Evening star., 1928-04-28
ballet PROGRAM
| CHARMS HEARERS
CoIorful Settings Enhance
Appeal of Music Festival
Premiere.
A brilliant and distinguished audience

A brilliant and distinguished audience
last night attended the opening pro-
gram in the Festival of Chamber
Music, presented at the Library of Con-
greSs, under the auspices Of the Eliza
beth Sprague Coolidge Foundation.
In addition to more than $50 out-of-
town guests, prominent in musical and
literary fields throughout the country
coming from New York. Boston, Phila-
delphia, Chicago, several cities In Ohio,
and even as far west as California.
diplomatic, congressional and resident
social and music circles were well repre-
sented. Mrs. Frederick Coolidge, pa
troness of the events, was present.
The little chamber music hall, with
It's limitation Of 51l seats. was filled TO
capacity. Hans Kinder, renowned Dutch
violoncellist, proved himself highly
capable leader of the Chamber Music
Orchestra made up of men from the
Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra.
ColOrful Settings.
The four ballets presented were as
different in mood and treatment as in
the music. Charmingly modern settings
not bizarre, but colorful and imagtna-
tive, designed by Nicholas Rem1soff, anl
equally delightful costumes contrtbut-
ed as much to the charm OF the entire
ballets as the dancers and musicians
Adolph Bolm directed the dances and
devised the stage action. showing his
mastery clearly In every case. He par
ticipated IN each OF the four numbers
The ballet was especially written fol
this occasion by Igor Strawinsky, Rus
sian moderiist. The three lovely
muses., Calliope, Muse OF Epic Poetry
Polyhymnia, Muse of the Sublime Hymn
and also of Remembrance, anc
Terpsichore, Muse OF the Dance. ap.
peared In graceful steps and posturst
about the lifting flame Of an altar
urn. The prologue ended and the cur
tains parting wider showed the stage
set with classical Greek exterior, ir
the background and M. Bolm. ir
martial appearing plumed helmet and
garb.
The music seemed fiat, insufficient
to the aloof possibilities Of this theme
of Apollo Musagetes." Apollo. leader
of the Muses.. II may be that this
is the kind Of music that requires
getting used to-" The general opinion
however, seemed to be that this music
was far below the standards the COM
poser had previously set so high in
"OuiSeau de Ecu" and La Sacre du
PrintempS."
Steps and Music Vary.
Assisting M. Bolm in this ballet were
Elise Reiman, Bernice Holmes, and
Ruth Page. The traditional steps OF
the ballet seemed oddly at variance
with the music even though the
rhythms allow many variations and
combinations in postures that were
frequently effective. Perfect, clean-cut
technique would seem prime require
ment Of this ballet making the slight
est lack Of practice or fumbling In a
reverse pirouette readily noticeable.
Maurice Ravel, whose iInpresSionistic
and charmingly melodious scores al
ways offer an exquisite bridge across
from the classics" to the modern. -
was represented by beautiful PA
vane." adnced between Ruth Page as
La Vision, ana M Bohm as Don Con-
zaieZ. 1t was perfectly timed.
Once on the solid foundation of true
melody. the gay. comical ballet theme
OF "Arlecchinata." with music by jean
Joseph CaSsaneade Mondonville. was
delightfully."- played by Miss Holmes, M
Bolm and Mark Turbyfll. The al
ways satisfying music OF Ludwig var
Beethoven, orchestrated by Gustav