Devil’s Auction

Calls the fountain the “Magic Fairy Fountain.”

“The old say about removes being as bad as a fire, don’t appear to hold good so far as plays are concerned, at least.  The ‘Devil’s Auction,’ for which some unexplained reason is now called ‘The Golden Branch,’ was produced at the Academy of Music, Tuesday evening, before an audience that crowded every part of the building.  The change of locality seems only to have helped the piece to new popularity. The ballet that was originally engaged to appear in the piece at the Olympic [sic]—where Mr. DE POL formerly designed having the piece brought out—and the dramatic company which appeared at Banvard’s Museum during the representations of the spectacle at that establishment, fulfilled their former mild duties on this occasion. The performances of all parties were warmly applauded.   Mlles. MORLACCHI, SOHLKE and BLASINA, however, carried off most of the flowers and received the only recalls. The majority of the scenes displayed were the very familiar Academy scenes, but the new fountain, with its many-hued jets dancing to the merry music of the orchestra, is a novel scenic effect that is attractive enough to bind the spectators in their seats till the fall of the curtain.”

“On Tuesday evening, Mr. de Pol and his combination ballet troupe, which really comprises a larger number of premiéres danseuses than ever before appeared on the American stage, took possession of the Academy of Music. In the spectacular fairy world with which our public has become so familiar migrations and transformations cease to surprise and the arrival of Terpsichore at the Academy of Music was welcomed by a large and fashionable assembly of spectators. It is to be hoped that the change of name from ‘The Devil’s Auction’ to ‘The Golden Branch’ will prove auspicious. Other changes in this spectacle have been made, particularly in the costumes and scenery. The magic fairy fountain was an extremely beautiful exhibition of ‘water crystal, chemical effects and chaste living statuary.’ We missed the two tall fine looking female centaurs who have been replaced by an old pasha, Signor Ronzani, his guards and pages. The latter—by the by, in most un-Oriental fashion, take off their cape instead of their shoes in honor of their master. The ‘village’ to which Rosemary conducts her half-transformed Jack is superlatively gorgeous. What new Jerusalems the ‘deities’ must be in those latitudes! One more change the public would be grateful for—namely, the omission of all the stupid wearisome dialogue which we must endure for the sake of enjoying the veritable chief attraction of the evening—such dancing as we have rarely witnessed in this country since the days of Fanny Ellsler. Mlle. Morlachi was recognized by all connoisseurs as a danseuse of the purest and highest classical school. She is a living impersonation of the poetry of motion. Her skillful grace and her exquisite pantomime cannot fail to educate the public eye to a higher standard. Mlle. Sohlke, with her prodigious élan, especially in the Hungarian polka, which will henceforth be associated with her name, was applauded with the same enthusiasm that always greeted her at Banvard’s. Like Mlle. Tostée, in the Grande Duchesse,’ Mlle. Sohlke, with her mille diables du corps, has fairly taken the town by storm. Mlle. Lupo is a superb danseuse. Sig. Lupo’s tours de force are marvelous. Mlle. Blasina sustains her high European reputation. Mlle. Diani, Mlle. Ricci and Mlle. Baretta share the honors of this extraordinary combination of talent and beauty. But in some mysterious manner, incomprehensible to the uninitiated, the liberal floral honors of Tuesday evening were showered almost exclusively on Lilly, the Good (and pretty) Fairy (Miss Annie Wood.) Perhaps it was because good fairies are supposed to be charged with the distribution of floral and other precious gifts. There were bouquets enough ‘to go round’ from Stella, Queen of Nymphs (Mlle. Morlacchi), to Cupid (Mlle Baretta), without omitting Rosemary (Miss Fanny Stocqueler) or Arnold’s sweetheart, Constance (Miss Hattie Thorne). The matinees of Wednesday and Saturday as well as the evening performances of M. de Pol’s company, promise to dispel entirely the mistaken prejudice that there is anything to offend the most fastidious in the exquisite dancing displayed at the Academy of Music.”

“CHANGE OF BASE.—Things have not been going on colour de rose—as we say in French—at Banvard’s of late, impecuniosity in the treasury department making matters generally unhealthy. Manager De Pol, it appears, was under contract to pay a rental of $30,000 per year for the establishment, which is heavy paper for a place so far up town as Banvard’s. De Pol brought out the ‘Devil’s Auction,’ introducing therein a fine balletand some very attractive principal dancers; but the people did not crowd he house in every part, and the manager—who seems disposed to do what is right—was unable to make the different ends meet. Fearing that De Pol was about to remove all his things to the Academy of Music—which has also been in a state of distressful impecuniosity—the owners of Banvard’s got out an injunction to prevent it; and it is said that a suit has also been instituted to recover damages for injury done the theatre by the style of piece produced by De Pol and his partner, Tamaro. A matinee was given on Saturday, but no evening performance, the scenes. Properties and paraphernalia belonging to the Spanish gentlemen being transferred to the Academy of Music, where the ‘Golden Branch’ is to take root on Tuesday evening, December 3d, and bloom every other evening until further notice. It is not likely that the litigation between the owners of Banvard’s and the late lessee will amount to anything. So much for the ‘Devil’s Auction.’ Going, going, gone!”

COMMENT: The original ad for this play in September included both titles.

“. . . . Le Rameau d’Or obtained a great success at the Academy. If they abolished the dialogue altogether, the ballet would win out. The ravishing dancers of the company, Mlles Morlacchi, Blasina, Diani, Sohlke, etc., are applauded each evening to the point of frenzy.”

“In spite of difficulties and intrigues for which no name is too bad, Le Rameau d’Or had a brilliant run at the Academy of Music. All those who are interested in the great art of the dance in the highest sense must be invited to these performances. All the schools find themselves represented in M. de Pol’s company. Mlle Morlacchi represents academic dance; nothing equals the purity and accuracy of her style. Mlle Blasina is elegance itself; she is naturally completely graceful without affectation or effort. In Mlle Diani, we see the romantic element; she pleases by being unexpected and by the impetuousness of her dancing; her ardor astonishes and delights; she’s a totally inspired dancer. Mlle Baretta follows well; hard by, Mmes Lupo, Sohlke, Ricci, etc., complete this brilliant Pleiades of adept artists.

“They criticized L’Encan du Diable, from its first appearance, for the slightly uncovered grace of its costumes. Rather than shocking us, it made us laugh, thinking it was the material for joking rather than for scandal. Nevertheless the honorable M. de Pol heard the voice of the timorous, and today we defy the most prudish matrons and the most rigid puritans to find anything to rebuke in the modesty of the costumes. The dancers aren’t even as bare-necked as Dorine, to whom Tartuffe was obliged to offer a handkerchief to cover the bosom that he couldn’t see. The scenery is very beautiful, but to our eyes it’s the dancing that’s the principal attraction of The Golden Branch. The Black Crook hasn’t one individual to compare to Mlles Morlacchi, Blasina, Diani, Baretta [sic], Sohlke, etc.”