M. LEONIDE MASSINE'S BALLET DIVERTISSEMENTS AT COVENT GARDEN (PRECEDED BY
IDE FILM THEODORA ").
THAT there was no dramatic scene over the performance of M. Stravinaki's " Ragtime " on the first night of M. Maseine's ballet season was possibly a slight and unacknowledged disap- pointment to some of us in the audience. The lions in the Byzantine film had perhaps roused our blood-lust. M. Stravinski is reported, the reader may recall, to have telegraphed at tho last moment to forbid the performance of his amusing satiric piece to the accompaniment of dancing. The dancers were just as determined to dance it. And danced it was most amusingly, but there was no row. Was it this that caused that slight feeling of disappointment ? I think not, as a matterof fact. It is hateful to grumble at a new and tentative enterprise, at the work of admirable, even of superb dancers. But why such dull music ! Why such dull, hideous lighting ? Why so little care for colour ? Mme. Lopokova and M. Massine and their corps de ballet danced like angels, Mr. Eugene Goossens conducted to admiration, but these other things told against them. The atmo- sphere chosen for a suite entitled "Fanatics of Pleasure " was that which we associate with Miss Vesta Tilley and the soldier with a cane and a pill-box hat adherent to one side of his head. But they had nothing new to observe about it, and did not even keep up the " period " feeling. And therefore we who are not tired of Mme. Lopokova's " straight stuff " were not consoled for her rather specially ugly costume.
The dancing was, however, even here most brilliant, and in one pas de deur, where they allowed charming costume and delightful music (Cimarosa's) to help them, she and M. Maesine gave us that high and exquisite delight which we associate
with the magic words " Russian ballet." TARN.
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