The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-11

country. Tie rapture and admiration oil the
pubhc were only family sym0olized by the
numerous showers Of foral gifts md crowns
thrown a: her fect.
The Acting.
1t has been said by the French critics that
no one except o French Cath Ole could imper-
senate the scene at the COntessio ma, and de-
pict, as kistori does, the solace TO the wounded
hear5 and the consultations OF hope which
steal over her as she coniesses her er ors to
the listening ear OF the holy father, and be-
heves IN the efficacy of the absolutlon she
receives from him. Every trace of mind
every shade OF thought, from the mental yor-
ture that aliiicts her before confession, TO the
serenity, the calmness, and the resignation
that characterize her afterwards-is depicted
by Ristori with the most delicate attention.
The blending OF tints, and the presentation of
each particular nuGIce. intermediate to the
darkness of mind in the early part of the
scene, and to the tranquil sunshine that
seems to beam upon it when the queen
presses the crucifiX to her lips, in the belief
that her sins are pardOned and happiness
secured. is wonderful.
The sensation produced by Mary Sturart
was so great that the Rev. Father Veuillot,
the chief editor of the Ultramontane journal
L'URiuer8, paid visit to the Italian theatre
to see Ristorps lmpersonatjon of "Mary
Stuart" SO astonished was the good man,
H.
notwithstanding that he was liable to give
oHense to his religious readers, he wrote
very remarkable article on the great trdge-
djeRne, taking care to confess in postscript,
however, that a theatre was not the proper
place for HIM to go to, and that he was in-
duced to visit 1t solely 10y the intensity of his
cuTiC sity.
BY the French press comparison has been
made between the two chief tragic actresses
Of fhoin Of flan
same character-"Mary Stuart" well-bnown
critic has pronounced the following opinion
of the relative merits Of Rachel and Ristori in
their representations of the unfortunate
Queen :-"Chez Pune u q q la bdute1tr chez
PdUtre peleU0tjoR." Rachel loses sight of the
susceptibility OF the woman's heart when she
pOrtrays the Queens anger. Ristori renders
that anger ten times more grand by depicting
it as the anger OF a devoted woman, whose
position is that OF majesty.
The first season ended on the 10th Of Sep
tember. She gave thirty. six performances,
the gross receipts Of which amounted to half
u million OF francs. This success was so graft
flying that Rlstori secured the theatre for the
three following years. During her residence
in Paris she was the recipient of many gene
rOus testimonials OF the estimation in which she
was held by the most enlightened artists and
EterGti OF the country. Innumerable por-
traits were made Of her-statuettes were
issued in abundance, and busts were IN every
window and on every table. a medal was
struck in her honor, and the imperial appre-
citation of her talents was testified by the gilt
Of gorgeous diamond bracelet bearing the
inscription, Napoleon III 10 Adelaide Ris-
tori.'
But what she priced above all was, that
AIRY Schefar, the greatest of modern French
painters, offered to paint her portrait, which
alone would insure tnat Ristori'S name should
go down to posterity, acquiring additional in
terest from the tact that il is the painters last
work, and not even quite completed, as the
drapery is not finished, the painful death OF
the artist interpOslug TO prevent his much
cherished desire.
In England.
During the recess Of the Parisian seasons
Ristori visited England twice, and performed
there with a success only equalled by that
which crowned her efforts in Paris. Ste was
patronized by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert,
and the elite OF the aristocracy. Her per-
formances We'd in splendOr and attractiveness
with the grand operatlc represen tations at the
Royal Italian Opera. Indeed, the opera
1ailed while the performances OF Ristori at
tracted crowds such as Jenny Lind used to
draw, and at prices little less inferior.
To the sensation created by the perform
ances OF the great italian in London, there
was added an intensity of interest when she
was TO appear in Shakespeare's Macbeth and
u Elizabeth.
Her Career in spain, Germany, and
Russia.
After having visited the principal cities OF
France and England, Ristori continued her
triumphant career through Spain, Germany,
and Russia. The costly presents that she re-
Ceived from the sovereigns Of these countries,
of course. are very numerous; but some, in
dependent Of their value, are more highly
} riZed by her than pearls or rubies. The
Empress OF Russia gave her the diploma
OF a Lady Of the Palace; the Empress
of Austria nominated her as her 'Reader;"
and the Queen of Prussia presented to
her an album, on the hy-eaf OF which she
wrote 1.-THE Queen of Prussia to Madame
Ristori." But the most honorable distinction
that she received is the Order of Merit from
the King Of Prussia, suspended from costly
gold bracelet, accompanied by royal rescript
authorizing her to wear it. RistOri is the
| first and only woman that has ever been thus
| decorated"
Her Character.
There is another point in the history of
| Ristori that lends charm to her character.
1t is that uneXceptionable private lie, with
| out which no public character can command
the respect OF society and the world. In this
| she ranks with Jenny Lind whose name has
| Justly become a synonym of social purity.
| Ristori, too, like her, is known tor her un-
| bounded charity, particularly to those who
| have devoted their talents and lives to the
| fine arts. She is always ready to draw from
1 her wealth, for those worthy unfortunate
| ones who have not been blessed with pros
Derity. This has distinguished her, in what
| ever country she has sOOurned. An accom-