ADELINE GENEE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1894, 31 October 1913, Page 3

ADELINE GENEE.

AND THE RUSSIAN BALLET; Once more did Adeline Genee and the Imporial Russian Ballet entrance a crowded house by tho glorious perfection of their art at tho Opera House last evening. Tho occasion was a change of programme, which included tho gorgeously beautiful*ballet, ' 'Tho Arabian Nights," a dream of exquisite colour, redolent of tho semi-barbaric splendour of the Near East in the middlo ages, and glowing with life and action. There is no moment in this ballet in which the stage is not vivid with lifo—dancing girls, soldiers, slaves, and women of tho harem people the brilliant littlo world, giving a real impression of that exotic animation which, to the reader of imagination, leaps out of tho immortal pages of "The Arabian Nights." Tho warriors of-Schah-Rah-man, a powerful tribal chieftain, returning from a raid, lay at the foot of their lord a. beautiful captive ; who had been carried off while gathering blossoms at a distant river bank. Schah-Rahman's wifo, Sett Bourbour, recognises in the captivo her former royal mistress, Azyiade, but is commanded to keep her identity secret. Schah-Rahman orders a feast, which develops into a mad revel, Azyiade completely captivates ScligliRahman, who is supplied with wine, and finally Azyiade hands him a poisoned cup, and, drinking, he dies. Azyiado and Sett Bourbour steal forth into tho night. Tlio story is given its full value by tho vivid acting of M. Voliniu as Schah-Rahman, who cuts a magnificent figure as tlio swarthy young lord of the desert. His simulation of unbridled sensuality, his gradual subjection to tho wino-cup, and his realistic death struggle, combined with his handsome- appearance and dominating personality, mado tho character stand out in bold relief. Beautiful MdHc. Haling, Schmolz, who is its light-footed and dainty as a voting gazelle, scored a signal success_ as tho fair captive, dancing with alluring grace and dexterity. Mdlle. \ lasta Novntna made a charming picture as Sett Boubour, and Veroni Wastoff appeared to advantage as AbouMalek, tho keeper of the harem. The ballot was given a gorgeous setting—the interior of a Ityzantine palace, with an arched opening at the back, showing a cool Jake, silvered by a full moon. The music of the ballet was soloctod from tlio works of Glazounow, Chaminade, Rubinstein, Borodino, Rimski-Kor-sakow, Arcnsky, Greig, and Bleichinan, and as can well be. imagined t from such an array of gifted composers was surpassingly beautiful. There were . several novelties introduced into tlio divertissement. These included a wild, free gipsy danco by tho Russian Ballet, a lovely Pas do Deux, a terp»ichorea7i love 6cene, danced with delicate playfulness to the musics of tho "Adagio" of Hauser by Mdlle. Schmolz and M. Volinin, and enthusiastically eucorcd, and a pretty butterfly danco by Mdlle. Schmolz. Then Mdlle. iGenee appeared to delight tho audience in her entrancing Empire danco, executed with virile grace in a gladnomo Empiro dress. She was rapturously recalled. Tho gifted danseuso also showed her pedal ingenuity and capacity for sprightly comedy in tho gay polka comiquo from tho ballet "Les Millions d'Arlequin," in which she appeared as Columbine, and M. Volinm as Pierrot. Not tho least amusing feature of this da:ico which ends nbnintJy by Pierrot getting his oars' soundly boxed was the amusing business introduced on each of tho half-dozen occasions on which the curtain had to bo raised. Mdlle. Sclimolz repeated her exquisite delineation of the "Dying Swan" and tho Yalewska-LaUschmann trio tickled the audienco in their comic Chinese dance,. As before, the programino concluded with tho three-act comedy "Coppelia," in which tho principal roles a-ro perfectly enacted by the incomparable Genee and M. Volinin. Tho programmo will be repeated 16night and to-morrow there will bo a matinee as well ris an evening performance.