New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-24
EULENSPIEGEL
IN PANTONIDyIE
Nijinsky Wins a Triumph
In Setting Richard
Strauss'S Music
By Fl. E. KREHBEIL.

Mr.. Nijinsky's choreographic illus
trations to the musical composition
which Richard Strauss created and
called IT'LL Eulenspiegsps Merry
Franks" had their first public presen-
tation at the Manhattan Opera House
last night Had the pantomimic ballet
been produced on the opening night
last week the story OF the season
would have been a differen. one than
it will be under the circumstances.
There was evidence of creative thought
and Imagination of a vastly different
character in this production than in
the novelty of last week, not only In
the composition of the piece, but also
in It's execution and its scenic In
vestiture.
Strauss fantastic rondo. which We
are inclined to look upon as the hnest
towering Of his genius, was not de-
signed to be associated with dramatic
action of any kind, and did we not
know that, as rule, his fancy is hred
by external incident, we might have
believed him when he said that he pre-
fcrred TO let the public guess at the
incidents which he had picked out OF
the scores of waggeries and pranks
which make up the adventures Of the
hero Of the jokebook Of medieval Ger
many. II was only after he had got
the critics and commentators pretty
thoroughly bewildered that he took his
official nouthpiece into his confidence
and pointed out the incidents which he
had essayed TO delineste. Two Of them
we're obvious enough the smashing OF
crockery in the msrketplace, reslisti-
cally presented by the whirr Of rattles.
and the trial and hanging OF the prao-
teal Joker. The love scene OF the mock
cleric, as It appears In the old VOlks.
bach, could not have been presented
without offence to decency II II had
been within the scope of musical ex-
preston, and the scene OF the disputa-
tion with tho university professors
could only be limited at.
These were the incidents which Mr..
Nijinsky undertook to present In gro
tesque dance and pantomime, and it
was little short Of marvellous to note
how completely their spirit and the
spirit of Strauss music were visual
lied in the spectacle. Upsetting the
a feeble substitute for the havoc which
Tll's horse made of pots and kettles
in the marketplace, but the boisterous
humor was there and kept pace with
the merry effervescence Of the music.
The climax was reached, however. In
the end. where. like Strauss, Nijinsky
brings Till to the gallows. As a mat
ter of fact. Till ought not TO be hanged.
In the old book he comes to the gallows,
indeed. but he escapes death by an
exercise of ready wit which had helped
him out of a hundred less serious pre-
dicsments. He dies peacefully in bed.
playing a practical joke on his heirs
and upsetting the plans of the under
taker by slipping upright into his
grave and refusing TO lie recumbent-
Strauss certainly hangs him, however.
and the pantomimist's delineation OF
the comical jerks and duirks of the
music were vastly illuminative and bet
ter than a whole page of programme
notes. The epilogue, however. which by
a recurrence Of the opening music pro-
claims Till redirii7s in the hearts OF
his German admirers, seemed bit be-
yond the capacity of the choreographer.
The stage set and costumes which
Mr.. Robert Z. Jones has created for the
ballet are a feast for the eve. triumph
of fantastic imagination in color and
design. Higher praise cannot be spoken
of it than to say that 1t was worthy Of
Strauss music and Nijinsky's psnto-
mime. Altogether IT'LL" has but ono
fellow In the repertory Of the Russian
Ballet. and that is "Petrouchka."
Les Pspillons," which processes TO
give dramatic illustration of Schu--
mann's pianoforte pieces torches trated
ty Tscherepnine), preceded TILL
which was followed by lie Spectre de
la Rose and "Scheherazade." 1t falls
as short Of the poetic conceit which
informs the music as do the pieces
based on Schumann's "Carnayal" and
Weber's "Inyitation 70 the Dance"
Concerning it something may be said
here later.