New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-24
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
BERNHARDT AS PHEDRE.


Another change of bill was effected last night. ut
Booths Theatre and Mile. Bernnardt appeared. for
the first time here in the character OF IhGdre
This part was great one. as represented by Rachel.
and each successor to that iustrlUus actress APP
pears to recognize the necessity Of emulating her
brlliancy and renown in the classic tragedy
PhGdre was in the repertOry of Matilda Heron and
II il acted bv Ristori Seebach, Janauschek and
Nodjeska Our stage has long been acquainted
with It, but. happily, has seldom been summoned
to endure It's visitation. Mile. Bernhardt, it Is
probable plays 1T because Rachel did. and because
her towering ambition and restless spirit shrink
from no test, but court every ordeal OF difficulty
1t certainly cannot be said that she cleayes to
PhGdrc because the character Is either well suited
to her nature or largely fitted to display the char
acteTlstc attributes of her art-for in fact she Is
not like It, aud she is not free in It,
The adequate representative OF PbR4ie must have
| at least two attributes IN vast abundance, which
f! Nile. Bernhardt does not conspicuousy possess :;
one of these is majesty and the other is tenderness.
Poetic taste recognizes in PkGdre grand ideal of
| majestic spiritual, tender wOmanhOOd, compelled
by fate to yied itself to a terrible and consuming
passion to suffer the nameless agonies OF selfc0n-
! tempt and remOrse for this degrading, irresistible
sim and at last to eXpiate its offence against itself
and against an ideal purity by Selt-destructlon.
| The theme is horribly painful. 1t can
| only, in dramatic presentation, be reueemed
| by the uterapce of temperament that
| is radiant with ecstatic devotion, and by
method Of acting that places great emphasis on the
spiritual remorse and that lifts the personality as
far as possible above actual life.
Mile. Bernhardt does not so redeem it, and there
need be 10 regret, accordingly. that her perform
ance of PhGdre Will not be seen again. She applied
| A.. bo of with Ia
method Of Adrienne and of -Froa-the natural
style. in other words, 10 a subject entirely unuat-
ural. and a tragedy avowedly and dcsignedly con-
ceiyed and written in close imitation of the cold
Greek form. "Impassive stiled. and sententious "
| are the adectIves that old Alexandra Dumas en-
ployed to describe the classic drama of France; and
| they describe it well. This particular specimen OF
IT, at any rate, is about the last work thai udicous
| taste would think of selecting. for natural life
and-b God, modern. actual. everyday interpreta-
| ton. We want for PhGdrc the white-marbe statue
velned with golden fire we do not want the gilt
tering Partisan belle.
| Mile. Bernhard did certain magnificent things
| in the performance that she gave last night and
| in fact she accomplished in II everything that
| ever could be done by woman whose DESTINY it is
speaking hero of destiny as the consequence OF
| character-always to fascinate, but never TO be
|
SION of the overwhelming and terrible passion that
consumes Phadres soul. Like Rachel. in this. she
| revealed the ravaged condition of PbGqi,e'S mind
| at the outset, and thus at once excited deep feel
| ing of pity. while deity preparing the way fol
| the awful and agOnlzng elimination of her de-
| plorabe experience. But she never attained
| TO majesty, and she but dimly gave the
| idea of an mpelling memorable fate
and there was love of self than OF
| any body else, III her portraiture of what was in
tended to depict the operation of love. The most
startling moment perhaps, is that in which PhGdre'
frenzy precptates the disclosure of her fatal secret
to Hippoiye The alterations of sef-pltylng lam
| entation with explosive protest were made with
intense power and the beauty Of the elocu ION wa
superla,ive. All through this strange performance
| indeed the play of voice extraordinary and tc
the last degree fascinating with sweetness and i'm
| pressve with noble eloquence OF sound. 1t could
not bc doubted that every phase OF PhadrCS horri
bic suffering was keenly appreciated through femi
| nine intuitions of the actress.
The audience was quickly responsive; nj he,
exit, in act second, Nile Bernhard was twc,
| recalled upon the scene, and there wer:
three special recalls at the end OF the fourth act
| amid tumult Of accamation Nile. Bernhard
wrought thrilling effect in this act with her mad
deDed despairng uterance of the on of zeal
ousy to the troubles already so massive and ntoier
| able. But, Racines memorable work affords CON
paratlvey few dramatic situations The action is O
the kind that passes within the bresst--a strife o.
strong passions In confllct-and this induces a vas
amount OF soliloquy and conversation. much o
which is tedious. Even Mile, Bornhardt Is, q
times, monotonous and achrymose in her roc tai o
the everlasting rhymed anguish Of tho great Racine
Her strength too.-although it was reserved will
adroi. sk,ll-dd not suffice ~ sustain her through