Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-03-09
BALLET IS HAILED
|NF|NE PROGRAM
Monte Carlo Dancers Are
Seen With National
Symphony.

busy, Massine. Fokine and Bale,
Russo" coupled with the mighty To-
cal reputation OF the National Sym.
pllony Orchestra, drew large AL
dience to Constitution Hall last nigh
L witness the fusion Of talents from
Gel. w. de Basil,s Monte Carlo bal
let company and this city's own SYM
~phonic group. While technical difh-
culties in presenting the lavish dances
on the small Constitution Hall stage
inspired some observers to classify
the evening as three falls to no de-
cision" (there were actually three
dancers thrown heavily by becom-
Ing entangled with the backdrop cur
tain), it was expected an even larger
audience would turn out tonight to
welcome the second and last per-
Torrance Of this celebrated troupe
Four ballets were offered on the frst
nirht. and q similar number will con-
stitute the program this evening.
Last night the collaboration of the
late composer Claude Debussy and
the now demented Waslaw Nijinsky'
who once set the artistic world afire
with his dancing Of "L'Apres Midi
Dun Faun," won for ghostly men,
aries the greatest acclaim OF the
evening, for that number, as danced
by David Lichine and Tamara Grlgo-
rieva, was by far the most effective
on the card. Debussy's musical COM
position has long enjoyed tremendous
Vogue, first as novelty In musical
impressionism, then as q standard
work in the catalogue Of modern mas
terpieces.
Tribute to Conductor.
That the National Symphony was
able to blend this work 50 skillfully
with the movements OF the dancers
Is 4 tribute to the clever conduct
ing of Efrem Kurtz and the re-
Sponsiveness of the musicians. Not
once was the familiar music per-
mitted to dominate the partnership
between orchestra and ballet, q cir
cumstance which admittedly was in
part due to the brilliant, severe and
completely captivating choreography
Eajinsky originally conceived for the
mllet.
Lack of space completely obviates
the possibility of scenery for the ballets
at Constitution Hall, and distinctly
cramps the flow of ensemble move
ments and even some of the more
Spectacular solo work, but the Ballet
Russo was able to inject into its more
pretentious offerings sufacient fire
color and substance to justify the great
name borne by this organization
These qualities were especially vivid
In the symphonic Fantastique," with
music by Berlioz and choreography by
Leonide Massine. Building on rather
neurotic, fantastic theme, these two
created opportunities for the express
sion of all the gayety, lyricism ane
power inherent in the classical ballet
form. The leading roles in this fable
of the opium dreams Of young mu-
stefan were intrusted to Yurek Shade.
ieysky and Trina Baronova, two
dancers who have without doubt
achieved that happy state where tech
meal virtuosity is as natural a.
breathing. leaving them great reserves
Of energy and intelligence to bestow
upon Characterization and the details
pf narrative. Miss Baronova also had
b prominent part in the curtain raiser
Ties Cent Baisers," one of those Hans
Anderson fairy tales which are the de-
light Of the Russians and indeed of
I'll the world, which she danced with
Edouard Borovansky. David Lichine,
Serge Ismailo1 and the inevitable &C.
tompanying chorus Of future bal
lerines.
+! spirit Of Comedy"
In justice to the gifts Of those un-
sung heroes and heroines who might
otherwise be classified as super
numeraries, despite their integral
function as elements Of an artistic
whole, the Ballet Russo presented as
Its final selection the "Cmarosiana."
) ballet advertisement with music by
Cimarosa and choreography by Mas
lime. With its spirit Of comedy and
kalantry so truly baroque," as the pro-
gram rather baroquely states the case,
This number offered the ladies and
gentlemen of the chorus, the bit play
ers and the occasional soloists 4
chance to display their accomplish
ments in the Interpretation of half
3 dozen dance themes, admirably
translated into music by the Italian
Gentleman of the 18th century and
the Russian artist of the goth.
y Tonight's program Of the Ballet
Russo will include THE Gods Go
A-Begging," Francesca da Rimini, ~
both with choreography by Lichine:
THE Spirit Of the Rose" with cheor-
geography by Fokine, and Gypsy
Dances" with photography by Boni-
klava NiiinSka