
u is impossible here TO discuss the
influence of foreign innovations upon
he Russian Ballet. One OF these, an
AMERICAN without honor in her own
rountry. was one Of the real liberia
tors Miss Isadora Duncan. even be
fore II. de Diaghilef, realized the pos
Utilities Of the dance. and the free-
dom and true classicism OF her dane
NO had great influence upon the Rus
sian dancers. So though at the time
bor native land rejected ncr' we
Americans may yet feel shame
faced pride in the fact that one OF
our own daughters was one OF the
creators Of the art We sa" last night
The Ballots.
In ell presented there were through
out an IMAGINATION. sense OF color,
}rrmony Of line and spirit; fancy
which. though often bizarre; never
hacked for the sake Of shocking
ybich surpassed anything seen on the
New York stage within the memory OIL
the present generation. o,.o.-..
OF The two chief ballets. "LOiseau
do Ecu" and "Scheherazsdc," the former
vas perhaps the more interesting;
larrelv because Of the music composed
for t by Igor Strawinsby. This wa
Tho only ballet given last night for
,.hich the music had been expressly
written. with the natural result tnat
il vas the one in which there was the
most complete wedding Of words and
action. ,t..;.1-
modern" ultra-modern, ~ fsct' YET
tow in this case Will End cause Tor
complaint, even those who worship ~
The .brinc Of the masters OF the past.
Tbc story Of A. Fokine IS frankly .
fa,rv tale. and very fantastic fairy
,aie a. that There are an enchanted
rorest. and a fairy bird, and a prince
and an ogre. and choir of spell
bound knights and maidens. u IS
e.lf- evident that fantastic music Is
needed to carry OF such story ana