Devil’s Auction

“Devil’s Auction, Morlacchi and Sohlke are drawing good houses every night. The former illustrated the true poetry of motion in dancing, and the latter in her unrivalled Hungarian Polka communicates an [illeg.] and abandon to every step that raises the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. Miss Fanny Stocqueler has made herself a favorite in spite of the worthless character of the drama, which in plot and dialogue does not possess one grain of merit. Mr McQuade has deteriorated even below mediocrity in his impersonation of the reconstructed donkey, and the rest of the cast is little better. The dancing of the premières danseuses is admirable, and may favorably compare with anything in that line on the metropolitan stage.”

“Since the appearance of Mlle. Morlacchi, the danseuse, business has rapidly increased at Banvard’s Museum, and the ‘Devil’s Auction’ has been attractive piece. That she is one of the most graceful danseuses seen in this city for a long time, there can be no doubt, and the hearty welcome that nightly awaits her appearance, bounding before the footlights, shows how popular she is.”

“Banvard’s theater decidedly rivals Niblo’s, and L’Encan du Diable equals the success of The Black Crook. It would be truly difficult to encounter elsewhere a company of first-rank dancers equal to the one that M. Pol knew how to put together. Mlle Giuseppina Morlacchi sparkles among them all, buoyant, audacious, vigorous and original, made to delight and making marvelous use of her marvelous legs. Her performance is bewitching, and she hits upon fortunate results at every moment through her gracefulness, flexibility, ease, and delicacy. In her pas de deux, that she dances with Mlle Diani or Mlle Blasina, her rivals, she has some of that languidness, then some of those sudden quivers, that send an involuntary shiver through the entire hall. One recalls in spite of oneself these verses of Sappho to one of her pupils on Lesbos:

                        I feel from vein to vein a keen blaze

                        Run through my whole body as soon as I see you,

                        And in the fearful confusion where my spirit goes astray,

                        I remain dumbfounded and I am left speechless…etc.

Mlle Morlacchi isn’t only a dancer with passion and elegance; she’s a dancer with style, such as we haven’t seen here since Fanny Elssler.” 

“Fair but not crowded audiences continue to witness the ‘Devil’s Auction’ at Banvard’s Museum. Considerable new business has been introduced since the first week of its production, which makes the play a little more interesting. In the second act Mr. McWade has a speech descriptive of El Dorado, which is cleverly written, full of local hits, and which is delivered by Mr. McWade with good taste. Several new dances have been introduced showing the principal dancers to the best possible advantage. Mlles. Morlacchi, Blasini, Diani, Lupo and Sohlke are the great favorites in the terpsichorean department, and all are warmly applauded for their artistic efforts. Sohlke, whose pretty figure and sparkling eyes have made her a favorite, particularly in the ‘Hungarian Dance,’ was taken suddenly sick on the 8th inst., and could not appear. Morlacchi and Blasini, by their exquisite grace and naviette [sic], elicit rapturous applause in every dance they appear. Much of the attempted dancing of the ballet ought to be cut, as it becomes very insipid after witnessing the efforts of the principals.”