TAGLIONI AND THE BALLET.
THE " Interrnede Ballet," as a new divertissement at the King's Theatre is called, is merely a forest scene, with TAGLIONI and the Cory phees as Diana and her Nymphs. Here are the materials for .a selies of animated pictures of the sylvan and classic graces, in which all the poetry of the subject might have been charm- ingly embodied. But there was no attempt at pictorial illusion or telling the story, either in giouping, costume, or dancing. The only semblance that the dress of TAGLIONI bore to the huntress queen, was a crescent on her forehead, and a kirtle of leopard-skin ; which latter badge of distinction she quickly doffed. Her train of Nymphs was represented by a long string of figu- rantes in white frocks, holding each a javelin most tenderly be- twixt finger and thumb, taipping to and fro across the scene in single file, and acting as a saltatorial chorus to the exquisite solos of TAGLIONI. TAGLIONI, however, seemed conscious that some- thing was due even to this slight pretence at personation; and ac- cordingly her bounds and leaps were more wide and lofty than ever. She absolutely flings herself into the air, "and only par complaisance touches the earth." She pirouetted, gallbped for- wind with a plunging step, skipped backward, and performed all those wonderful and graceful feats of agility in which she is Un- rivalled: but she did not rush swiftly across the scene, with bow and quiver, as if in pursuit of the deer. The scenery in the back- ground was the only part of the ballet at all in keeping with its title, La Chasse des Nymphes ; which was merely assumed to give an air of novelty to what was not new, however beautiful it may have been. The flying movement with Pennor, by the by, we had not seen before.
TAGLIONI triumphs over the iny.ipility awl artificiality of Fr tich (Ltiicilio., by the gractful asty u it li v. Lich she perky ttishs
inust ilitt:cult mat einctits. he makes a 'radiant
with her legs, and a tetotum of her body, without causing pain or making us laugh. Let her boldly overleap the narrow bounds which conventional rules set to the art, and range freely through the world of imagination; embodying by turns the Hours of Gu I no, or the Bacchantes of TITIAN; now appearing as a Hindoo Nautch, anon as a Persian dancing-girl; let her appear "So free as Spanish girls are seen
With loosen'd tresses bouuding o'er the green,"
giving her own elegant version of the characteristic movements and dresses of each. Why should not pantomimic personation be as complete as any other class of stage representation? Why should we not see Diana with buskined legs, and flowing robe looped up ti rantique, instead of a round frock of stiff muslin that a school-girl might covet to play at making cheeses with? Classic costume could not violate the decorum of modern dress more than the short, bell-shaped petticoats of the ballet ; and the drapery might surely be managed so as not to impede the free movement of the limbs, nor entirely conceal the outline of the form. The present dress alternately hides and reveals the figure beneath, and both in extremes.
The ELLSLERS danced a pas de deux together, in which they performed wonders; TERESA with her legs, and FANNY with her toes. The superior lightness of Talat.losrfs figure, however, is a physical advantage that alone would secure her preeminence. We do not hear her footfall ; but even FANNY ELLSLER'S plomb is heard as well as seen.
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