New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-24
RSToRrs SECOND APPEARAycE IN



means so large a. should have becn showed in every
possible way appreciation Of her noble passionate
natural acting. She called before the curtain the
close of the rst and second acts and at the end Of the
third and last the whole house in furoe Of enthus
asm which needed only such audience would hayc
been assembled in the Academy spread into genuine
triumph But il vain 10 look for any such result
mere band box Of a house like the French Theater To
feel the magnetism Of a nature like Rsors needs largo
and crowded house, and II is serious misfortune
that have not such to offer her Even when the
French Theaer is full the audience looks slender and thu
stage is so small that all the action of the play hndeed
and scenic effect is rendered impossible. This painfully
illustrated when Medea makes her first appearance de-
scending the hill with her children in her arms What
with the heap rocks at the side and the back Of tbs
stage and the statue of Diana at the e there remains
little room that it if the must be undors
continual restraint lest they should knock their elbows
against the muttudinous projections. 0feourse Medeas
entrance is deprived Of all dignity OF effect. At 6rst
nothing seen of her but her head and shoulders and sbo
remains long time standing the rocks which prevents
her figure from making its majestic impression al once
What would be the effect if Meiea should enter at tho
back Of the stage aud advance to the ootgh instead Of
making this apparently unnecessary descent from the hill
was shown by the burst Of applause that followed when,
releasing the children from her arms she led them in
gait and gave the audience its first fair glimpse Of her
from head to foot Once fairly seen, we wonder that
comparison should ever have been suggested between
Ristori and Rachel There is likeness between them
Ristori is Roman, Rachel was pure Greek Ristou is
Nobe "Clye" "the Ariadne,' Rachel virgin Of
the Panahenac Frcze Risori is grand large hearted
passionate beautiful being Rachel was intellectual and
cold with passions slowly reused but creeping with intense
earnestncss to their aim The pure still beauty Of the
Jcwess her 1.-THE grace, her unconscious attitudes that
filed the memory with statues, her voice that rang all the
changes Of passion hatred fury, contempt despair
but so seldom trembed the breath Of love- her that
oze or fascinated made the heart grow small with fear
that could burn like burning coal with hate, but never
melted to tender ray her frame, 50 fail 50 shadow
like that would have moved pity if the soul that lived
and burned in every fiber Of it had not seemed so mighty
TO hold its throne; what had this woman in common
with Rston aud yet Rstors greatness is no way
touched by the unlkcnes There glory OF the sun
and another glory Of the mooD and we are glad that these
two women Of genius different that while we are in
the presence of the not forced 10 contrast nor
to compare her with the other And if originality be
proof Of genius then is Lot possible 10 deny that MS
tori has genius She recalls artist that living eyes have
behed Least of all is she 10 be compared with Rachel
so long misnamed her rival She can do much that Rache
never did much that Rachel never would have attemped
and for our own part we frankly confess that when tho
umut of emotion in which we left the theatcr had,
in measure passed away, there had passed with mist
of preiudces and misconceptions that had vailed this
woman from Judgment; but thanks 10 her genius,
it passed and henceiorh her majestic figure stands IN the
memory a separate splendor, an individual glory.
The play "Medea' is one should judge peculiarly
suited to the power Of Ristor The story hardly be
true that Rachel rejected it account of the horrible
nature of the plot for she never greater than in
Phed the story Of which is indeed horrble-amos as
horrible as that of Shellys Cenc" which the manager
Of the theater refused TO offer to Miss Ne The
truth is that Rachel could have done Justice to tho
part Of Mcdea and she had, doubt penetration
enough to perceive it, A devouring passion consumes
the whole being Of this barbarian enchantress il has made
her wade deep crime; has made her desert her coun
try her parents her home it has made her the murderer
of her brother who stood between her and her desire and
it leads her and deserts through wastes and
wildernesses Drawing hunger and cold fatigue and pain,
that she may leap her revenge. this ALL Rachel
might have added this leaf 20 the laurel that
oyertoppcd her brows. But the play is much more
than this that through all her crimes her eceness her
mpacabe thirst forrevenge hcarthe oudbeatngs
mighty heart which goes crying through the world orove
forthelove Husband and children and home With what
neabe tenderness she sobs and signs, and trembesto
Creusa the story of her flight from home Whoever heard
such tears in Rachels voice But Ristors magnificent
organ now finite, now harp, Changing trumpet, can
melt 10 the lowest sob the tiger 10 the blood In
this speech her voice sinks lower and lower grows ten
derer and enderer dies and swels, aud skaters in
mist Of tears until our eyes wet and hearts flow
10 her with Crcusa Once Rachel came near this in
the last act of "Adrenne Lecouyrer' bat even there
twas hearts than hers that Tailed.
Rstor Is not TO be judged by her photographs, excel
lent kenesses they are, doubt OF her face in its
ordinary moods She has noble figure, cast in large,
Roman mold her full face finer than her profile,
grand and statue-ke Her walk is free and swinging;
and her arms which are large and strongly modelled
flung about with passionate play that is stkingly I'M
conventional There is much in her acting that resembles
Charlotte Cushman whose gestures were often dis
tinguished by noble freedom from the conventoDso
the stage But Hson has a native elegance
in her grandeur TO which Cushman never
attained The pure natualness Of her gestures often
crrres our assent captive when their srangeness has at
tgst blush made MS doubt. When she is pleading with
Jason for her children and is trying to win them to her
side she half kneels, stretches her body implorngy
veaningy toward them, and with aplaintiye, cooing ten
der note invites them come. Creusa holds them and
they do not move; len.Mcdea speaks strongly and,
stretching her large white at full length, she
drops the hands downward loose from the wrist and as
she cnes Come come come r strikes them strongly
toward her
Very beautiful too and ful Of maternal love is her act
ing with the children Children the stage usually
duh inanimate dolls bits Of machinery; but the
children here add greatly the interest OF the scene Lit
tie ~ w. nameless baubino that he Is, can only run
about or nestle at his mothers knees and look AZ with
his Italian eyes but the small Lycaon speaks his brave
paintve speeches like stout Colchian Of years