The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-17
DRAMATIC.


Last winter Bogumr Dawson, a German
tRagedian, appeared in our city in the legiu-
mate German drama. His advent was her-
aided by great flourish of trumpets, ana tne
public were led to expect something wohueriui'
But the public were doomed 10 ulsSppOlHO
ment Dawson was good scUoI' DuU 10 VIC"
far fro m being equal TO the Iane "ulou nau
preceded him. For this reason "nen nsu ilo
Fanny Janauschek was announced TO appear
80. ,,dst and it was claimed for her thai
- o~oeIled in dramatic ability every other
e.,o, dIenne upon the stage, the announcement
- received with some distrust on the part Of
Rha public BY this theory alone are we
oble TO account for a single vacant seat
At the Chesnut street Theatre, on the occasion
nj her first appearance before Philadelphia
audience last evening. The public had been
fulIy apprlsed of her merits, for from her first
nppearance in New York she has attracted
overwhelming honses, holding them SPELL
bound by the startling energy of her persona
tions She was greeted last evening by large
and appreclative audience, and the effect pro-
duced was but a repetition of her trlumphs on
fhe New York stage. From the beginning to
the end of the play the enthusiasm was un-
bounded, the audience maintaining usually the
most decorous silence during the performance,
but at the fall of the curtain at the close of each
act giving vent to their great satisfaction by
Nnbounded applause, which imperatively de-
manded the temperance of the heroine OF the
evening. And we have no hesitation in saying
that Mad'lle Janauschek fairly merited this
decided ovation.
The drama placed on the stage was the MedeG
OF Grillparzer, in which the old story of the
Golden Fleece has been wrought out In man
ner which differs materially from the English
version, as well as from the italian, with which
we have of late been made familiar by the
acting of Rstori. The most notable divergence
from the other renderings is in the absence OF
"Orpheus" :" the protector of "Medea" from un-
propitlous fates. II anything, this omission Is
an Improvement, for it gives more decision ana
greater strength TO the prominent rote oi Ihe
play, and demands az increased versatility in
the personator OF that role. Helpless, forsaken
by "Jason," pursued with unrelenting bate by
gods and men alike, the character of "Medea"
is deprived of much of It's usual barbariIy, is
made more human and less ferocious; and the
strong love of country and earnest devotion TO
Hhe welfare OF her children which pervade 1T
appeal irresistibly TO the sympathies of every
auditor. Mile Janauschek IS conception of this
dificult and imposing character is wonderfully
faithful She does not storm and rave but, de-
Hpite the harshness of her fate, is still human
and womanly withaI. Her personal appearance
adds much to her rendition of the role. or large
but fair and graceful person; with prepossesslng
eountenance, over which. she exercises un-
bounded control; and with eyes that express
NIL the varied emotions and passions of her
soul she stands before her audience a lite-Iike
impersonation OF the crude gentleness of the
harsh age which the drama affects to represent
Among the most noticeable points in the
repre- sentation Of "Medea" is the interview, in
the second act which she holds with "Creusa,"
the gentle daughter of the King of Corinth,
when the latter attempts to instruct her in the
art of playing upon the harp. that she may be
tl,a toh han
the callous heart OF Jason" The powerful
workings of her heart, when her children are
brought before her in the third act, and she is
given the privilege of having one of them tor
companion in her Punishment, II either will
choose to follow her, are strikingly shown as
she utters the pitiful lamentation:-
'Die Kinder, mene Kinder! ia sic sind'sl
Das FinZ'ge, mir beibt auf dieser Erde.
Verlockst Du melue Kinder? Lass sic los"
And again, in the same act. she gives the
king the lie with an emphasis that might well
startle that potent parsonage, in the words:-
UDas luegst Du, falscher, ungerechter Koeng."
But we must forbear TO follow "Medea'
through the whole of her sorrowful story, a'
we should like. Suffice it to say that MILE
Janauschek's wonderful personation of thii
character is one of the most impassioned, and
at the same time one of the most natural, thai
has been seen upon the stage since the days d
Mrs. Siddons and Rachel.
last evening was admirable, especially that o.
the two leading auxiliaries, Mile Singer as
"Gorea" and Mr.. Scherenberg as Jason" The
latter displayed dramatic power OF high order
and rare cultivation.
About II O'Clock Mile Janausehek was the
recipient OF o fine indoor serenade at the Con-
tinental Hotel. The "JuEge M@unerchor,'
by whom 1t was rendered, assembled in one Oi
a long suite of rooms, into which the great
Sragedienne was ushered. After she was seated
the "Mmnnerchor" rendered Beschuitt's Ossi0
In excellent style. DR.. Kellner then stepped
forward, and in the name of the "Junge M@n.
nerchor," as the representatives OF the hundred
thousand Germans of the State or Pannsyl
Vania, rendered her q cordial welcome to Phia.
delphia. Mile JanRuschek responded by ex-
pressing her heartfelt thanks for this welcome,
and the pleasure which she experienced in
being able to contribute something towards In
Producing into this country the art of the Fa-
therland. The chorus subsequently gave
Fischer's RoeSlefn i'm Wald and Kuecken's
WO FFeude tire RrGenze fuecM, after which
She company dispersed.
This evening Madlle Janauschek will again
appear, in the celebrated and always popular
character of "Adrlenne Lecouvrear." Her
engagement, we regret to say, is limited to the
present week, as the grand spectacular ballet of
Cendrtilon is to be produced next week at the
ChesnuJ street Theatre, with a large and efi-
Client troupe OF danseuses