The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-23

leader Kept them within proper bounds. In the
and interiered In one two places materially
with the general excellence OF his instrumental
brethren. Where the music OF an. opera is OF q
military character the garlng mistakes OF one OF
the brass instruments must naturally exercise q
baneinl influence matinee Of ..Lohengrin" will
be given to-day, with NiiiS0n, Cary, Campanini,
Del Puente, Nannettl and Blum IN the cast.
Miss Cushman's Readings.
large and select audience assembled yesterday
at the Academy Of Music to welcome in its quiet
way the great American actress on her reappear-
ance before the New York public Miss Cushman
selected for her readings four scenes from
Shakespeare's play OF Henry VIII. which
gave her fullest scope for the display OF
great elocutionary powers. Although the ..pomp
and circumstance" OF the stage were altogether
absent, Miss Cushman impaired so much color to
the text that the attention Of the audience
was rtvetted as the imaginary persons passed
in review were created by the dramatic
power OF the reader. 1t was most interesting
to watch with what delicate appreciation every
th0lght OF the poet found fitting expression, and
with what suddenness the reader passed from the
Interpretation OF the gentle, yet proud Queen
Katharine. pleading with woman's kindness to the
characterization OF the subtle Wolsey. or the
bluff King Harry. In each personation the
assumption OF character was complete, and in the
King there renamed no trace Of the weakness Of
the woman. Every line revealed at once the care
1ul training OF the scholar and the innate
fre OF dramatic genius. Time has swept
away no particle OF the youthful power
front rank among the dramatic genluses Of the
world. and Keeps her there when the c0ntem.
pOraries that struggled with her Tor popular APP
plausc and renown have mostly been gathered TO
their fathers, and even their names have ceased
to be familiar. Amid all this wreck Miss Cuah-
man stands untouched by decay as II
the strength OF character which supported
her In climbing to the pinnacle Of
dramatic fame enables her to set time at def.
ance. Admirable In all her representations, we
confess to like her best Queen Katharine Tor in
that character We see her In all the completeness
Of her geniass full Of .n tenderness and and
which virtue gives It was perhaps more
surprising To note how well the clustering Henry
was presented and how thoroughly the woman
was sunk IN the reader; but In completeness and
harmony the representation OF Queen Katharine
quite Overshad0wed all other parts, In 1t the full
gsmut Of the passions was swept with bold and
mastery but delicate hand, and whether plead
ing Tor The people In the council scene or
hauQhtily re using to be judged by her enemies,
Miss Cushman's "Queen Katharine, ~ though weak
and gentle woman. never Tor an instant lost the
remarkable performance, more intense in
evolutionary power even than when gwen on
the stage. Miss Cushman seems to concentrate
all her power IN her reading on the el0cutiOnary
expression, which is more effective deprived OF ac-
ton that sometimes Is open to the charge oil ab-
ruptness. During the reading the audience
frequently gave evidence OF satisfaction, and at
the conclusion called Miss CuShman before the
curtain.