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Show PROGRAMMES OF BALLETS. 337 DIBUTADE*, OR THE ORIGIN OF DESIGN. A HISTORI-FABULOUS BALLET, IN T W O ACTS. A R G U M E N T. THE ancient traditional allegory, which relates Love to have been the inventor of the wonderful art professed by Apelles and Raphael, suggested the design of this dramatic performance. Love, who is every day producing prodigies, and who gave birth to all the fine arts, incited the young Dibutade to this discovery : warmed by his inspiration, and animated by his genius, she made the first essay in Design. This young damsel, in the excess of affection for her absent lover, which amounted to a delirium, fancied him present to her eyes. She instantly desires to preserve his image. Love, guiding the ardour * The subject of this composition, and part of the scenes are nearly the same as those of the Opera bearing the same name, the author of which is M . Barincou, and the music by M . Blasis, senior; both of whom produced the Grand Opera of Omphale, and Achilles; or, Tlie Death of Patroclus. The novelty of this subject, which, excepting by painters, had never been treated on before the above named poet undertook it, having engaged m y attention, I found it both agreeable and well adapted for the plot of a Ballet. In its peculiarly dramatic situations, and in every succeeding scene that unfolds the fable, I have endeavoured to substitute pantomime for speech, and to exchange the melody of song for the delights of dancing. C. B. |