The New York herald., 1868-05-03
Am q S E M E N IS.

aDSenCe anu gTanu success IN the AntllleS RSCOrl
returned last night to the scene Of her former tr
umphs, to meet with the same enthusiasm which
greeted her on her first visit. The weather not
favorable, but the attendance was nevertheless
pretty fair, the management, however. having the
consolation to know that every seat, whether occu-
pied or vacant was engaged in advance. The ap-
pearance of RistO at the opening Of the second act
which is her first entrance, was welcomed In most
cordial manner and during the evening she was the
recipient of many beautiful floral tributes. Every
thing In her reception was earnest and anec-
tiOnate. The story Of Camoletti's drama IL
rich enough in incident and forcible enough
in many Of Its scenes to approximate t. II 1t
does not reach the sensational; and we may con-
gratulate ourselves that the Sor Teresa" just
from the infctiOn of another purely sensational
piece by the subimity with which Rstori invests
every character she undertakes to portray. The
story upon which the dramatis has constructed the
play is very simple. French officer in the army Of
Napoleon marries q Spanish lady during the cam
paign in Spain He supposes that his wife dies after
leaving him the not well appreciated legacy Of a
daughter The officer marries again. and has a
second daughter by his second wife. The first
daughter he consgns to convent while he makes her
stepsister his heiress 1t happens by coincidence
quite common In novels and Dramas that daughter
number one enters convent Of which her Mother
the supposed defunct wife Is the mother Abbess
her conventual name being Sister Teresa, her maiden
name Isabel Suarez, her wifely name Madame Gus
tavO EmpOli. Recognizing her child from the fact
that her husband visits her at the convent, and
discovering that the young lady had formed an at
tachment for the person to whom her half-sister is
unwillingy berothed, the Abbess conceives the idea
OF visiting her husband in order to secure the happi
Of the two girls; in which she succeeds: but at
the expense Of her own religious status, fOr-her
absence from the convent being discovered-she IL
removed by the ecclesiastical authorities from her
parting from her daughter In this story Of mater
nal sorrow and strife with religious discipline Ris
tori has splendid field for all her glorious
talents, and she loses nothing In the COM
parsOn with her other great characters. The
finale Of the second act must be especially marked
as one Of Rist0ri's finest efforts Maternal ten
derness, wounded love, and the struggle between
the instincts Of nature and the discipline OF religion
were superbly blended. She was twice called out at
Nothing which this great actress has accomplished In
Mary Stuart. Elizabeth or her other most popular
tragedies could excel the dying scene at the close Of
the drama. 1t was notable that In the simple Co.'S
tune Of the Mother Abbess Ristor looked more youth
full and attractive than In the gorgeous costumes
OF her leading classic parts. The splendid cere-
monal In the convent which gave 80 much offence
in Havana, formed tableau which naturally at
tracted great attention, and after ALL did not seem
much out of place on the stage. The uniform merit
OF the whole company deserves a word OF CON-
mendation. The play was admirably acted from be-
ginning to end.
ACADEMY OF MUsIC-MR. II. L. BATEMAN's BENE-
FIT.-The army Of ia Crande Duchesse" marched
out OF the French theatre yesterday and planted their
banners on the battlements Of the operatc Tour de
Nesle, announcing the benefit of their worthy COM
mander-ln-chief, Mr. II. L. Bateman. His friends
turned out in strong force the occasion and filed
the Academy completely-box, parquet and dress
circle-with goody array of brilliant toilets, good
humored and, in many cases, pretty faces and en-
thusiastlc applause. The last Of these articles was
appropriate for the programme was one of rare
interest and excellence Two acts of the "Grande
Duchesse" (some OF her acts were very naughty,
uide Fritz the inimitabe "game Of goose, with Of
course the "Mari sage" and the splendid waltz
finale Of ia Belle Helene" and the time-honored
character drama OF the "Old Guard" were given The
beneficiary appeared az the venerable Individual
whose name graces the last mentioned drama--an
English one, by the way-and In response to q
laundering recall he made q speech-not as long as
that Of an impeachment manager but to the point.
He said that he had taken q Broadway theatre
for the future home OF opera bouDe, and
returned thanks In appropriate terms. The
drama might as well and as effectively
been played In the Coliseum OF Rome as In the vast
voices and managers did not appear but were never
iheless present In the many deadly blasts that
swept across the STAGE Regarding the performance
we must say that Mlle T0stGe never appeared to
greater advantage, ndt0re her voice, In the
first act OF the "Duchesse," ana L0ngchamps
made a feature OF Wanda The benefit was
fitting finale to the unPrecedentedly sue.
brought to close, and we hope that his new quar-.
tiers will prove as profitable and successful to him as
the beautiful little Theatre Francais where he
10 long welded the managerial baton.