"THE BALLAD OF LIGHT AND BEAUTY"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22956, 11 August 1936, Page 15

" THE BALLAD OF LIGHT AND BEAUTY"

COMING ENTERTAINMENT BY THE OTAGO GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

Great interest is being shown by the public in the entertainment b.v pupils of the Otago Girls' High School, which will open for the first of three nights on Friday in His Majesty's Theatre. "The Ballad of Light and Beauty" interprets in music, poetry and dancing these elements in Nature and in human life. The dress rehearsal on Saturday evening gave promise of a gorgeous and satisfying pageant. All the costumes have been designed at school and carried out under (he direction of Misses Aitkcn and Kirkpatrick. tn the first of the 20 ballets, Night is seen in flowing Greek draperies of midnight blue georgette. The clouds that come with the Dawn Wind are dressed in pastel shades of

and pink, and the billowing skirts of the little cloud who dances the solo are crimson.

"The Song of the Tree of Knowledge " presents the liberating power of knowledge as the counterpart of Light in human life, and the four angels that bring their gifts are stately figures in brown, blue, green and flame —colours with transparent halos. In contrast to their graceful movements is the Ballet of the Machines, where the dancers "pull and haul and push and lift and drive " in bizarre costumes of black, gleaming with metallic blue. In the song of "The Turning Year" is seen the death of Beauty in autumn and winter, and her reawakening to spring to fulfilment in summer. The funeral procession, in which mourners in ceremonial Greek dress of brown, copper, wine, green, blue and purple weep for Beauty, is a poem of colour. Beauty is awakened by the kiss of Spring, and the two, in orthodox costume, dance a pas de deux, Spring attended by rnauve crocuses and pale primroses. The most striking ballet in the last scene is the dance of Peace, Plenty and Freedom. Attended by their retinues, in white, blue and gold robes, with wide sleeves and gorgeously embroidered trains, Peace, Plenty and Freedom make a perfectly balanced group that is a masterpiece of colour.