DRESSES IN "SALOME."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 10

DRESSES IN "SALOME."

MAGNIFICENT AND GEORGEOUS. The dresses in "Salome" mrist bo tho most gorgeous garments that the Royal Opera House has ever seen (says a correspondent of tho Manchester "Guard-

inn"). It is a pity that-the costume of Salome herself is bound'by such a hard and fast tradition, and has been so inevitably vulgarised by familiarity. There has only been one Salome,who did not attire herself in a net .skirt and a. diamond bolero, and that was the Salome of Aubrey Beardsley. And half her Critics'called'her a caricature! So, being: forewarned that originality of design, at any rate, was forbidden, lime. Aino Ackte contented herself with the good old fashion of a jewel—bespangled gauze skirt, full to the ankles, ami secured round the waist by a swathed scarf knotted and falling in front. The corselet is a mass of jewels, a' heavy double row of rubies outlining-the heck and a single row the arms,-.,while large bosses of smaller gems are held in place by gold and jewelled chains. In the hair is. worn a barbaric ornament of two snakes with heads erect, and pendants of gold and jewels hang from the elaborately dressed hair. Mme. Ottilia Metzger as Herodias introduces a glorious harmony of colours in an Egyptian dress of vivid turquoise blue in a. soft, slinging silk. It is trimmed with scarabs and embroidered with Lilies, the groundwork being powdered with many-tinted' jewels. The 'scarabs are repeated as a border to a gorgeous orango velvet cloak, which' throws up the delicato colouring of the robe with fine effect. Tho Hebrew costumes have a distinctly modern tendency* with their close-fitting tunics and'short, scanty skirts, but tho barbaric splendour • of' their colouring and ornamentation. effectually fixes their period. The tunics are of flame-coloured tissue, bordered with a. narrow gold line, while the skirts have a deep hem of dull red cloth worked with a '.woven design in gold. The little round neck and' arm holes are embroidered and sewn with gold ornaments, and there is a high belt and frontlet held at the breast with a great gold ornament and sewn with gold and jewels, both tunic and frontlet being weighted down with gold pendants. The hair, which hangs in long; plaits in front and looso behind, is adorned with lilies and gold circlets, and long emerald pearshaped drops are worn. Herod and Marraboth are as gorgeous as the women, and their masses of jewelled colour are set against tho soft browns and grey greens of the background.