New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
Ballet To Be Given
For Benefit of War
On tuberculosis
The Birthday of the Infanta'
10 Be Presented for First
Time in New York by
Chicago Opera Company

The Birthday of the Tnfanta." a new
ballet staged by Adolf Bolm. with
music by the young American com
poser, John Alden Carpenter. will be
given for the first time in New York
at special matinee of the CHICAGO
Grand Opera Company at the Lexing-
ton Theater on February 2s, the Wash
ington's Birthday holiday
The matinee is for the benefit OF
the Society for the Prevention and Re-
lief of Tuberculosis. This will be the
only time this year that the ballet will
be presented in New York.
1Adolph Bolm will take the leading
role, that of Pedro the Grotesoue
and an Ruth Page will appear as the
| Pedro is brought from his home in
the wild forest to dance at the birth
day celebration Of the beautiful daugh-
ter of the King of Spain, the 'Infanta.
as she Is called, because he is so de
formed and ugly that they believe he
Will amuse her. His dance is reserved
as the climax Of the entertainment
and excited by the unusual surround
lngs and the beauty of the princess
who watches from the balcony, he
dances with an abandon which brings
to his poor, distorted figure a strange
grace that is wild and beautiful
Discovers His Deformity
The Infanta is so pleased that a,
the end Of the dance she leans ove1
! ,ne railing OF the balcony and throws
her little lace handkerchief to Pedro
He is already mad with love for he,
and takes this action as a proof Of he1
love and admiration for him, for, neve,
having had a mirror, he has never
seen himself, and believes that he is
tall and handsome.
He follows the princess. succeeds ir
evading the guards that protect the
entrance to the palace, and finally
comes to great hall, the walls OF
which are made Of mirrors. Catching
sight Of his reflection, he believes al
nrst that it is some horrible sprite tina.
Is following him.
But the sprite mimics his everv ac-
ton, and the suspicion comes to him
that it is an image of himself which
he sees. He raises the little hand
kerchief The sprite also raises 9
handkerchief, and he knows that it is
an image of himself he sees that he is
the ugllest being in the world.
once again he repeats the dance
which had pleased the Infanta Ever,
- iHiiliCheu ny MS image II
the glass. and, his heart broken b,
the thought that it was only his ugli-
ness that the princess applauded, he
sinks to the floor-dead.
Musical Comedy Follows Dance
The ballet will be followed b,
"L'Heure Espagnole," musical comedy
in one act, by Maurice Ravel. Nine
Yvonne Gall, Nine. Desiree Defrere
and M. Edward Cotreuil will take the
leading roles and Louis Hasselmans
will conduct.
Boxes, orchestra seats and seats ir
the first rows of the gallery NAV be
bought at the Hotel St. Regis. Boxes
already have been taken by Harry
Payne Whitney, Mrs. E. S. Harkness
Mrs. James Burden, Miss Elizabeth
Scoville and Charles Steele
The Society for the Prevention ane
Relief Of tuberculosis, Inc, is particu
larly in need of funds this year te
carry on its campaign against the
white plague, because many persons
who have suffered from influenza are
left in such q weakened condition that
they are peculiarly susceptible to tu-
bcrculosis. The society maintains san.
atoriums and hospitals for the treat
ment of patients who are already suf-
fering from the disease
Among the officers of the association
are Mrs. Hermann Biggs, president;
Miss Ruth Twombly, vice president,
Mrs. James A. Burden, Mrs. Cornelius
N. Bliss jr., Mrs. Oren Root and Mrs
J. Borden Hartman