New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-30
THE .DRAMA-MUSIC.
r.FVTRANCE OF MARY ANDERSON.

DE-ENIRANCE Or MAXI ANDEhSbN.
The reopening of the Fifth Avenue Theatre
-. Effected last night, and Miss Mary Anderson came
,uard once the character Of PGrttenid. Tins
eedIpC is one very proper to he recorded of public
,n,o-tance, because IL again calls into exercise
,sshiu artistic influence upon the community, and be-
,snse II serves 10 mark in somewhat emphatic man
no, the rcaSserou of those Improving and refreshing
,orces OF the stage which for time have been
dorpant BY the temperance of Miss Mary Anderson
allowing that Of Miss Fanny DavCnpOrt-nOt only ia the
r,blc benefited and pleased but the dramatic indus
tries are aroused and the dramatic season is regularly
opened Mis-, Anderson received, by numerous as
.smbacc abundant ana JOY applause. Her person.
ston OF Payenid not work 1t was several times
rresented here last season, aud II then described
Inus recurrence accordingly does call for that
,nonious welcome and particular consideration which are
du 10 the stranger Yet il should again he recognized
awoik Of superior merit and of many charming at
tributes. Ii las youth, beauty. Innocence, Ingenious
ness tue warmth OF girsh emotion, the pretuness of
crsh caprice the dignity OF innate goodness, and the
consistency of spontaneous aud thorough Identification
Tbepart IDEAL no serious
obstacles to the smooth and easy flow o. the artists
mind and feelings The art OF acting it may be said is
possessed tue most fully by those persons who can
assume and depict the greatest number OF different ana
eontrasod yet think 1t VIII be found that the
greatest achievements in the AIT OF acting-IhOsc which
have given the happiness and gained and kept the
most Of human sympathy and fIvOr-are such repose
mon and illustrate the closest conformity OF the ideal
70 the artist by tins that the best actor is
he who r scus the most thoroughly his everyday SELF
but that piece OF acting likely result when
the actor finds an ideal which he freely and
fully pour that other and higher sef-cOmpounded Of
imagnaOn emotion and spiritual CHARACTERIZATION IS
behind aud his ordinary identity. Miss Anderson
rises into PdTthoid by natural sympathy The simple
rnthuncSs unconscious capacity OF herOisn, and
the excellent and winning loyeness Of this classic
Of al
woman OF actual life. The glow of artistic
instinct gives them vitality, and dramatic skill
gives them xpressiOn. In the ideal that Miss Anderson
embodied, last mgnin, that is TO say, the nature, the
person. the entity that she dcyeOped.here not 10
perception single flaw. The actreSsoi fact was the
Pqrenia fctiOn-a bright AMI clear and
fresh and hopeful the dew that sparkios upon the
flowers Of morning. While, however, the substance
OF Partbc1iu is readily within Miss Anderson's
grasp, the form sometimes eludcs her. Now. as
heretofore. tie defects OF the performance are
IN expression There is certain fightncss IN the
treatment of the acOn-an absence OF repOse III the
attitudes and Of utterancc and just emphasis In the
enuncatioB-which, perhaps, betokcn youthful levity OF
Temperament 10 less than crudity of experience This
statement ganCes Demishes worthy 10 he indicated
and destined doubt, to be removed. Respecting the
mind of this actress may be saidas DeSfemond says
of her own land-"it yet has felt age nor known
sOrrOw" She is put just past the threshold OF her ca
recr. and bright hopes span with their bow OF
promise the skies of her future. This it Is which
makes her present efforts exceptionally Interest
inc This II Is which inclines the Observant thought
10 dwell much more upon the general character
Of her powers and the direction aud tendency Of her
proceedings than upon the details OF her professional
mechanism. These technicalltics, indeed, are at all
times cumbersome and tedious in public journal 1t
cannot he very edIfynG, any reader to learn thai
Smith fine JGwiHS, and Miss Jones WIS exquisite
as Lazy Grace but that Green should have powdered
D. o,id should
There are hints OF shallowness and papahle denote
mens Of ,ucuAry in Miss Anderson's aCtng but just
now II Is a much IN re cOnsi leTaGle fact that the
young actress is certainly endowed with
genuine capacity Of dramatic expression, and with
powers that qualify her 70 granfy ant bene
M her gencJaon in advancing the hest interests OF the
stage Her reappearancc at the Fifth Avenue Theatre
inauguralcs-with the romantic fanciul, ingenious
wholesome, and cleverly-wrttrn old drama of lingo
MAJ "a series ofeHcelent, standard plays The sub
jects which she thus brings again 10 the puzzle observ
and to the comment OF the newspapers
arr high in character and fertile OF suggestion. The
picturcswhcber OF life or landscape or architecture
or household decOratOn-wbch size is thus the means
Of placing pou the stage, varomsly invested with
power, beauty interest and are well worthy OF
Serious attention. She welcomed last night, with
oordaty pleasantly indicative of lasting public
esteem. There emphatic plaudits. too for the
capital sccncryiust in proportion delicate yet vivid IN
color and notably right alike in rustic tone aud
antique characterize which " lngOmar" has been
1ocd by thc brush of Mr. William. The efforts OF Miss
Andersous professional associates Also in some IN
stances recognized with popular favor Mr.. Frank Nor
d8unt manifested the requisite port and Soidy Tor IN
Gomdr and his burly self-cOlnplacency, grim humOr
repression OF feeling and ebulltons Of
trocity were recognized entirely in the character.
In the gCnpr pa toward the close the anlalism
Of the performance seemed TO defeat the poetry. Inc
Complete en- q Is is appended: