New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-24
MNILJESkA.

Madame Mcdjeska Is a great actress. Her
nature j, greatly dramatic and her arr Of mmetlc expires
sion is perfect II she but possessed Of tie com
pIete control of language AMI could speak IL with
u1feitercd and purity and II she stl retained III
ness and a1dor that charm Of Illusion which vanlslcS
with the bloom Of vonth she would make a ready
quest of gersaI admiration. As IL is, she dcserves-at
once and by this single performance Of AoricHne-to
take her place in toe highest esteem 81 the intellectual
public. The embodiment that she placed before
this community ON saturday night, in the Flflh
Avenue Theatre, was not only beautiful In IL
SELF hut massive and splendid IN is deuoemonts Of
GIc mind ana soul behind IT, 1t was an embodiment in
stuct with the most tenderly human sensoility, and
with rare spiritual exaitatIon. 1t was the image Of
woman who typihes tie most exquisite natural refine
mont cOusumm3te elegance Of manners, and the high
est sauctty and maenauimty Of passionate love. Il
far more than the faithful copy-ampe and nuishcd-of
dramatic Ideal revelation Of that royal wealth
Of soul aud that noble height Of mind which make tie
possible suDllm1y Of human nature.
In the presence OF sIch Vork-so vitll.d, and 80
far uaed above the plane OF ordinary artistic achieve
llent-thoreht con but little concern its If with tecIn
caltes and mechanism. To express the most ucmen-
dous passion OF which humanity is capa5le-absoiute
ye5nd 10 express il tempered 10y perfect purity and
svoved boy intellect and native nobility, Is 10 accomplish
the utmost that genius reach There are other and
different peaks; but there is higher ono than this II
remembrance dwes al an on the method by which this
actres, sustained herself at this height It must recall
that her intonauou gesture, movement and play
Of couutenance were all Spontaneous; that even
her garments devised and fashioned IN "a sumptuous and
delicate taste not precodented the stage in this conn
try seemed part o. the ougrowh and fragrance OF the
character, aud that al her looks and actions sprung
from aud crystal-d around her condition Tie specta
TOR could not know that she acting; and art. Of
course caudo 40 more an 70 perfect aud sustain the
illusion which genius creates This method, lad il been
absent would nave been missed bat present It not
noted The looks o., love- FOR example-ircahi;cd with
bonunoss and irresistible in fascnationwith which this
Adrieuuss eyes were made TO follow the form al her
lover luger m memory as among the most beautiful
ana fortunate expedents Of art that we have ever seen
employed but il the soul behind them which gave
Them mower il is this which lifted the PersonatOn upon
the wings OF victory and This u most concerns us here
10 recognize The public has seem in eopiou abundance
what is den0min1ted " emotional acting" II may now
once more cnOy-wlat, since the days OF se'bach has
been absent-tnat rarest OF all unions upon the stage
emotional power aroused through the imagination and
not the senses and shaped and swayed by intellectual
character.
Nrodes@a 10 be sure a. have limited, docs not be-
wilder with the ripe luxursuce OF youth NJ be4uty her
spcech is slightly constrained Pos the letters Of foreign
language and shc paints life with the camel ahdr brlsh
aud NOT tue more obvious mop bat she possesses the
tire OF Inspiration the power or intensity as
much more terrible thau the power OF violence as the
.pt -ltunzis more terrible thIn the crashing thu-
larui she calculates that devastating thrill 81 real
r,..,oD which, 20 the big and barug animals OF me
human race. f. totally unknown Love as depicted by
br ,, m. divine passion which CXaits the heart that
fls t.. and halovs the object bg which 10 is evoked At
ing Adreaae Lesorrs,v Ga part needing no dpscrip Ion
nero since 10 las held stage for nearly thirty cars
-, III. drama bv Scribe and Ic.orFt, ana j. perfectly
wei o7gnJ she has simply, 20 give iosm ana voice to
Of, ,y. .ucc OF THE passion. Invested of a the hole
and corner busu.s. 81 ile pot-the darSrooms cross
,rrroees back .tsrrays, kircheassricus fatal suun
b r,tlo-tattle auI 10 intri-ue-Acrie"e is set Dee
fore MS ms great woman vino greatly loves; WHO'S reu-
I'D with bitter enforced jedi, who first takes an
i..,r.a1 vengeance ou her rival; Who then' thinking
brcf abandoned f4ll, info the bell Of n.scry; whose
r.Uagimaus soul raise, her above her fate; and "Ao
dstst The victim OF hatred aud cruel ~ just - the
clouds are uu- from lcr lie. This experience, we cay
ModIeska embodied in absolute perfection
she ID not physically robust, and sne doe not use III
her art either tho WINDMILL The iaiL Al the first
Wow she attracts but does not astoIish, by elegance aud
b,r,opv II lie only when-in the sequence o. acton
incident begins 10 affect feeling ana feeling 60 act upon
character that her powers unfold themselves ana spring
70 their victory Thus it may be- said that she lives III
The character Her voice. although now weakened ~
the fatigue Of past e1eron and Illness must once nave
been very strong; and 1t stl sympathetic AMI IN The
low tones very sweet Her face, In repose-and a'ef