New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-20
RLSTORI As ELIZABETH.


generations. To the q" Lady Macbeth OF siddons,
the "ShyOck" Of Garrick the Richard Ill" OF the
elder Booth, the juliet OF Fanny heinOle, the
80 Phodra" of RaChel-tO these must now be added
the vision Of Elizabeth" Rstoris peculiar and great
creation. In other parts, in Mary stuart, IN
Phedrs.n IN LADY Macbeth" she proyokes com.
parsOn with the mighty dead with SlddonS and
Rachel; in Elizabeth Of England she stands
alone; Others may essay the task she herself has
cssayed the tasks Of Der predecessors and cotempo
Iaries, but they will essay it in vain. Nature must
make another woman as royalty beautiful with as
large a brain, with heart deep and tender before
there will come another Rstor, TO show Us the fair
Vesta hrOned in the West, the great Eliza she lived
and moved. Yet We write these words. II occurs
10 us TO ask whether any age has been rich
I'm dramatic genius. Our grandiathers saw Siddons
and Gjrrck; our fathers enjoyed Kean and Booth;
and there are men and women still living, who be-
side seeing all these IN full spendor have lived to APP
plaud, beside Fanny Kembe and Cushman, Rachel
and RSor Surely Is hard to believe that the age
whose forces can produce such fruit this Is an I'M
poetic one AT least if il does not give birth 10 great
poets, it gives birth to those who interpret the
works Of the great poets who are gone, and this
much.
To thoroughly understand and enjoy performance
ike that Of Ristor's " Elizabeth demands natural
sympathy. culture aud learning. 1t Is product OF
undeniable genius but Of genius trained by arduOus
practice and enriched by careful study in many fields
To those who follow it with prepared minds 1t affords
deep aud satisfying delight; to younger spirits much
must pass unperceived: indeed, we may well believe
that there are few persons among those who make up
these audiences who thoroughly comprehend the
wonder they are beholding. They admire the uch
dresses they are excited by the striking situations,
they carried away by the passions, melted by the
tear; but there is something more than this which
can only be felt and understood by those who are
prepared by thought and education to understand
RStOrs truth 70 nature, her delicate sense of humOr
her intense feeling her refinement Of culture her rich
Imagination. These qualities break upon Us as
follow her through the pay-they come out more aud
more strongly memory recalls what we have seen;
but We know that must see her often to judge
fairly what has cost so much TO create.
Elizabeth" seems to US an uncommOnly good
aCtiug-pGy. Historically it Is worth very little that
il. Judging it by literal standards though we think 1t
not unlikely il may be much truer TO the spirit of the
time than it is to dates and the luXtaposition OF
events. We DO not need to dwell on the mis-
statements and anachrOniSms OF the play; they are
too patent, and doubt deliberate on the part OF
Signor Giacometti The construction of the play
shows a man Of too great talent TO permit to think
that he did not know very well what he was about.
He had two principal objects in view. He meant TO
keep Elizabeth the stage through the whole play,
and 20 make the interest all centre in her, He meant
that we should not only not forget her, but that
should all be her lovers, that we should all
be ready 20 do and dare for her, and that We too,
with old Burleigh, whom he graclously makes live
few years after the historians put an end to his wise
and useful life should fling ourselves upon her eless
u.
he meant; and then he had in mind to make this
grand figure Of woman move through a COM
pact OF all the Chief events OF her time, the events
that always rise TO our thoughts when the name OF
Elizabeth is spoken lie meant that we should bear
the names Of Bacon, Spencer, Raleigh, Shakespeare
that We should hear OF Leicesters fall and follow
EsseH's love; that the Armada should be defeated
and Dawson punished and Drake be easted and Bur
leigh trusted that Mary Sthar should die, and that
the Queen should triumph; that Essex should die and
the wOman's heart break beneath the royal purple.
The playwright has done his task well and produced
a succession Of scene, that keep interested and all
sorbed 70 the end. This his work, to sketch the
outline Of the picture il for Rstor TO hl up the
canvas and she does Il after memorable fashion
We have spoken once before OF the resemblance OF
Risors style % that Of Charlotte Cushman next to
RistOr the finest elocutionist we have ever heard
The oftener we see stOrl, the higher does CuShm8n
rise in our estimation. Truly, she great artist;
"A woman Of natural genius, OF culture OF refinement;
and an actress beside who held her high art ID reyer
euce and abored N il with zeal and conscience One
Gift God denied her, the GIFT Of beauty, and wanting
chat she had never fair award Of the crown that was
hers.
But Ristori's beauty is something marvellous. 1t is
all grace all tenderness. oil majesty, all laughter all
pasSjau mingled IL such a way that we believe all
the stories we have ever heard Of the power Of beauty,
in fable OF in sober history. And when mlnd IKE
hers 6 soul like hers Intelligence 50 deep, Wit so
keen such a power OF feeling speak TO us through
such face move before Us with such gait, so rODed
and adorned we find it hard analy this gracious
vision hard TO write formal words Of eulogy, or tenn
per words of criticism.
Her voice too is another gift In the scene where
she dictates the two letters one to Davson' recalling
Leicester the other to Bacon rewarding Shakespeare
the varied power of her fine voice Is felt. How quickly
il changes from dignity to condescension, from anger
10 sweet low tones Of praise from sarcasm To fattery
Now a flute, and now trumpet, If Elizabeth spoke
So what wonder that her poets and cOurter told her
that she sang like another Orpheus. But that was
stilted comparison aud could convey no idea OF such
a voice Never has it been our lot to hear such tones
II NAV seem trivial to speak of dress because the
dresses of the stage have rarely anything remarkable
in them or what is OF interest beyond the hour But
This vos not 40 with Rachel whose dresses first taught
ms all that costume might mean, not only OF beauty
and grace but of historic fidelity Nor Is II any more
the ease with Rstori, whose sense OF what Is hitting
and beautiful is some times scarcely less than that OF
Rachel We suppose there is little doubt that IN this
pay of Elizabeth especially in the three FIRST acts, we
see the English Queen she was seen by those about
her Her dress in the first act, of green velvet and
gold her hair set with diamond dases with the small
crown surmOunting ALL is royal robng. Thus arrayed
Elizabeth moved and walked; this conscientious at
tept 10 portray the aspect of the woman delights U.s.
we respect RstOr much for 1t as we repect Carlyle
and Macaulay for Ike faithiuness in their depart
msnt Her dress in the second act--Of black velvet,
with border Of gold lines about the skirt; long,
tight sleeves Of white satin, pulled from the wrist 70
the shoulder and cap Of pearls and rich schumacher
of jewels-has more modern look than the hrst, but
It is nevertheless faithfully studied from historic
portraits II is when she this dress that the
beautiful tender scene takes place between her and
Essex where RstOT shows what she Is capable OF IN
comedy indeed this act is the finest Of all for variety
ofincdent and play of character. Nothing can sur
pass RistOrs rendering of hypocrisy whore abe signs
Mary Stuarts death warrant, that with James With,
and probably nothing was ever finer than the change
that comes over Ter whole face and action when she
hears Of the return of Drake The change is full Of
nature il is sudden but not violent, feel her JOY