THE BALLET.
Tut production of a pieturesque new ballet, and the appearance of several new dancers of more than average talent, gave some eclat to the opening night of the King's Theatre, so far as this department is concerned; and in a measure compensated for the inattspictous com- mencement of the Sett.■011it. regards maimed operas and disabled Le nriyand de Terraria,: ii en ballettized version. by the veteran DI:SRAYFS, of the opera of Fru Diavolu. The deviations from the story ore. contrary to custom, imps ()cements. The brigands carry off &thins, the innkeeper's daughter, with the trunks of the English Milord ; and Fit lhavolo is picked off by a shot as he is trynar tel escape by climb- jog op the rocks. His reappearance on the stage, sifter falling dowel a precipice steep enough to dash an ordinary mortal to pieces, is a proof of that more than feline tenacity to life which stage heroes are privi- letad to exhibit. This too enables him to die in public, as it is fit etch a notorious character should du, and also to make the principal fleore in a tableau mourned. which done would he a •effieient excuse. it'd' this allowance, DESHAYES has done his offiee very (levelly ; the (oolitic of the story being sketched in the pantomime with a sufficient degree of intelligibility. Covros, makes an odinirahle Fret Dinrolo. His cool self posses- nonchalant air, and quiet and significant looks nod gestures, pro- claim the accomplished chevalier d industrie. 111!VERNAVS panto- mime and dancing in the ell crafter of Zerlina are extremely graceful, nod of a properly simple character. Her sprightly pas seal in the chamber scene, and her sullen and reluctant z in the brigands' imam, with heart as lumpish as her heels are light, are delightfully ex.
pr .ive Her undress displays her finely proportioned form to great
ess •
advantage. Signor Vestarita, who carries his chest before him like a beer-bane] and seems intensely conscious of his dignity and his calves, condescended to be amusing in die part of the brigand who mocks the air- of the damsel in her chamber. Ile made °vet tures towards a cha- racteristic dance with Zerlina, in such an attractive manner that we regretted she refused his saltatorial challenge. It was a great omis- sion not to introduce some national dance. The dances by the corps de ballet are very pretty, but we could have wished for the tarantella to vary the monotony of French dancing,. The scenery, costumes, and groupings, combine to produce some striking effects; and AUBER'S music, " lively, audible, and full of vent," is suited well to the purpose of the ballet. A little better con- nivance in the shifting of the scenery is desirable. The entire furni- ture of the chamber—bed, dressing-table, and all—had to be removed bodily. to make the stage dear for the rocky glen ; and four peasants were seen transporting the bed across the brigands' path ! Of the dancers who made their debut in the course of the ballet, ELSLER is by far the most remarkable. She is a sister of the Ei.st.eas, and is worthy to complete the trio of the Graces. Her fiaire is light and symmetrical, her face handsome and expressive. Her style is, like her sisters', bold and dashing, and full of animation and gayety: her aplomb is firm and steady, and her execution most brilliant. In a word, she is a consummate artiste: and the glance!: of her fine eyes no less than the scintillations of her feet, fascinated the beholders. One of the two other debutantes (which, we know not, but light blue was her colour) dances with a lightness and freedom that distinguished her from the rest of theCoryphees. MONTESSU, with her plump little figure, displayed extraordinary agility and neatness of execution. She is the Mrs. FerzwitaJam of the ballet.
The two new male dancers, Mails and MABtLLE, are decided acqui- sitions: both are graceful, and displayed more than ordinary power and skill ; but MABILLE—a compact, muscular, little fellow—almost ri- valled PERROT, whose style he follows, in the buoyant elasticity of his bounding leaps, and the velocity and precision of his revolutions. The men, however, seem more hopelessly limited by the routine of French dancing than the women ; they seem to do nothing but stretch their limbs, jump about twiddling their calves, and spin round like whirligigs, as if they were practising their exercises. These are the means, not the end of dancing. We want life and gayety. Dancing, to be worth any thing, should express joyousness, as if the animal spirits impelled to lively movement. 0 for the Bolero and Fandango ! Apropos—DUVERNAY must give us the Cachuca on these boards.
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