New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-01
Music AND THE DRAMA.
ROssps FIRST APPEARANCE.


horny night, well filed. Literature, the stage anu
fashionable society sent their representatives Many
Italians were present-prOud OF thelr dis'ins U.s.
,ountryman, and ardent TO make known 'noi W
light in his fame. The eagerness OF interest," To-"
klly incident to a long-antclpated ar'is''o -.
Rave warmth TO the occasion ana Hauo !" ii''P- 80
INC and sprightly. In the auditorium as uPo' ''
stage the atmosphere was that OF thoughV anu ~
no. aud refined exutation over a momentouS
occurrence. The welcome given 10 oighoi
Rossi. accordingly, was earnestly ieSPooC
d. ord sympathetic, and it seemed 10
ct him pleasurably and to bring out the goou
,uaIties of his acting. Never were audience anu
actor more accordant. Seldom has an actor Wrought
mis- ideal with more freedom of action or WIN
,reater volume of emotion. In genuine goodwin
here ia always a charming reactionary influence
Noman is ever 80 much blessed rs when he rejoices
in the goodfortnc of others Iii not to be dono'eu
that this cordial assembage, which thus elauuon0"
The heart of the stranger had its immediate re-
ward in seeing him at his best. He certainly ac'eu
Uitbout constrant-putting forth his powers IN
,oIcforotfpl shirt and disclosing Ito all such OBJ
.orvors "a were looking for them the
resources and capabilities Of the actor back
nf the peculiar attributes of the performance
The nlav was "Othello," and Signor Rossi en-
noted the Moor. 1t is a great play, but under 'he
,.ross of iteration If has become, i'll this region,
tedious subject to discuss. After seeing SeVerai
hundred representations Of it are still unable 10
perceiye wherein the public is ever particularly
benefited by its performance-tor the theme Is
Dreadful and the final impression lett by II Is ono
1f rumiticated affection Signor RoSsi, however
tound it-as so many other actors have founu IL De
lore-a grand medium for the display OF his power
10 deal with the elemental passions of humanity
md his attributes and skill dramatic artist.
His OfbelO is of Italian conception and OF Italian
mechanism Our public made acquaintance WIN
is mode of treating the character when 1t saw the
Moor of Salvn The Otb6lo of ROssl is essentially OF
he same school, The technicality Is the same. Inc
difference is IN the men, and the difference is largely
in favor of SignOr Ross's predecessor In both
Eases the basis of the work Is animal, and III both
Eases the execution is animated and picturesque
no full of action and eloquent gesture, that the eS-
.antial untruth OF the ideal is momentariy con-
eealed Salvini, though, redeemed his errors by
personal magnetism. RosSi leaves them squarely Wis
ble and unrelieyed. His Moor is person of COM
mon nature who is first intoxicated with sensual
love and afterward infatuated with demOnlac leal-
busy-and in both conditions is unpOetic, un-Shake
spearean and unpleasant.
This is the general impression that his emDodI-
ment leaves. It's particular pecnliarties-the facts
that make it up-are very numerous, and could not
well be stated in brief space. A few OF them,
though. will serve. The speech to the Venetian
Senate was delivered without either dignity OF car
rage or simplicity of action, and with the Moors
back turned directly upon that august body. The
Erecting to DesdemoaG, at Cyprus, was accompanied
with a gloating animalism that is utterly out OF
olace whether in the character or the scene Old
VoIp0ae himself could not be more lewd than this
OthelIo was with his rolling eyes and his uxorious
EMULATION. The rebuke of Cassie had rage enough
but no nObleness ami no sorrow. II loved
vou. Cqssion went for absolutely nothing. The
dismissal of Desdemona in the third act seen to
be motivcess The action at " thou doSt mean
something had the sneak'ng cunning OF the negro
>-expressed with gesticulatOn of kindred
character The awful, pathetic farewell
ipeech came forth as burst of hysterical gar
tulity; and, after Iago uttering yells Of
tear had been cast upon the floor the denunciation
If him was poured out with the volUbility and the
gesture BETTING an angry sculliCn The murder
was done with hideOus brutality and at the suicidal
stroke as two OF three times before the
actor introduced spasmOdic gurgtatiOns, as Of
a man III fit. These things indicate
The point of view from which Signor Rossi has
chosen to consider the Moor. and they imply the
thoroughness and consistency of his execution
There are many who like this kind Of an Otdci!0
The house last night called Siguor ROssi again and
again. with the widest demonstrations Of delight at
all his proceedings The man who would
be understood must not rise above
level of quite ordinary intelligence. 1t used
to be thought that Othciio is very noble, magnani
nous delicate poetic creation. 1t used to be con-
sidered that love, however passionate, is awed IN
the presence of its idoized object and saddened by
the ecsacy of its own fulfilled happiness. 1t used
to be held that the slaughter of DesdemOna Is
lacrifice and not the pretext for a mclOdramatic
shambles But these are old-fashioned ideas.
Signor Rossi was excellent, in a few moments of
aeart-broken and almost crazed perplexity when
it seemed that neither his frame nor his mind could
bear its burden of doubt and trouble And he was
excellent in the brutality of jealous madness,
In the scene,-not usually acted-at the
opening of act fourth He is, unquestonably a
master of the technicalities of his profession. In
person he IS large and stout; and he possesses a
strong voice resonant, but not meodiOus and not
very flexible Once or twice there was touch Of
pathos in its hoarse and broken tones The
intense earnestness, the exprcssiveness OF gesture,
the constant action, the splendid dressing,
and the spontaneous ease united to make his effort
last night, personal success. He showed himself
10 be good actor in unpoetic school. His rank,
we should conjecture is about level with that
of Mr. j. b. Studley. Mr.. Joseph Proctor,
and Mr.. L. II. Shewell, on our own
stage-though either Of these actors would present
a much truer shakespcIean Ubello. file will un-
doubtedly find admiration, however, among those
who advocate the application of prose methods
collOquialsm and the like, which they call
mature ITO the poetic drama of the English
stage.
These are the principal features of the cast
Iago; Mines Leyick
...-
Ihe buge OF VENICE ...-..t lalies heht
lottTiso.. T. - i.'te
DesdemODa. Louise MudcncT
Emilia Constance HanDIn