, 1873-02-06
ADJUSTMENTS.



MeVicker'a Theatre presented brilliant apeo-
tsclo last evening, upon tho OCCASION Of the por-
formanco OF Fa,,at." Mad. Lncca's great rop-
utation aa the delineator OF aoethe's Gretchen
had preceded her, and ovory part Of the theatro
waA filled, even the lobbies up stairs and down
being crowded. 'Faust" has been performed hero
more than any olner opera, with the exception
of "Alartha" aud "Trovatoro." Since
1864, when 1t waa first produced here,
with Vera 1.orini as Marguerite,
Alorenst as .Siebs4, Tau,aro az Faust,
AIorelli AZ Mephisto and A,notlio as Wagner,
tho role Of the heroine has been sung by
Fredorici, ono Of the loyeliest of 1Earguerites.
Rottar, every inch an artist, Rose Cook, Roso
Hersee, and Caroline Rchings, in English, aud
Boschctti Canissa, Kellogg, and Mimic Ha11ck,
and yet how all Of them failed, in comparison
with Lucca, to drnw living picture Of Mar
guerite as Goethe conceived 1t, aud meant 1t to
bo. All managed to aoizo upon tile general idea
of tho character, and 1t ia, perhaps, not won-
derful that all artists should differ in their
delineationB of this character, which requires
the very highest powers amy artist possesses
to properly portray. Wo have never yet seen
gu artist who seized upon this character with go
much cloar intellectual, as we'll as powerful,
force. We llavo never yot soon IN artist who
has 30 clearly represented tho gradual progren.
Biou Of Marguerite, from the innocent maiden to
the passionate lover, from the passionate lover
to tho crushed and deserted woman, aud from
this condition to the triumphant apotheoBls Of
tho soul forgiven. Physically, I.ueoa is aam!ra
bly, adapted to personate Marguerite. Her face
and figure would aeryo for portrait. Wo do
not need an imposing or majestic presence for
the Gretchen Of Goethe.
There ia nothing romantic or ideal III Tho
character. Marguerite Inns lived always, and
always will, as long aa time lasts. She is clearly
of this world, and every day ia met in the walks
OF life, and It is with this conception TINT
Lucca Expresses the charaotor from first to last.
In tho opening scene aho docs not appear as a
romantic girl, neither as saint, but simply as a
modest lnaiden who, as aho paeaoH along tho
atreot and ia addressed by Faust, expresaes. ler
sonts the familiarity Of the atrungor with the air
OF ouo who krlowo how to do it. In her reply
aud her slight, cold o,lrtaoy. sho betraya no hint
| that ehe will ever know Faust again, ind loavat
| to como as ahe PASSES along nmong tho maldena
| Of the kormesHo. Sho .nakoB no attempt to
tdealze. the character Or tho aot, It u only
all ordinary event OF everyday life-u
page out Of mutitarious experience; sT1' u TIE
| Spinning wheel betrayR 1t. It to!lR tue whole
story. bho goes through tho motions Of spin
ming mechanically. she sings her song, not with
tho sadness which Its minor koy Expresses, hul
with a listloasnesa and M ulconcern as to ths
story Of the King Of Thule which SLOW that hol
thougAta are elsewhere. and that n,,dcr tho sur.
face Of the quaint and simple old nong thoro il
flowing ourrent which IL boarlng her along tt
aond anl tho angel are already atrugglng for tht
possession, and Hl.e IL the victim of III uncer
tainty, the lsauo Of which slo cannot tell. Tht
sudden change from her wopderment to surprBt
@ niagly placed IL Ior WY by Itislo' aud A. 't IL.
thorough aud alnaoB! chltlsL doligAt with whlcl
aha be1epks heree!f With thom, wore wonder
fully Expressed: The ltlra. aria has nsyo
teoa sunx le:e With uofs reality Ut foo!lnS