The Origin and Development of Eurythmy 1923–1925

GA 277d — 15 March 1925, Stuttgart

Eurythmy Performance

From a letter from Marie Steiner to Rudolf Steiner, Heidenheim, March 18, 1925

Dear E., it has been so incredibly long since I last wrote to you. Stuttgart proved to be what it always is: one flies from one thing to another, or from one person to another, and so it happened that I always wrote to you in my thoughts, but could not fill out a form. From Fürth, I asked for a telegram to be sent to you. Fürth was a big surprise for us. After the Landestheater in Stuttgart, it is perhaps the most beautiful theater we have ever been to, with excellent acoustics and the best order and cleanliness in the regions behind the scenes. Magnificent lighting options, a capacity of almost 1,200 people, and it was completely full again. The members told us the next day that they had heard only enthusiastic comments.

So in Stuttgart, we were once again turned out of the Landestheater. We held the two Faust performances at the Waldorf School; some people said that the view was better there because the stage was higher; perhaps more strangers come there than to the Landhausstraße. Of course, everything went well and smoothly there; we also had a performance for members in the Landhausstraße.

I have now been persuaded, at the suggestion of some teachers, to agree to a Faust performance for schoolchildren. It was tempting to think that 800 children could gain an impression for life that would prevent them from immediately developing a taste for trashy performances. We all know how powerful such childhood impressions are. Of course, this means we have to return to Stuttgart from Mannheim. But I felt compelled to do so for another reason as well: the eurythmy school performance. It takes place on the eve of the conference and offers many delightful things, so it would be a shame to miss it. But the recitation is impossible. So it seemed to me that the only way out was to have Froböse do the recitation. But I would have to supervise the matter, since it involves poems that he does not know at all, and I would have to cut a great deal from the overabundance of the program and put together the best, for which there has not yet been time. Overall, however, the school again made a very pleasing impression. So it will probably be my duty to make this performance as good as possible. [...] For the educational conference week, they have requested two eurythmy performances and a recitation evening from me. So everything is very crowded, and it is possible that I will only be able to go to Dornach for two days to at least see you briefly.