The New York herald., 1868-05-24
Am q S E n E N T s.



Slim was the audience and empty were the boxes
that greeted Ristori's last representation in
Brooklyn last evening, owing no doubt in some
measure to the violence Of the usual Saturday
storm, but more particularly to the fact
that the people OF Brooklyn have very little appre
citation OF the dramatic except in the pulpit. A
queer people they are, with rather provincial no.
tiOns OF things who seem to have no just appre-
citation OF their proximity to a great metropolis
and to take TO civilization in its more CO.'S
mopolitan phases rather unkindly They can turn
penny, too with all the ingenuity of yankee, as was
demonstrated last evening by the kindness with
which they guaranteed safety to gentemens umbrel-
las for the consideration of Il liberal fee-payabe
strictly In advance-thus eking small profit. of
stamps out OF the storm and its consequent incon-
veniences The last Brooklyn appearance of the
hackneyed critical great trdgedienne, which is no
msnomer, was as Sor Teresa in Camoettis great
tragedy OF the same name-a role which, having
been represented seven times in this city, is OF
course familiar to most New Workers, If, indeed,
Ristori can be said ever TO become familiar or hack
neyed In anything The general cast of the company
was lhe same as on previous occasions; Risorl being
rather oad!y supported 10y her estranged husband
and exceedingly ably supported by Luigia Gleck-it
Is queer what netamorphoses this ltalian'Zat0n or
proper names works IN ndividuaites OF both
genders-as Gulllermna; by Antoinietta Coffin as
sor Josefa; by Giovanni Carboni as Donate,
and by Giacomo Gleck as Gustavo Empoli.
The rather indifferent acting of MozzOdOl
as Antonia, in fact was the only bemish OF a cast
otherwise excellent in all respects quite worthy
to support the central figure of RsJori Sister
Teresa. me part OF Guiermina was rendered with
especiai effectiveness, particularly at that climax
when, being about to take the veil and in the very
midst OF the ceremonial, she breaks away at the
nuns habit throws herself passionately into his
armsi also IN the final scene in SOr Teresa makes
herself known to Gnlermina as her mother. AS to
the roe or Gustavo Empoli no happier naorcedM OF
acting In its way has been exhibited on the New
York stage, saving, perhaps one effort Of Theodore
semi-pantOmimic old man.
OF Ristori's impersonation of Sor Teresa nothing
need be said, for the reason that nothing can be
ceverly SAID, praise having already been compelled
to beg for words by way of expressing the most ex
travagant admiration imaginable. That 1t Is excelled
be truthfully said, though it is somewhat less pre-
tentious than Mary Stuart or Marie AntOinette,
drama and hlnging upon the less imposing, though
no less dramatically effective, elements OF common
every day life. The story Of the drama is too iami-
liar to need comment. tale OF Italian
intensity, 1t is perhaps tre too hasty in its pas
slons to be thoroughly appreciated by an American
audience; for TO the cooler headed American the hot
haste OF the Italian smacks trife of the absurd-a
fact which renders the plots OF most Italian operas too
seemingly nconsequent to command American ap-
preclati0n. IL Is true that warmer and more fiery
natures usually act desperately without sufficient
cause; but plot in which 1t is necessary to make
allowance for nationality though strung with ef-
fective incident, fails of that mmedatenesss of
appreciation which ls necessary to dramatic
erect An American would say also, That the dia-
logue was occasionally little too vehement without
sufficient reason; that in some few passages where
solemnity was intended botn GESTURE and articula
tiOn were trihe too rapid for the utmost impress
slveness, though 1t is to be accounted for in the
quckness OF the Italian passion and in the further fact
that, as people, Amer leans Iestculae very little in
comparison with Europeans whose ordinary conver-
sation IS overloaded with pantomne. For the whole
matter Ristori's great power s in her exceedingly
naturaness and her utter absence OF the usual
dramatic afectations of striking posture and arti-
tclal stuaton-in the downright tragic passion and
intensity which in her, and Of their force
must come out, naturally, spontaneously vividly.
In tragedy she has passed the limits OF art proper
which IL artificial, and has emerged into that freer
and boder art which s nature intensified but not
unnatural.