Newspaper Page Text
American magazine Section of fiearst’s Sunday American, Atlanta, August to, tots
Copyright, 1913, by the
Z Star Company.
Great Britain Rights Reserved.
m m Claude Debussy, Composer of
Mystical Harmonies, Who
Reveres Ida Rubinstein.
Gabriele D’Annunzio, Master of
Word Magic, Who Wor
ships Ida Rubinstein.
Leon Bakst, the Very Original
Russian Artist, Who Idol
izes Ida Rubinstein.
ancer
Ida Rubinstein Dressed as
a Nun in One Scene of
“The Pisanella."
Note the Curious Con- i
trastt)/ Her Demeanor £
with the Picture M
Below. Drawing
by Leon Bakst, ffif
Ida Rubinstein in the Great Martyrdom Scene in “Saint Sebastian,
the Climax of the Last Remarkable Drama Written for Her by
D'Annunzio. Drawn by Her Idolater, Leon Bakst.
forced by them to forget
the sonorous fascination
of the words. Then at
other times the mystical
harmonies of Debussy be
come so haunting that
one forgets both words
and scenery.
“What is it that attracts these men so power
fully?” the Parisians ask. “Is it the woman or her
art?” All three of them are artists to the finger tips,
but all three of them are also sensualists of a highly
developed type. Two of them are frankly sensual
ists, and even in the mystical music of Debussy the
sensitive discern a most poignant appeal to the
senses,
D'Annunzio became infatuated with Ida Rubin
stein when he saw her filling the title role in his last
drama, “Saint Sebastian.” She rejected him, and
the spirit of the drama turned both of them to re
ligion. Then they returned once more to Paris, the
old life and the glamor of the theatre.
Since D'Annunzio’s earlier courting of Ida Rubin
stein Leon Bakst, the Russian, had won recognition
as the most original draughtsman in Pgris. He
joined the circle of her admirers. Then Debussy,
the acknowledged leader of.French composers, com
pleted the trinity.
If these men are pursuing the woman, why have
they collaborated with friendly unity in creating a
new masterpiece for her? Should we not expect
them to fight one another artistically and struggle
for her favor with the fierce exclusiveness natural
to lovers? Does it mean that this strange woman
has completely dominated them, mesmerized them
Paris, August 1
0 ARIS fs always absorbed in gossiping about
a woman, and just now that woman is Ida
Rubinstein.
Ida Rubinstein is the mystery of Pansi
Everybody thinks she is the most interesting woman
in Paris, and yet everybody professes to be puzzled to
know why so many brilliant men find her interesting-
Wherein lies her great attractiveness? She is
not beautiful. Her figure is graceful, but not re
markably feminine. She is muscular to an alarming
degree. She Is full of fire, energy and temperament,
and dances with the fury of an intoxicated savage.
Three of the most remarkable men in Paris are
devoted to her—Leon Bakst, Gabriele d'Annunzio
and Claude Debussy. They represent the three arts
that most excite our emotions—drawing, the drama
and music.
She is the being who inspires their finest work,
and they have just collaborated together on the most
remarkable production of their lives for her glory.
This work is “The Pisanella, or the Perfumed
Death,” that strange drama in which poetry, sacri
lege, music, scenic art and mediaeval learning are
mingled in a blaze of theatrical splendor. D'Annunzio
supplied the text, Debussy the accompanying music
and Bakst the scenery and costumes. A synopsis of
the play has already been given in this newspaper.
A thoughtless person might assume that D'An
nunzio, the dramatic author, was the principal cre
ator of this drama, but any one who has seen the
production knows that the two other artists have
closely vied with him in doing their utmost for Ida.
Rubinstein, The scenery and the costumes designed
by Bakst are so splendid that one is sometimes
Culminating Scene in Which
Ida Rubinstein, While Dancing, Is
Smothered to Death by Roses Heaped Upon Her by Negro Slaves. From ‘The Pisanella,
Perfumed Death,” D’Annunzio’s Latest Dramatic Work Created for Ida Rubinstein.
and deprived them of the sentiments natural to man?
“The Pisanella” displays Ida Rubinstein with all
her attractions and all her moods in a most amazing
manner It the prologue she is the poor Christian
maide nof legend, who is to marry the King and save
the people of Cyprus from mtsery. She is a most
appealing and pathetic figure of poverty.
In the opening scene she is the slave offered to
the highest bidder on the harbor front, a ragged cap
tive with arms bound, yet full of fire, defiance, cun
ning and sensuality. The young King and the com
mon people think they see in her the poor Christian
maiden of legend, who is to marry the King and save
Then we see her dressed as a nun, a most impressive
picture of pious humility, yet some how suggesting
that the Pisan courtesan lurks beneath the nun-like
habit. Here incidentally the King kills his uncle to
prove how good she is.
All three artists have touched the height of their
powers in creating for her the final scene, where the
Queen Mother asks her to a banquet to dance and
causes her to be smothered to death with roses
heaped upon her by negro slaves Amid the roses
Ida Rubinste^ s lithe form is seen first dancing
magnificently, then fighting madly with death.
Never have three distinguished artists striven so
hard to provide a splendid mise-en-scene for a public
dancer. Are they working for art or the woman?
Ida Rubinstein in the
Prologue of “The
Pisanella” as the i
Poor Christian &
Maiden of Legend, n
Who Is to Marry
the King of Mgj
Cyprus and pm
Save the People BB
from Their KK
Misery
Drawing
by Leon MB
Bakst. Mml
i
...