“GHOST” AT A BALLET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10871, 15 April 1929, Page 3

“GHOST” AT A BALLET

FAMOUS DA NCR IPS XKRVJiS

MYSTERIOUS MALADY

Nijinsky, the dancer, once known as ’‘the man of whom the gods arc jealous” hut for years past the victim of a mysterious mental malady, played a strange and tragic part when Serge Diaghileff's ballet gave a perlor m a nee at the Paris Opera House a few weeks ago. The unfortunate Nijinsky, who is eternally famous for his dancing in such masterpieces as ‘‘Prince Igor.' “S< herazade” a,ml __ Dehussy s ■‘L’Aprcs-Mitli d'un Faune," fell into an extraordinary mental condition 12 year- ago. In an attempt to become more inspired lie started to apply auto-suggestion, persuading hnnSolf, for example, that he really was a faun. The greatest mental specialists of Europe have tried to restore him without the slightest success.

Serge Piaghilelt, who loved Nijinsky like a brother, has made every effort to find a cure for his former star. Recently he conceived the fantastic idea ol taking Nijinsky to a performance of the Russian Pallet m the hope that the music, the dancing, the sight of old friends, would bring a rush of memories that would sweep him back to normality. Then came the idea of arranging that Mine. Karsavina should appear on the night chosen for the great expi runout. She had shared many triumphs with Xi.jiioky in the past. Surely, if he remembered any face, it would bo her's. She appeared in the role of Pctrouehka with Serge lalar as she had once danced it with Mjinskv.

Only two people in the crowded house —Diaghilelf and Alexander Pen oia, a Russian artist—knew that Nijinsky was there. Me looked lupoid in the experiment—a ghost from another world—as he sat with his two friends in the shadows of a box beside the stage, with the cream of Parisian society flashing and glittering beneath them. Win'll the ballet began Nijinsky looked at the dancers for a moment without showing the slightest iuterist or recollection, and then turned his head away. Even when Karsavina appeared and Ihc whole audience jumped to its feet with “bravos.” lie simply gazed at her with a queer stare. Then, with tears m their eyes, IPaghileff and the painter led Xijiuskv out to a motor-ear and he was driven back to the private mental home where he lives. Nijinsky who was the creator of n new and realistic style of ballot dancing, first- went to Loudon in Idl aiid scored startling successes. He was about to begin a Cl PPM a week engagement at the Coliseum when lie he'd a nervous breakdown. the beginning ol the illness which developed and caused his retirement two years later.