The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-23

60 watch how the sleeping demon strs within her, tiN
in answer TO Crcusas question what she would do
should she find her misgvings true, she breaks forth
into a burst Of savage and exutng fury which fairly
electrified the house
Loros Che IA mel cupo della selva
II leopardo allor che in subkano
salto' ruggendo di erribl goia
Precipite quail folgore ghermiscs
Il s1sa IN s sua sRsG0
ss DEPTH pc q ;a ps
Sudden in fury roaring with fell JOY
h asey an be Ss1fs Sn h eU b. Joint
Mangling each reekng member.
The action with which this fearful passage given
the head thrust forward and downward though the
very soul hrsted TO lap blood the crossed and
crossed with conyusive energy is in the very
act of doing what the describeswas of those
bold inspirations OF genius which only justified by
their instantaneous and unparalleled success Scarcely
inferior in effect the painting eagerncss with which,
the entry OF Orpheus the abandoned wife PUSHES to
him with the one question, 'vives'' Never was whole
being more thrown into word-never was there a
magnificent burst of rapture than that which ut
tered the assurance that her lost lord still lived
Che posse udrl solo I'm accento!
Solo IN accento! FiYe.
When the fatal secret Is revealed, when the truth
breaks her that Cresa the destined bride of her false
love- the submity with which she ascends step by step
to very climax OF eontempuous hatred is a marvel Of
artistic power. Qieenly scorn has never been more
consummatey expressed than in the words with which
this first act closes" Iii. sposo tuo. Tedremo" When
the curtain fell en- this SURPRISING SCENE Madame lstor
was twice compelled 10 come forward by the rrcpress
BILE enthusiasm OF the audience.
throughout offers fewer points OF telling efect-a
consideration not unmporant when the language or the
drama is all but an unknown tongue to considerable
portion Of the audience Nothing, however, could be
finer than the for vengeance with which the suppress
ed rage Of the outraged woman bursts forth, after the
long and terrible interview with Jason-nothing more
touchngy pathetic than the transport with which the
desolate mother embraces the children whom their
fathers guilt had for moment made her execrate Very
fine, too il the sudden change with which she passes
from exultaon in the contemplated assassination OF her
Greek rival into the attitude Of suppant for her chill
drens sake, at that rivals feet. second call awaited
Madame Hstor at the termination OF the second act.
In the third her great powers find, perhaps,
their fullest development The desoatc despair
with which she falls PROSTATE on the stage when
even her own children abandon her the ter
rbe intensity with which she the ungrateul
brood Saturn the wild burst of passionate tenderness
with which, the mother for the last time rumphs she
clasp them again her heart the renZied agony of
the great crime and the power Of that last
accusing word shot as from the deadly level of gum
against the guilty author OF all this woo-his varied and
rapid manifestation of tragic of the very highest
order would alone suffice TO prove nconestby the right
OF Madame Rstor TO the station accorded her
by the general suffrage OF Europe.
From the construction of NJ Legouve's piece and from
the SURPRISING interest attached TO the performance of
Madame Risori it unovoidaby follows that the Medea Is
the character which absors TO itself almost the
divided attention OF the audience. 1t would be unfair,
however to add that several of the subordinate parts
those especially OF Orpheus Jason and Crcusa very
respectfully filed and that the general
worthy Of the lyceum management.