GENEE AND THE RUSSIAN DANCERS;

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1888, 24 October 1913, Page 3

GENEE AND THE RUSSIAN DANCERS;

I — The great classic ballot, "Lob i Sylphides," which will be presented, by , lidlle. Gertce to-morrow evening at the ' Opera House,_ was 'written lor the ■ great Taglioni, who made her dobut in ■ Vienna in 1822. This ballet, which is i said to be tho finest example extant of ; the truly classic ballet, is thus doi scribed: —"Les Sylpliides" is a very . poem of movement, and is intended to ! bo the realisation of tho dream of . Chopin that passed before his mental s vision as ho was composing the musicj which includes the famous "Nocturne,' tho "Waltz in D Flat," tho "Prelude in G," and the "Waltz in E Flat." It is a veritable dance of spring, set in the green and violet depths of a. forest that might be Ardcn. The daucers wear the old-time long, floating, diaphanous skirts of tulle, with only a slight touch j of colour, supplied by roses. Here is ' told in most graceful and airy motion tho story of the Sylphs, and Mdlle. , Genec, as tho first Sylphlde, floats like ; thistledown from point to point, so ' effortless and graceful are all her movements. T t is impossible to imagine anything more appealing, more expressive of the voiccs of Nature calling to mankind, tho fancies of sky and flowers, and 1 tho dreams of the awakening world that never take form, than this performance. You may quote poetry and remember music, but words avail nothing to describe dancing at its greatest. ' It comes and gocip with the fleet--1 ness and beauties of shadows of summer 3 clouds racing over mountains, and leaves as little behind. The stage. is ' filled with a swaying crowd of clustering " snowv figures, prominent amongst tneni ' jidlle. Halina Schmolz, as toie " second Sylphide; and Mdlle. VTasta 5 Novotna a-s the third Sylphlde; whilst 3 M. Alexander Volinin represents the Spirit of Chopin.