MISS MAUD ALLAN AND THE CHERNIAVSKYS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14971, 19 May 1914, Page 9

MISS MAUD ALLAN AND THE CHERNIAVSKYS.

-As the curtain rises, revealing a dim, ghostly light, devoured by a sombre back-ground, one barely discerns emerging from the shadows the low. crouching form, stirred by silent grief, that makes the first poetical picture sketched by a . master hand. It draws its inspiration from Schubert's song, "By the Sea." Half swaying, half rising, ! with beckoning arms, and face of eloquent appeal, with harmonic delineation she follows closely the words of its beautiful poetry and tho rhythm of .i« music. As finely conceived as this first number, so appear the others. The melancholy strains introductory of tho Chopin valse, how finely they lead up to the gay whirl of the later seductive measure; the lights fitfully illumining in ever-varying colours, the grace and elegance, the suppleness of motion on tho part of the admirable exponent who impersonates with infinite charm dewy, happy spring, scattering its blossoms, in Mendelssohn's song. The "Moment Musical" again rouses to ispirited, delightful dance, with happy 1 «\> and agile play of the limbs. Vet, _) .-rhaps, all are surpassed by Miss Allan's, conception of Grieg's "Peer Gyni Suite" — the lovely '•.uorning" with its dawn and first flush of rosy "Ase's Death," depicted like" a wit. slowly drains tho life-blood from its ! resistless, horror-stricken victim; ! "Anitra's Dance," like tho dance of a Bacchante; and, last of ally the weird, eccentric "Dance of the Gnomes." .Neither the "Bluo Danube" valse nor the "Barcarolle" seems to requu-e additional terms of piaise. To understand and appreciate to tho full Miss Allan's art, wo must watch the play of her features as much as the action of body and limbs. Every part has been elaborated with a high intellectual grasp, with a fine sense of the beautiful, and an absence of artificiality. Thero is never the faintest suggestion of indelicacy ; a vulgar move would bo foreign to her nature. Minerva, Diana, or one of her nymphs, seems to come to life, at times descending from an antique 'frieze. . In a word, it is the poetry of motion, and nothing but a display of refined art. Sometimes the lights seem almost too low for a complete undcrstandin.Gr. although they aro in other ways cleverly and very artistically manipulated by'tho electrician, Mr Fred. AY. Mitchell.

Tho clover Cherniavsky Trio accompany with mnch skill and effect all of Miss Allan's creations. They have ooiuo back maturer artiirts, all the characteristic traits of each youthful prodigy intensified by tho riper years, Mr Leo more impressive and finished, Mr Mischel more dreamy or wakjng to passionate expression in turn, and Mr Jan, always in fine temperament, soinotimes even nervously imr>etuous. They played two interesting movements from a trio by Bacho very artistically indeed," as well as Widors popular "Serenade." Mr Mischel contributed three soli, a fanciful Scherzo by van Goons, and the charming "Cradle Song" by Schubert, in the first place with admirable taste and feeling. A brilliant performance of Liszt's "Risroletto' Fantasia, and Paderowski's "Minuett" stands high to the credit of Mr Jan. and Mr Leo proved, particularly in one of Sarasate's "Spanish Dances," and in the graceful numbers'by Zacharcwitsch and Kreissler his conspicuous merits as, a flue executant and artist. Very laudable in regard to taste, finish, and music, only reticence were the accompaniments "of Mr Frank St. Leger. Tho Theatre Royal was filled in every part, and the appreciation of the audience continued to be warmly and impartially expressed after every number of tho gensrous programme, which was supplemented by numerous encores.