St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-17

tones, gestures-how full Of detail her prepa-
rationi celebrated physician Of Paris,
after Witnessing the death scene In sAd-
rienne Lecouvreur," said: II have to-day
seen two cases OF death by poisoning, one
was on the stage, but II was no less real in
every symptom than the other.r In PLAYING
Mary Stuart she refused to adopt the costume
of white, SIS is directed in the Schiller version.
The German poet is wrong, she said, aud
resting not alone on the conventional, but
true method for the part, she proved it by
historical reference. II Is understood that
her knowledge Of the history of the unfortu-
nate queen is something that is not surpassed
BY any of the best recent writers OF that sad
chronicle. Above all her creative imagination
has made her heroine live again. So vivid is
this faculty that Tor long she shrank from
PLAYING Medea, in which TO accomplish the
Greek idea of tragic destiny the mother des-
troys her own children. Madame Ristori is
conventional only within the limits of true
art. Sheridan was Mortified when she ap-
peared at his theater in London in the sleep
walking scene of Macbeth without the
candle, but he was satisfied at length with
psychological truth of her performance. All
rehearsals are conducted under her personal
supervision aud 20 be a member Of her com
pany is 10 be in an academieal Theater Fran
eaise. We have seen what jules Janin wrote
about her versatility. In this respect she
differs notably from the greatest actress ever
known 10 theEnglish stage, Sarah Siddons,
who was tragedy or nothing. Above all, she
is not merely theatrical, as are many of the
famous people of the stage to-day. Her
genius Is creative and sincere. IAN artist
may be great and never have seen Paris, :"
said an illustriOus writer, land stiIl be great,
but no artist is really great that has not stood
the test of Partisan criticism He might
have gone further aud asserted that no artist
is truly great that has not been tested by the
heart Of ali nations. This test has been
Ristori's.
Apart from the interest attaching to so ex-
traOTdiuary woman, her appearance at this
time has an important bearing on the we'll
being of the American stage. She comes
wholly without the usual devices which have
heIalded actors but eheapened art. She Is
not on trial II is not matter of dress; it
is not question of diamonds. She brings
with her a sincerity in her work. the lack OF
which on our stage is corrupting the talents
OF the young sud debasing the power Of the
I'd in the profession. Indeed, her plays are
II that order where real passion accom-
plishes the true mission OF literature; not as
in the CGDiAes and Froa-F'r where false
sentiment effects mere sensational situa-
tons. She represents the divine, the ideal,
the permanent tragedy. Ii Is not alone that
R!storiis the worlds queen of tragedy and
that By right of conquest and personal voy-
age that star coming is an event that no one
can fail 10 neglect. IL Is something 10 In
spire the dullest heart-something full of
teachings 10 US all, man and child. The
lesson of her achievements is more impor-
lant than the wonder at her fortunes aud
gifts. To welcome her is 10 proclaim that
art is republic. IL was when Lamartine
heard her in France that he wrote. "0ur Ian
guage is too poor TO express the gifts of this
oman"