The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-04
RUSSIAN BALLET
RETURNS TO TOWN
rour Weeks Season Mt the Met
ropolitan Is Brilliantly
Opened.
NEW FEATURE PRODUCED

Song has given way 10 dance. Opera
hss iourneycd to Boston. where opera
las often journeycd before. and dance
has como back from roaming up and
Town the land to New York, where Il
exhibited It's graces and symbols in Jan.
uary. All Of which means that the pian
% presenting opera subscribers with con-
,royer,ible skies, to wit. subscription
seats for twenty weeks of opera and
FOUR OF ballet. is now in its fnal stage
If development.
Tho opera company finished its share
OF the work on Saturday night and de-
rsited on sunday to enlighten the wise
men Of the East. who will discover many
virtues hidden from defective vision In
THIS village. Serge lie Diaghilef's Ballet
Erssc began It's share OF the season at
he Metropolitan Opera House last eve
ing Some of the features OF the two
weeks at the Century Theatre in Jam.
uary were repeated and there was one
small novelty In h shape OF lie
Srectrc de Ia Rose
Thu audience was practically tho
.gular Monday evening assemblagc.
careful scrutiny would doubtless have
a.covered that there were some
absen,ees. for the southern sea son IL
ioi yet ended. But 10 all intenis m
tatrOscs the opera season might he still
Going on 30 far as the audience was
Ucucerned. The entertainment APP
uarcntly gave great satisfaction to those
v,o " messed II. There was much ap-
plause and much animated conversation
The novelty OF last evenings enter
ja.uncu,, lie Spectre de la Rose" en-
Toys as its music Weber's Invitation
q the Dance" The actors We're Lydia
LopoNova and Alexandra Gavrlloff. a
HIpi OF Nijinsky. The story OF this
sllet = found in a poem OF Theophile
,su'icr. 4 girl returns from IA ball
I'd falls asleep with a rose In her
'a1d She dreams that 1t becomes hu-
nan and that she dances will II. The
r' sterious partner kisses her and dis
appears. She awakes and finds the
Ye'sls OF her roSe at her feet.
There is nothing exceedingly novel
~ This outline. nor Is there in the often
r'ayed music OF Weber. But when Ly-
ia I~opokova dances there Is always
rarm. Her share in the little fantasy
AS exquisi,ely done and Mr.. Gavriloff
,howed himself a n adept in the art OF
~itrtomimic suggestion.
The other ballots on the list were
Les Sylphidcs." ~"Petrouchka' and the
Prince Igor" dances. The performance
AS a delightful disclosure OF the ex-
licences made known at h Century
Theatre. The want OF "A dancer Of the
d CHEST skill was not felt in the pres
nee OF the finish and beauty of the en-
semble. Those who have n stronger
arpctite for old fashioned dancing than
FOR the more modern pantonimic define
alton had a veritable feast in the charm
Ing pictures of Les S~ylphides." in which
The elegance and yiyacity OF Miss Lopo-
kova's style made the keynote Of the en-
tire performance.
"P~etrouchka' was better paced In the
smaller theatre uptown. Much OF the
lel!cacy of its facial expression and 1t.
action was obscure TO those seated fa.
rom the stage. But the outlines wer,
sharply drawn and the ~sinaularly APT
music OF ~S;ravinsky lost nothing in 1t.
general results. The composers infec'
cous hunor and his mastery skill In
tnding the precise orchestral utterancs
II II can be enjoyed by the ver..st tyre
: music provided he comp-ehends III,
Import Of the stage acton. 1t would b'
i.fficult to miss this when such a con
summate artist as Mr.. Mossinc imp"r
,1nates the unfortunate mar.onette.
The return of the Ballet Russo is wei
ONE and its offerings should meet will
much encouragement. The production
are admirable examples OF theatrical ar
and the music provided for them is TO
tie most part of a high order OF merit