New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-20
RESTORI


foundation OF musical taste and the impressions which
they created representing an excellence hitherto unknown
and unimagned have been pepetuated by Of great
artists who have visited our shores from time 10 time
such Caradori Allen Chit Damareau, Anna Bishop
Jenny Lind Parod, Sontas, Catherine Hayes La Grange,
salv, Grsi Mario, Badial Ole Bull, WIN. v. Wallace
Brlham. vieuxtemps Sivori Julien, DC Meyer Henri
Herr Alfred Jae Thabeg, and many Others, who have
seyoly made their mark adding example to example Of
perfection in art by which the present generation has
pro6ted deriving thereirom perception Of the pure
eshec in art and taste and judgment which rare
ly at fault
In the Drama, too, which should hold much higher
rank intellectual life than it does have had great
teachers The living thoughts of the dead writer's have
had great Interpreters and the talents Of single artists
have from time 10 time elevated the drama 70 point
from which never should have fallen. We have had the
Keans Booth the Kembles, Ellen Tree, Waiack,
Rachel and now we have Risori, certainly as great as
the greatest in the long line of her ustnous predeces-
son. who have held the mirror up nature revealing the
depths Of the human heart in Its grandest and most
touching passions and emotions.
Ristor did forth suddenly developed genius
She went through the schooling Of the STAGE cop
.mencing with her earliest infancy Before she was
twenty she had achieved in Italy brilliant reputation
eonedieune in which line she had few equals and
superior spirituality, grace reality in delineauon and in
fascination. Even then she sustained characters in the
higher walks OF the drama but that phase Of her genius
which 20 make her name renowned throughout the
civilized world revealed but little of Its power until that
mighty tombstone, love- with its changeful Of
hope and doubt Joy and despair opened her the rea
ties and the responsibilities of life, and taught her to
know the depths Of her heart and the power that
was slumbering within her.
During the FIRST years Of her happy and prosperous
-. (arf1fo D9et,r Eftr
led with loving and earnest spirit the works of the great
poets and the impulse of her old life strong within
her Her instinct of the highest range of the classic
drama where the grandest elements of our nature unin
numbered BY modern forms and familiar language stand
out in the bOdest relief Moved by this irresistible insp
ration she essayed her powers for charitable purpose
and made brilliant but hardly artistic success for when
little later she attempted the character Of Myrrha at
Rome in 1898 she conscious OF many impertectons,
and wisely withdrew from public life to study for the next
occasion, which to decide her future career.
hisoccurred on the odd Of May, 1885, at the Italian
Opera Paris when she appeared in the character Of Fran
cisca hi Rmin when it is needless TO say that she
achieved success which genuine and spontaneous
homage to a talent which compelled acknowledgment
even from the idoarous worshper at the shrine OF an
smother dramatic divinity To fully appreciate the tn
umph which Rstor achieved this occasion, II must be
remembered that the sporatiye actress Rachel had for
years ruled the critical world Of Paris and had subugated
the Partisan public by the simple force OF her unques
toned greatness In the characters which she bad as
sumed there was not even fro rival and the language
had been ransaeked and poecal and fancn topes and
figures had been exhausted in hymnng her praise There
fore when Rsor ventured her first great effort before
Parisian audience she literally baved the lion in his den
or charged solid square brsng with adverse bayonets
Her success was attributable to the fact that in nothing
sha tho ar he maj o
Rachel portrayed reading Of the classic char
scte she heroic but she tender she grand
but she was human she cast her whole soul into the char
acer she personated but her passions were all womany
she betrayed beneath the Queens crowned brow the
voman heart weak in its strength, but always sub
lime in its devotion and self-sacridce.
These attributes, contrasting strongly with the self
sustained sefretaned classic satuesqueness OF Rachel
whose poses were studies whose pauses were eloquent
and whose eocuon was If cOd not the less perfect III lis
information in its dramatic power and in the expressions
of high nobility and mperurbabity Of soul made at
once mark upon the audience, who recognized
the compatibility OF heroic and womanly attn
butes of the possibility OF passionate abandon with the
severe classic grace They recognized in Rston the twin
sister of Rachel equal in ALL but in all things dissimar
Heroic passionate grand, emphatic greater IN repose
than in action but exhibited with that difference which
might naturally mark two great natures moved by the
same impulses but differing in their expression BY this
Ristor conquered the opposition which stood ready to
crush her She her position by sheer genius, over
which no eclipse passed. and stood shoulder by shoulder
with the greatest tagedenne Of the age who was not the
sowest 20 acknowledge the greatness of her brilliant rival
The Paris press came around very unwillngly, but at
length they dI her full justice, and the opinions they
expressed have been echoed by every intelligent WINTER
wherever Risori has appeared.
Conceding this unanmity OF praise 10 be well founded
bu without binding ourselves 70 bead to these opinions,
we think that the purity and the beauty Of Rstos hie
the bamelessness Of her amid thousand empta
tons are claims to sympathy and admiration, which will
De cordially responded TO by every American audience
The union Of public talent and private worth Is not too
common to be passed by unnotieed
Ristor il great artist in all points she is lifted to be
teacher both to the and the observers OF the
dramatic world. She is model which, If not beyond
criticism ls up that of perfection which at
once recognized as Of the sterling stamp IL will
doubtless be attempted elevate Rstor at the expense
of the reputation Of Rachel II proud thing for Ris-
tori that she is cassed with that wonderful and
her own worth Of magnitude that needs no bolster
ing up by the depreciation Of passed grand talent
We recognize in the coming Of Risor an epoch which
will bear great results 70 the profession she honors and
we welcome her as teacher whose mission through
the oountr viii be spread purer dramatic taste, and
arouse feeling Of disgust toward the degraded
tOual morbid trash which forms nine-tenths Of the
dramatic staple of the American stage.
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.
On Monday evening John Brougbam found perfect ova
lion az Brooklyn from house crowded with Of those
peculiarly brilliant audiences which tine City OF Churcheson
special occasions delights TO display Inc charming poet
actor seemed 10 catch inspiration from the surrounding
scene and delivered series Of those pleasant speeches
which seem to be almost a necessary accompaniment TO