Impressions.

The whole audience gazed at the left-hand box nearest the dress circle; women gasped and strong men blanched; Dorati, about to lead the [unclear: orchestra] stopped with his baton up-lifted; the atmosphere was electric.

For the Opera House cat, doubtless desiring to emulate Josinsky's performance In "Carnaval" which had just finished, was standing on the edge of the box straining over the edge, obviously about to attempt the leap into the Dress Circle. Its whole body tense, the cat suddenly leapt through the air; a woman screamed, and it landed safely on the edge of the circle. There was a terrific burst of applause—much greater than any which [unclear: Riabouchinska] received during "Carnaval."

We were rather disappointed with "Carnaval."The decor, although designed by Bakst, seemed shabby and inadequate, and the stage was horribly dirty. "Swan Lake" was infinitely better—mainly owing to the superb technique of Baronova and Dolin. "Swan Lake" Improves vastly on a second view; but the awful model swan which Jerks across the stage at the conclusion of the ballet is an anti-climax.

The best ballet was, of course, "Les Presages." In no other ballet was the synchronisation of music and movement so perfect; the groups were wonderfully striking, and the solo dancers—Baronova, Petroff, [unclear: Riabouchinska] and Jasinisky, gave their best performances (although the pas de deux in "Aurora's Wedding" was the best individual item). The Masson decor and costumes were brilliant, although only from the gods could the dazzling formations be properly viewed. The Passion scene went across best, perhaps because it was the story of a pair of lovers with a most effective stage villain.

"Les Sylphides" and "Papillons" were, like the music of Chopin, merely a sensuous moment; "Aurora's Wedding" was a disunited collection of brilliant dances, and, we understand, did not compare favourably with the Diaghileff production of "The Sleeping Princess"; "Schenerezade and "Cendrillon" were spectacular pantomines; and "Union Pacific," though described in the daily papers review as "surrealistic." was in truth merely realistic, and perhaps could be placed next to "Presages" in order of merit, mainly because of the lovely discordant Nabokoff music and the scene where the railway line was built up from corpses.

We saw "Spectre de la Rose" four times, and could have seen it forty, though we should have liked to see Dolin in the main part. The leap through the window was disappointing (as was the Slave's death in "Scheherezade"), but it was Riabouchinska's best role. Baronova could not have taken the part: her technique was so brilliant as to be breathtaking, and her grace of movement and line superb, but her constant agonised expression and almost complete lack of personality detracted somewhat from her performances. Riabouchinska made up for a slightly faulty technique with a most pleasing personality and delightful stage presence.