New-York tribune., 1881-10-04
MTTSIC AND THE DRAMA.
BOOTH AS RICHELIEU.

,,s,,r,tipr enthusiasm by a great asSeino"-
m onnlause of greeting broke forth aeain ""
again. and it was long before the silence oi '''1
,itude permitted the performance 10 -
scene 80 animated is seldom witnesse" u
The audience comprised many oi tno J i+s
and social leaders OF the "'S' nos
s,;rit and the spirit of IFS ulou'e
.ntt,sn,, that of refined cultivation deh-
nata ,as+o and friendly sympathy. Inc ac'o,
- ,o,scious of tho sterliEg value and unusuai
.r IF the welcome thus accorded 20 hiln' ahu
ode his acknowledgements Of II WIN gra'elu' i'0i
;,g and crave responsive courtesy. IL was an '''
sion of som what uncommon moment ana II "ui
10 ue,obered as one of the pleasantest lheiu7"'s
of n long theatrical experience.
Mr. Rooth appeared as Cardinal RicheheH III =,
character in which lac has often been seen anu ue-
scribed and in which the thoughtful poetlc qld"tS
of his acting together with its ghttenng spirit, HS
magnetic power and it's complex, deicate' pohSn'u
ord a,,vavs seemingly spontaneous mechanism are
;fopr,ssivev aud beautifully conveyed. lhe'o IL Nv
,obI.r fourc on the modern stage-no hg'fe niolo
,I. fosciuatiu in he cOntrasted elements OF lls
oo,it,,tion II is rrandfy austere, and yet 'euueIy
,ortic. soJidly founded on the rep"Se oI tue
nbi,osopber. vet fiery with the knlghtly Nai''
of vouth; full of the pathos "nic"
invests lonely spiritual e&ai'anon-'n'
mountain solitude of wisdom and OF conquered So'
row-vet lovingly human and sensitive 10 every
1yarture of ioy aud grief in the common lou oi man
kind Lofty and fair as an ideal OF poweri'li goo"-
ness rro Getting the weakness ana innocence VI as
sanlted virtue it easily carries with 1t the aheco"
of human hearts; but its supreme excellence ai'o'
ALL is the realization of an ideal tral-the at'a'ii
,,ert and EXPRESSION of the majesty which is posSi-
ble TO n human SOUL when. through an ample oNPo
rience of the conflict of life, it has risen above al
+be homes and fears all the doubt and weakness, all
fbe PASSIONS aud feelings OF mortality
And this is an excellence that no art can supply
radiation of the spirit of the within the actor
nassinf into the character that he assumes because
awakened and lured 10y a kindred tone IN the cIar-
acter, ard thus filing and sufiusng II WIN
snblme light. 1t is not alone slgnlhcant tha'
Edwin Booth builds up this part with such dehca~
and beautiful mechanism; not alone that ne sus-
tains the identity well as to make MS spectator
forget that it is fiction; not alone That ne Is 80
srlendi,lc vehement in the towering and awful
imprecatiOn of the Church not alone that MS ar'
treatment of the part has the fneness and the ira
crance of old lace; but that, back OF the trained
power. and SKILL and many accomplishments 81 the
actor and Notwithstanding the iteration OF hun
dreds of perfurInances of RcheIieu there ahldes
snch AZ exubcrant wealth of the imaginative tenn
uera,aent of genius, never growing DIM or weary,
never lausing INTO routine nanneriSrn, never made
opate to invest this creation of literary fancy with
tha stately person and the lofty soul that alone can
give II n dramatic existence. The wonder IS often
EXPRESSED that an actor shond be able togo on, night
after night playing the part IT Is not reme'-
bercd that this ca acity of imaginative living,
this inexhausihe temperament of fire and action Is
precisely what constitutes the actors natural
wealth and autheuticates his personal preordnaton
10 the pnTsuit wherein he lives. The spectacle ot
Edwin Booths Rickeiieu fine il is when viewed as
art engages and inpresses thought at present Tar
more as the exponent Of wonderful dramatic htnesS
md "A matchless equipment for characters OF IDEAL
majesty The applause that often hailed mSeHpohs
last lgh ringing through the theatre IN bursts ot
lofty cheer-was not for either the general accuracy
or the special points of hchei0i hut was the quick,
bright natural ungoyernable response TO the elo-
quence OF genius.
This may. perhaps be thought too much general
izaticn of impressions and views; but for
our part. we know not how else
10 commemorate a great and perfectly familiar
work. In no essential particular different from what
IL long ago was which surely long since passed be-
youd the need Of a technical dissection aS TO make
up and carriage gesture and facial play costume,
elOcutiou ideal, and the unity and married cain"
of proportionate execution If ever of late years.
Booths Eche',ea needed any quality to improve it.
that quality inheren agedness of characters If
Ii has been marked 10y any blenlsh, that defect was
kind of theatrical over-clab0ratiOn. These points
seem to have been nsdcred and amended. The
Cardinal uf last ght bad all the age that is COM
paible with his needs Of expression; and the actor
concealed his art. We know not where to look for
q more nearly perfect piece OF work than was gwen
on this occasion.
The cast Will show the company. The audience
gave a special welcome to its old favorites, Mr.. and
Mrs. Patemau long associated with this theatre. in
former days and expressed its favor for Mr. Sanue
Piefcy's spirited and well sustained iInpersonatiOn
of the hery aud gallant De Mauprat. Mr.. Percy
and Miss Pateman specially recalled upon the
scene The lady. it should be added acted with
great feeling and true taste, and seemed TO have
grown alike in youth beauty and talent Mr.
Booth was not in his best voice last night, from
having been inactive for considerable time; yet
IN the scene of the communication he rose TO a
royal and thrilling altitude If power. The theatre
resounded with cheers and the actor three or
four times recalled before the curtain
The east Of }ulwcrs great play. done a, Booths
f.ll.