BALLET,
Festival Ballet : Markova, Dolin. (Stoll Theatre.) MAIUCOVA'S fragile and lovely magic seemed to have deserted her at the beginning of last week when, with Anton Dolin, she opened a Festival Ballet Season at the Stoll Theatre. For the first time in her long and distinguished career as ballerina, Markova's very especial and delicate personality appeared deliberately to be withholding itself from us in the audience and we, ever eager for her appearances, enjoying in anticipation the beauty she has always imparted, however unpropitious the circumstances, were saddened and perplexed. Could it be that she had returned to the stage too soon after her recent Operation ? Or had the onslaught of illness soddenly obscured the spark so delicately and precisely poised ? ' Perhaps the progress of the season will dispel this latter fear, and Markova's artistry, rising above physical weaknesses and unworthy productions, will again delight, us as in thc. past. It is an insult to adult audiences to revive the Nutcracker ballet in its entirety. For years we have been bored by the petty divertissements of Act II, continuously presented, and for obvious reasons, by various companies. The full-length ballet with its deadly prologue is intoler- able and only fit for amateur dancing displays. The gaiety of Le Beau Danube, though by now well and truly worn, came as a great relief. Natalie Krassovska as the street dancer was excellent—less happy in her dances with the hussar than in her own variations—but intro- ducing just the right touches of vulgarity and joie-de-vivre. Anna Cheselka, the first hand, was dancing very much better when we last saw her in. London, but she has a charming stage personality and is delightful to watch at unexpected moments. LILLIAN BROWSE.
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