New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-16
RACHEL As JOAN dare.

MdIle Rachel appeared last evening to full house.
But the audience was neither asib brilliant nor enttus
astc IA We have seen It on some former occasions.
The close of the comedy introduced Madame La
Grange in the oe ebrated aria from Puritani Tho
high. bred grace of manner and movement OF TINS ac
conpished lady and her intellect OF expression beam
inc with music were as enchanting and refreshing TO
the eve as were her delicious throat wsrbngs to the
oar SIZE was twice summoned before the curtain and
forced with sweet CO mpulson to repeat the delight
We can hardly accord the same admiration to Mlle
Rachel in the character Of Joan dare as In otner Oh
her great roles still the fault sy with the creation ana
clothing of Monsieur Soumet AID not with the actress
Rachel indeed worked all through with wondrous
bower seeking to compensate for the weakness OF the
author by the beauty of her conception, but the
tragedy dragged heavily along owing to its sIngulary
spiritless character.
Rachel rendered with unrivaed correctness the his
torical figure of JOAN but the stern msJesty oil her
nrophetic attitude, even more than her msrua equip
ment, brought before mind the MAID Of ofeau' LII
all her glory and all her sadness. Sad and heavy were
the halls Rachel had to irradiate, but by the won
drous flashes Of her genius she occasionally liz them
10 with a strange brightness Of beauty. Nothing
for instance. could be q more perfect picture
Of The Maid of Orleans in attitude attire and look
than was Rachel when discovered sleeping in the
prison in the opening scene, and the murmurngs oil
home and Implications to the deity, which broke
through her girlish dreams, depicted with the
most touching truthfulness. Perhaps, however, the
cst brilliant point of the evening was in the third ac
where abe wins Bourgoyne back to the cause OF
A she grows more and more vehement in her efforts
to persuade him. and draws closer and closer toward
L., a. &c 10 xrannle with his very heart, she looks
precisey as some prietess Of destiny ineHoraby bent
on carrying out her purpose In the last ac' aS sue
kpeels in her white felons robe, she assumes that
strar gely beautiful statueeque siud ewhicn speaks
more eoquenty to the mind than even the prayers 'ne
utters.
On the whole although the tragedy OF Joan
dare is too utterly devoid of poesy and emotion
to enlist much sympathy, yet there is picturesque
fidelity to history in the performance which Is not
without charm.
NJ. Raphael Felix personated Bourgoyne but did not
cone up in this role to the expectation which he hao
raised by bis fine Interpretation OF Poyeucte IN "nicn
he made his debut on Friday. The quasi enemnate aP'
pearance Of NJ Felix aihoug suited TO the character
of martyr like Poly eucte is not 30 well adapted 70
thst of warrior ike Bourgoyns. This would require
marines Of person and vigor OF voice wnica "'
Felix has not although be has certain gracefunes'
which renders his personation, not IN harmony WIN
the character, at all events never In antagopism
good taste. We expect to see him to fun advantage
in Maurice of SAKE.
Mr. Cberi Aine, as the good old hermit, entered q
usual thoroughly into the character OF bis role Ine
more we zee of this artist the more we admire ms Id
,asctualty of conception and excellence Of elocuton
The MsrseiIlsse set crowning glory on the night