The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-12
RIsTORI AS nMARIE sTUART.n


real genius, has Rstori graspel the nature,
temperament, and mental conformation of the
last unfortunate daughter OF the ill fated race of
the Stuarts, that scarcely anything is left us
to desire in the delneation OF a character whose
many varied shades, in Ristori's hand, appears
before us like a master portrait, to be remem-
bered forever.
Schiller has taken strange liberties with the
life and history of this unfortunate Scottish
Queen-liberties entirely unwarrante1 by any
historical fact whatever. The love of Leicester
for Mary has been introduced, we suppose, to
"work up the interest Of the tragedy. The
interview with Elizabeth is also purely fictitious;
no such interview ever took place. Yet we
cannot regret an Interpolation which gives
us a scene calling forth every power of
Ristori's genius in its fullest and sublmest
sense The struggles of the broken-hearted,
exiled, imprisoned daughter of James the
First of Scotland, TO bow her pride and sue
for mercy, if denied justice, to the naughty
English Queen, was rendered with so tou ching
an acuteness, that our own hearts did battle for
this noble lady, whose beauty had stirred the
souls of three kingdoms, and whose bitter
wrongs unsheathed the sword of many a noble
knight, "to dare and die" in just but hopeless
cause. The swelling pride OF the daughter of
trace of kings" was on Ristoris lips and in her
mien when, goaded by "Elizabeths" unwomanly
taunts, she turns with flashing eyes and dilated
form, and hurls upon her triumphant
rival the btterest gibe that could fall
Gom mortal lips - BdStarda. elizabeth"
shrinks and covers before the mighty
Indignation and withering scorn of her hated
rival-higher seems 10 rises the form OF the
captive Princess the blood of the old race of
Scottish sovereigns seems to rise and swell for
one last moment OF triumph, in their outraged
daughter. lie sang dz,d resumes its sway, and
with gesture of inimitable regal dignity and
command, she points to her feet, with the.words,
"Kneel thou to ane-for its l who am thy sove
reign.r Her rival is baffied, humiliated, de-
feated. All the woman's nature asserts itself in
the burst of JOY with which she utters the line:
Gun ora di vendetta di trionfo
lone hour OF triumph and reVengeE"
Years of cruelty and insult wipe out their
bitter wrongs IN that one moment of unmitl
gated triumph. Now she will die content. She
has seen the brow of her victorious rival,
England's vaunted maiden" Queen, flush with
the ignominy of conscious shame before her.
To this dlspirited captive, death is welcome after
such victory. Iu following with mind and
heart Adelaide Ristori's exquisite rendition of
this 'indescribable scene, we forgot the artist
we saw only the Scottish Queen, the injured
woman the ill.fated daughter of a doomed
house. whose ill-omened birth the dying
father greeted with the memorable words,
''Alack alack with q lassie came the
crown of Scotland, and with lassie shall it
pass away" In the closing act of this other
wise powerfully written tragedy, we cannot too
strongly condemn the liberty Schiller takes,
both with truth and history, in making marie"
confess her completely in the murder OF her
husband, Lord Darnley." Suspicion, vague
and unde6ned, was all that ever left STAN ON
the sad eventful life of one of the fairest and
most unfortunate of women. Her marriage
with the Earl of Both we'll" was compulsory;
her free will had no part in it. Even her enc.
mics have admitted this.
The scene upon the scafIold, the parting with
her maidens, the faithful followers of her exile,
the sweet compassionate tenderness of her
''Addio per Senpre addiO," touched all the deep
feeling of the heart. Exquisite in delicacy,
Language is not soltienough to describe it. Then
in her womanly, agitated entreaty TO the stern
.Pmlet" to permit her the attendance of one
maiden, that even on the scafold her person
might not be profaned by the touch OF "base-
born churl," the modesty of the woman, and
the pride of her race, spoke as one in this
request.
Powerfully, gIandly, delicatey as this world
renowned character is delineated and brought
before us ito the life" as it were, by Rlstori,
yet We miss a something even in so perfect a
portrayal. Adelaide Ristori does not idealize.
She gives us Marie Stuart" around whose
name so many romantic legends cling, and we
miss this. She does not elevate this character
or clothe it with ''lmagination's ferYid glow"
She draws it TO herself. She rises to no poetical
idea. In her gesticulation she is angular She
has not the curved lines OF perfect grace. Her
peculiar genius makes no appeals TO the
IMAGINATION, but aims at the heart and with
the reslstless graces of natures own unembel,
llshed appeals, carries 1t captive.
RIsroRI AT THE ACADEMY THIS EVENING.
Madame Adelaide Ristori, Countess del Grlo
will appear in her greatest role tonight, Eliza
beth, Queen OF England" The historical play
with the above title was written expressly fol
Ristori and her dramatic company, by Sgnol
Paolo Giacomett, the distinguished Italian play
wright.
The cast of the play tonight will be as fol
lows:-
Elizabeth, Queen OF England NJ me Adelaide Ristor
Lady Sarah oNard, .SIgnorita AntOnette CouiI
Marie Lambrun, formerly IIrewoman to
Maria Stuart. ........... .Signora Adele Giamartin
Cecil, Loid Burleigh ........ .SignOr Cesare Rstor
Lord Howard of Efingham SignOr Cesare PILL
The Marquis di Mendoza. ,Stgnor Giovanni Iessert
Dawson ......,,..,... Sgnor GiorRio Maria BOrgil
Sir Francis Bacon ..,..,,.. .Signor Cesare Mancin
Sir francis Drake. ,SignOr GiuliO But
Hudson, Queens Chamberlain Sgnor n. Verzuri