BALLET
The Sadler's Wells Ballet. (Covent Garden.) CONSTANT LAMBERT'S ballet Tiresias, with choreography by Ashton and decor and costumes by Isabel Lambert, was given its first performance before H.M. the Queen on Monday night. The ballet is chiefly notable for its homogeneity. One might reason that this is only to be expected when such old collaborators as the choreo- grapher and composer, together with the designer in the person of the latter's wife, co-operate in the production of an original work. But it is rare for three people to feel the spirit of a theme in such complete harmony as has been achieved here.
The opening curtain of Tiresias recalls Degas' well-known picture in the Tate Gallery, Jeunes Spartiates. It depicts the Greek ideal of physical perfection, and shows young girls at sport challenging the prowess of the male. Unfortunately Michael Somes in the role of the male Tiresias does not outshine his feminine rivals as, accord- ing to the " book," he should. Therefore, early on, the ballet loses a certain amount of conviction, as it demands a first-rate male dancer of commanding personality—an asset which- cannot yet be claimed for the company. Another fault in this first scene is its unwieldy length. Scene II, in which Margot Fonteyn dances the female Tiresias with John Field as her lover, is full of restrained beauty. One of the highlights in this ballet is Ashton's conception of the two snakes, and in this scene especially they are superb ; they are danced by Pauline Clayden and Brian Shaw. Scene III, reminiscent of both those famous " classicists " Poussin and Ingres, although the costumes are pre- " Grand Century," opens with the dispute between Zeus and Hera. This miming is one of the ballet's greatest weaknesses, for without our programme-notes or a knowledge of the legend—which incidentally has been made more " polite " for public presentation—we should have no idea at all as to what the fuss is all about. However, as the scene works to its climax it becomes more and more telling until it ends on a beautiful curtain.
LILLIAN BROWSE.
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