The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-04
A M u S E M E N is.
RIsroRI IN MARY STUART"

RIsroRI IN ''MARY STUART"
The votaries OF dramatic art who last night ven
tured to DEFY the Storm to witness the perform
ance OF MARY Stuartn by the great tragedienne
were well repayed for their trouble. Schiller's
tragedy. though iul OF beauties is 100 prosy, and
fails to hold the attention OF the audience
through the absence OF vigor in its
action. When Mary is not on the
stage there Is little to rivet the mind
OF the spectators. Only q great artist could in
duce an American public to tolerate chs play with
Its inrerminable speeches and slow action. But
with Risrort on the stage all that makes
ordinary plays acceptable to the public can
be dispensed with. Her genius supplies
everything. for she manages, in Q subtle,
undemonstrative way, to seize on the
intelligence and sympathy OF the audience
so that 20 one thinks or sees much Of any other
character. There Is q magnetism in her srt-in
Its quiet gradations-that enables her to hold the
audience In her grasp, as 1t were, while she un-
folds pictures OF the human heart-its longngs its
hatrcds, It's hopes-that every other human heart
recognizes as kindred to It's own. In this lies ner
power and her triumph. Her art is
the most perfect that we have ever
seenin It's truth. Its picturesqueness. Its human
tty. Sometimes IL Is so subtle that It
seems no art at all but only commonpace-an ad-
mirable illustration, as We soon ind out, OF that
only when we fnd the picture OF human passion
which seems pitched no higher than common
place grow by imperceptble gradations to the
revelations OF some grand action or burst OF
passion that we begin to recognize how
thorough and mature and finished Is
the great Italians method. What
wonderful power it is that without the aid OF lam
guage can convey and make COMPREHENSIVE every
Phase or grle1 or passion In painting the emo
lions OF the human soul Nine. Rlstort Is lndepend-
ent OF language. It'll not necessary to understand
the words she speaks; 1t IS enough to watch her
Of Of her voice. with these as guides #
her trials and sympathize with her in ali her mis-
fortunes. No better Illustration OF the wide range
OF her art could be than in her presenta-
ton OF the two characters OF Queen Elizabeth and
Mary Stuart. the unfortunate scottish Queen-the
gentle and loving, but proud and indomitabIe
IN IN spirit the one prosperous ana powerful,
prisoner, abandoned by her own people. and
without much hope that human aid could ever
ner w., we have already spoken Of the power
presented and the terribly vivid picture o! re.
morse given by Nine. Rlstori in her portrayal
thouehtiulness, It's variety, It's elaborate finish
is without parallel on the stage. 1t almost passes
she is relieved IRON the necessity OF drawing
pictures that while they attract with Irresistible
1Orce, cause anything but pleasurabe sensations.
AS the Imprisoned Queen we find her ever IN sItu-
ations which demand and receive the sympathy
path Is therefore clear, and less careful artistic
might easily be tempted into carelessDess by the
knowledge that she could have the sympathy or
the audience without much effort. With Madame
RiSt0rl this Is not the case, and we doubt IT, in
point OF artistic worth, her Mary Stuart Is not
superior in perfection OF tone to her Elizabeth,
though there IS naturally more vigorous and CON-
handing action in the latter. The scene in the
garden oil the castle between Mary Stuart
and Queen Elizabeth Is one OF remarkable
power and very illustrative OF her method OF
eradatton. Her pride struggling against ahaslng
herself before Queen Elizabeth was admirably
rendered, and wnen she knet II was the Chris
suited by the naughty Elizabeth, she taxes her
with the iniamy OF her Dirt and scOrns the woman
at whose feet she mas just knelt, the magnet lsm
oI her acting made her triumph felt through the
audience as though the scene were, indeed, pass
lug before their eyes between two real rivals.
she expresses passion. In the final scene, where
she goes to her death, the same we'll bal.
anced tenderness and power were shown, and
there were lew hearts that did not throb
with sympathy for the unfortunate Mary Stuart
when the curtain FELL II was quite remarkable
ming, warmed up and became demonstratlvely
enthusiastic as the play proceeded. Alter the
third act last night the audience would not be
satisfied until the curtain went up three
times. Signor ADottt as Mortimer offered
excellent support, and received well merited
marks OF public appreciation. SiGnora Stephani,
as Queen Elizabeth, displayed considerable power,
bat her Idea OF the character OF Elizabeth was
wanting IN dignity and those commanding quail
ties which history has attributed to her. The
other me mberS OF the company acted satlsfacto-
rly. Nine. RlstOri Will repe this evening at the
Lyceum the role or Queen Elizabeth, and on Friday
night will appear as Medea.