Evening star., 1953-02-16

of the still too small audience
drawn to the second program
conducted by Leon Barzin.
From the first ballet. George
Balanchine's vibrant Concerto
BarQcco," to the closing "Bour-
rec Fantasque," the company's
second concert offered greater
scope of movement and mood
and was the more exciting for
presenting two glimpses of Bal
lerina Maria Tallchief. In at least
one pair of devoted eyes, Miss
Tallchief was in even higher
spirits than on the first night
and the balletomane given two
samples of her art in one evening
can count himself four times
blessed.
Nor was Miss Tallchief the
only one to profit by a night of
discovery on Constitution Halls
always willing but never quite
ready stage. The entire COM
pany showed the pleasant effects
of having secuted the platform
area in the opening nights con-
cert, and of the more harmonious
relationship between Conductor
BarZin and his musicians.
4 \ \ Il
Last nights program created
the effect of being all high lights,
q matter perhaps of complete
rapport between performers and
an audience that was completely
delighted.
In the case of the "Pas de
Trois," to the music of old Lud-
wig Minkus, this was entirely due
to the choreography of Balan-
chine and the virtuoso perform
anceS Of Miss Tallchief, that as
tonishing male dancer, Andre
Eglevsky, and Melissa Hayden.
Between them, these four turned
Minkus' uninspired composition
into an amazingly snowy and
inspired performance.
X \ 4 4
While it is a Scintillating COL
lection of balletS that Is prom
ised tonight's final audience Of
the company. dance lovers who
missed last nights performance
can count themselves most un-
lucky.
They can well shed q sigh to
have missed the Concerto Ba-
rocco" Balanchine's animation
Of John Sebastian Bach'S con-
certo for two violins. This dra-
matically dressed-black and
white like notes on a page Of
music-ballet is exquisitely de-
signed to show the absolute pre-
cision of the New York City
Ballet's corps de ballet. It rep
resents music made as visible as
music can be. with the solo roles
danced by Miss Tallchief, Pa
tricia Wilde and Nicholas Mag
allanes.
Violinists were Werner Lywen
and George Steiner.
kAA
Most spectacular Of last nights
ballets was Ravel's la Valse,"
which is elaborately and delight
fully dramatic in the choreogra-
ply Of Balanchine.
Balanchine has chosen to
make this ballet what might be
a melodic paraphrase of T. s.
Eliot's earlier poetic mood, be-
fore profundity made Eliot OBJ
scure. The ballet opens on the
note Of gaiety traditionally as
sociated with the waltz, sharp
ened in this instance by Ravel's
music.
Every conceivable waltz move
ment and revelous mood is COW
cred in the series Of eight brief,
beautifully patterned waltzes
which lead up to the ballet's
climax. While the spirit of each
Of these is gay, there is the sug-
gestion that each dancer is aware
Of the impermanence Of delight,
a sense that is confirmed when
at the height of the ballet, the
figure of Death invites the belle
Of the party to dance with him.
Jean RoSenthars lighting and
KarinSka's costumes contribute
brilliantly to the effectiveness of
this ballet which involves the
full company, most notably such
principals as Tranquil LeClercq,
Patricia Wilde, Frank Hobi,
Yvonne Mounsey, Michael Maule.
Diana Adams, Herbert Bliss,