PAVLOVA

Evening Star, Issue 19290, 1 July 1926, Page 8

PAVLOVA

A GLORIOUS ARTIST SECOND NIGHT TRIUMPH Enthusiasm, reached a i*are height within the four walls of His 3lajesty’s ; Theatre again last night, and when such an audience as that which had there assembled expresses itself in longsustained bursts of applause, and even in cheers, it means that something * extraordinary has happened. _ ! And something extraordinary had happened. Anna Pavlova had again conquered. It was but an oit-re-peated experience for this wonderful little woman whoso conquests extend down the years and across the wide, I wide world; but for us folk in a far 1 southern city of a far southern land itho occasion was unique. It was a big, eager audience that greeted the rise of the curtain Many columns have been written of late concerning 3ladame Pavlova. Alt available superlatives were used up in describing her work and in praising her art and in preparing the Dunedin people for her advent. In the ordinarywav, and had the matter related to an ordinary artist, the public would doubtless have deducted the usual discount. (But in Madame Pavlova’s case it is really a matter of an inadequate sup- ! ply of suitable adjectives with which to express one’s opinion of her. Such terms as “ exquisite,” “ wonderful,” i “ delightful,” “ enchanting,” and so on have been used on so many less worthy occasions that to employ them now would leave a lot to be desired. Perhaps, as a summing up, wo might use the term “perfection,” and leave it at that. It is near enough. ! You, doubtless, have read of fairies, gossamer-winged, light as thistledown, tripping, floating, flitting, dancing in mimic circles by moonlight in the green glade in the heart of the wood. You have imagined the scene, maybe, and wished the apparently hopeless wish that you, a mere mortal, might some day or night behold even one of the joysomo band at play. Well, those of vou who sat in the auditorium at His i Majesty’s Theatre the last two nights came as near to the gratification of 'that wish as you are ever likely to get. The moment was that in which Anna Pavlova entered “ the land of Christmas trees ” in tho second ballet on the programme. The slim, lithe, sinewy .little figure tiptoeing on to the snow (carpet—tho queen fairy amongst the I lesser fairies—gripped tho attention, absorbed it, and held it until with a i snap tho music stopped, leaving the queen poised on the very tips of the I toes ot one tiny foot, arms ontI stretched, just on the very point of living off over the snow-laden trees. He who persisted at that supreme moment that Anna Pavlova was a. flesh-and-blood mortal was an unimaginative churl indeed, and should have been at ! home in his study reading ‘Hansard.’

Later, the great dancer appeared transformed into a dragon fly—a gay, twitching, glinting green dragon fly, preening its wings and darting from corners, chasing the sunlight and purring in its joy of life. Again, she was a coquettish Russian maid playing with an impatient lover, but coming to heel, ns so many do, when bright silken gifts are proffered. But perhaps the crowning effort of tills scries of wonder dances was ■* Lo Cygne.’ At the familiar melody of SainUSaens’ music the mind recalled numberless ‘Dying Swan ’ performances. But when Pavlova entered, slender arms undulating, head and body swaying pathetically, all the other swans of local history wore as but geese in comparison. The spasms of pain, (lie gradual slowing down of the despairing movements, tho sinking head, the final quivering gesture—all went to form a picture of exquisite sadness. An artistic triumph indeed. Tlio ballets were joyous things of color and rhythm. First, ‘The Magic Flute’ (Madame Pavlova did not appear in this), an elaborate yet dainty story of the triumph of true love over greed for gold. This lasted for a quarter of an hour, and was chiefly remarkable for tho very fine work of tho U’cL lington dancer, Miss Thursa Roger*. This little lady, who left her native city for London eight years ago, has returned an accomplished dansouso, and the audiences carried away impressions of her which wore mightily pleasing.

The pretty ballet, ‘ Snowflakes,’ was also a delightful fantasy. It told of iho birth of tho Christmas_ tree, and iho setting was tho snow-lined glade into w'hich Queen Fairy Pavlova flits. Tho audience were transported with delight with the pas de deux and the coda in which Pavlova appeared with Laurent Novikoff.

i This same v "' later danced the rigorous ‘Bolero/ a swirling, twisting, imanly thing that admirably suited the methods and physique of the dancer. Then there was the pas de trois, in which Miles Spencer and Burke and the slim youth, M. Lascelles, did lino work; tho typical red-blooded Spanish dance by Miles D’Arcy and Nikitina and Messrs Hitchens and Serejoff, and the pretty eighteenth century -scene dausante by Mile lingers.and_M.Pianowski. Finally came the Russian dance, in which Anna Pavlova was the outstanding figure, hut in which Air Algernno/f also aroused enthusiasm by Ins dancing. It was a pretty yet vigorous number, and a fitting close to a glorious programme. As to the music, the orchestra, under M. Lucien Wurmser. was again one of tbo big features of the evening’s entertainment. Not only as accompanists to the dances, but in the entr-ncto numbers, the work of “ the people in the well ” was splendid. And tho audience more than once expressed this same opinion in hearty applause. TO-NIGHT'S PROGRAMME ‘ Amarilla ’ and ‘ Egyptian Ballet/ in both of which the famous dancer will appear this evening, have attracted record audiences wherever- they have been staged. The fact that Anna Pavlova is to appear in both tho feature ballets will doubtless be appreciated by local ~ ulaj-aoers. ami ilia chances are that

there will not he many vacant seats cither this evening or to-morrow night. Tho scene of ‘Am aril la ’ is laid in the days of powdered wigs, knee breeches, ample and picturesque panelled skirts. A count has wooed and won the heart of idle gipsy maid Amarilla, after which lie disappears. The scene opens with graceful old-time dances by the ladies and gentlemen in the garden of the countess whom the count is to wed. Amarilla is the gipsy dancing maid, and, with her company, arrives on the scene. Pavlova, as Amarilla, performs some wonderful dances, supported by Laurent Novikoff as her gipsy brother, it is only when Amarilla commences to tell tho fortune of tho countess and count that she rccognisas her faithless lover. Tragedy is expressed in Amar rilla’s look of recognition, and deep pathos when the count makes signs to her that they must he strangers. Then the gipsy girl is required by her brother to dance, and there is wild passion and fierce abandon in tins, her last desperate cHoit to win back the man she loves. She fails, and grandly, with measured tread, the count, with the countess on Ins arm, loaves the garden with the rest of the company. Amarilla remains weeping alone. The count out of sheer pity steals hack to present her with a purse of gold, but she flings it scornfully away and falls insensible. Tho piece is enacted with convincing expression. Pavlova scored some of her greatest triumphs in Paris and London in ‘Amarilla,’ and it is said that the great dancer is wonderful in the ‘ Egyptian Ballet,’ in which she created a sensation in the north recently. In ‘ Amarilla ’ Anna Pavlova will ho supported by the _ brilliant Laurent Novikoff and the principal members of the company, and Laurent Novikoff will support Pavlova in the ‘Egyptian Ballet.’ The divertissements to-night will include ‘ Obortas ’ (the principals of Dio ballet), ‘ Ronclino ’ (.Anna Pavlova), • Christinas ’ (Anna Pavlova, Laurent Novikoff, and the 3lessrs Zalewski, Varzinski, Pianowski. Domoslavski), ‘ Hoilande Da-nco ’ (Mile 3lather and 3lr Alarowski), ‘ Cnardas ’ (3111 e Stuart and 3lr varzinski), ‘ Pastoral ’ (Allle Stuart and Mr Dodinoff), ‘Pizzicato’ (Miles Rogers, Elkington, Slather, Nichols, and Orofton). As in the opening programme, an outstanding feature this evening will be the grand operatic orchestra under the direction of the distinguished musician Lumen Wumiser. Tho plans are at The Bristol.