The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-16
Ris T ORR.



First Reprs.ss tstIos Of A1rssnss Lscesvrssr
In Breeklyns --
Until Ristoris ums che hstrtonio w,rid had Italian
drama Speaking with an Ia no such
drama Tho distinguished Of the tragsdians OF that
country Aaer wrote in Latin upon the ssveycst classic
model with austerty OF dicton and bold grandeur
Of sentiment. Ik most eminent comedian, Godin.s de-
lighted Tuscany; bat he Is only disappointment 70
other nations There il, In truth, NO connecting link
between the majestic Grccsns Eschyus and Sophocles
and the still greater because larger profounder and
more universal ehakspcre The Romans had no drama
the brutal giadiaorial supplied lis refining and
elevated pIaceand the modern representatives Of the
Latin rscs Caldsron, Lope da Vega, Cornes and
Racine and voltsre gave nothing original or disnc.
tive The French merely reproduced the Grecans.
They furnished ancient heroes and heronss with
dnwing-room manners. founded on ranciem ri0ime.
Their cold but elegant compositions could NOT
be vi,allzcd and magnotized until Rachel poured into
them the rarerch wine Of her derry and passionate soul
She died. and the French classic drama died with hsr
Racine and corneiIe have more returned 70 the
dusty shelves Of scholars and the stage likely to sec
them no mora ss 81 .eF1s7s /
Risiort has several plays written Tor hss ssch g.
EisaOefsa and Pa d. 7oiose, and in them little as
tnoy contain, shs exccs BY hsr genius she makes tho
work Of the merely clover playwright great and com
pels us 10 forget his mediocre efforts BY filling them
with her lofty soW and hitting tao 70 her regal stature
Kistorl Is only like herself We have one to CON-
pare with hcr She s not classic purely, like Rachel;
nor romantic like Mars; nor graudly energetic and
startling like Cushman. She is something OF all OF
these She 10 Italian, and cannot go beyond her
nationality. Hence her Medca. Lady Macbsth and
Phcdra not what the transcendent French artist
our gifted American made them. She can portray
the varying and finer passions the sudden changes
wrath 10 tenderness from hate to love- from hope 70
despair from pity 70 horror as no other actress have
The Greek herones, as Iocasta, Hermonc, Iphigena
1--WE prefer the classic orthoraphy for certainty Of
orthoepy Medca. and all their fated sisterhood were
not IN any sense womany: They were moved and COZ
oled BY great and terrible passions and desnies Che
lose all idea OF sex They are merely mortaIs perse.
cued and punished by the avengpg gods. Ristori on
the contrary Ike the feminine creations Of Shakspere
Is always woman--wooan Ia her anger, woman In her
jealousy woman in her tenderness, woman In hcr re-
vengo Hcr conceptions are sometimes NJ fault when
She studies characters that entirely English
or wholly French; for shc Is, the depth
Of her being aud the faintest beat OF her
heart Italian. But her art is never untrue Her acting
corresponds 70 and harmon zcs with her idea, the
mind does with the body She is not subtle Ra.
oac SO statuosque, so magnetic, so like Gre beneath
uns l'ed snow but shc u broader more picturesque,
more sympalnctc, moro suggestive
Ristor1's Adrlenne Lecouyrcnr. completely French
character In conception and development Is 50 different
from Rachcis that IL dinicslt to compare tho
The Partisan artist studied the part in It's slightest de-
talseyen visited tho hospitals to watch the effect Of
poison upon those who had taken II and been sent there
10 die II was character into which she could wholly
project and lose herself and her impcrsona-
ZION was, therefore, extraordinarily llieliko ana
thrilling seemed 10 leave art behind and
iastcn itself only upon nature which strikes
even through the armor OF senshness. to the heart
Rstors Adrienne Is tho representation Of the passion
nnd jealousy and devotion or italian; therefore under
the sannc circumstances aud Influences she makes d
creature Of tho across from what her French rival
did She shows less intensity and fire. but in such
scenes as her defiance Of the Princess the recitation Of
the passage from Phedra, and her death agony In the
last she supreme and enthusiastically called
out The weather most inclencnt last evening, and
consequently tbs Brooklyn Academy by means
fuil. But the audience greatly enjoyed the play and
would have enjoyed II much had il not bcen for
the n.cmnabe delay between the This needless
ling OF the patience Of Rlstors should he
once foformcd IL IS outrageous and without excuse
TINS evening Rstov appears the French theatre FOR
the lrst tlmo as Pia di Toipnci at5ss y,