Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-16

season just ended. The climac-
tic number. Of course. is the SEN
sational Carmen" which has
become the private property Of
M. Petit and Mile. Marchand,
by default on the part of others
who really never dared to go
into this passionate affair.
It's predecessor items are la
Loup." a fantasy. and "Deuil en-
"a Heures Tin loose translation
or The Merry Widow" The latter
is q joke endowed with all the
riches the French have found
in romance which. as everyone
knows. is greater than this coun-
try's wealth in oil and minerals;
Love, in three variations or
moods. comprises the entire pro-
gram of the company on this
American tour.
The first mood is the sweet
sad one represented in LA
Loup" or "The Wolf" There is
recall of Jean Cocteau's
Beauty and the Beast" in this
ballet, choreographed Gas were
the other two) by M. Petit, with
music by Henri Dutilleux.
It's story, by Jean Anouilh and
Georges Neveux, relates the ex-
perience of. a bride who. de-
serted by her flirtatious groom.
assumes that he merely donned
the disguise of the wolf with
whom she is dancing. Step by
lovely step through their dance.
she becomes aware that her
partner is q real wolf but a
creature to love more than the
humans around her.
M. Petit's wolf, like Cocteau's
beast. is an irresistible being.
worthy even of such an elfinly
gentle girl as Violette Verdy.
who surely will be the company's
next great ballerina.
y y =
Miss Caron whose 'Lili" per-
Torrance is an Academy Award
nomination in Hollywood right
now. dances that wistful her.
oine's antithesis in THE Merry
Widow" This is an extraordi-
nary comic character. the en-
bodiment Of all young widows
who have made the discovery
that marriage is discipline they
are well rid of. From the mo-
ment her dull husband is killed
until she is dancing the Can
Can at Maxim's "a hours later,
clad in seductive black, she is
the seasons gayest stage figure.
The Academys' voters, still
fearful over Miss Caron's Lii
might be outraged that she can
turn around and be as exliltant
as this. The Shubert's voteless
Washington's. however, will find
it something to be ecstatic
about.
The Carmen" dominated by
Mile Marchand and Petit is the
perfect climatic number of the
program. For all Of its well
earned reputation for carnality.
it remained for Georges Bizet's
music to find its most dazzling
expression in the choreography
of this ballet.
And. Of course, Mile. Mar
chand is the only ballerina alive
who qualities as this Carmen
now that Rene Jeanmaire, the
original, has gone on to less
passionate art. She is beauti-
full gypsy made for one purpose
and delighted to pursue 1t to
the logical end Of destruction.
M. Petit's Don Jose. Of course.
is the matching male who brings
an end, first to her waiting for
such a lover. and then to Car
men herself.
In view of the intense focus
on the central figures in his bal
lets, M. Petit might hedge on
the quality Of the subordinate
members Of his famous COM
pany. Being a man of honor and
an artist Of integrity and taste,
he has done nothing Of the sort.
AS they say in France. the
style is the man. down to the
last small detail In case Of the
Ballots de Paris.