New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-01
THE DRAMA--MUSIC
EDWIN BOOTH MACRETH.

ton, he Is monster IL he be judgedby his words
he is one Of the most imaginative and eloquent Of
poets. II he BIO judged by his feelings he Is one Of
the greatest of human sufferers The plan of Shakes
peare, apparently, was to depi2t great and noble
nature, containing tho gemsofevi and to show II in
agony and ruin, under the victorious influence Of
the powers of hell. Macbeth, viewed as a man who
wades by choice through sea of blood, may pre-
sent terrible spectacle but he is far less sublime
and pathetic and therefore far less magnificent
poetical creation, than Macbeth viewed az a man If
grand attributes and Of tenderness, helpless
in the hands of a cruel and horrible destiny.
Nobody can deny that Macbeth suffers: His ca
paciy of is quite equal with his capacity Of
ambition; and as long as can sufferremor,e he
soul of goodness is not yet dead within him. With
every crime that this fend-drven mind conceiye5
there comes an instant perception of its moral and
spiritual consequences and an instant horror Of its
iniquity-till at length he is submerged IN wicked
ness, and returning were as tedious as 90 Ger"
That Shakespeare had any distinct, specific moral
purpose in the work is not to be supposed He knew
that human nature, In even its grandest FORMS may
fail, through inherent weakness, and that it is
always in danger from spiritual agencies of evil.
The historic legend of Macbeth, which he found in
Honshed, gave to him the impulse to show this part
of the truth of our human life, in splendid poetic
emblem. He surely could not have meant in all tho
expenditure Of power and beauty that oyerlows
this glorious play, that Macbeth is mere bloody
minded ruffian. He certainly had no precept to en-
force. The tragedy is a crystal, and humanity con-
quered by Satan is the heart of it.
The high view of the character is the view that
Mr. Booth has always of late presented and this he
again set forth in his performance last night at tho
Star Theatre, where he acted Macbeth, to a
delighted and enthusiastic audience. The i'm
10 nf nj
beautiful alike for truth of ideal and freedom and
vigor of execution. Those observers who are really
acquainted with his career, and have watched the
growth of his artistic achievements aware that
this performance is much more robust sinewy and
massive at present than it was in former years
when yet the tragedian uncertain In his ideal II
the character, and therefore, vague IN his treatment
of it. In this as in King Lear his advancement has
been brilliant and remarkable While making
Macbeth more brawny parsonage, however, he has
not the less enwreathed him with a mystical
haunted atmosphere, and, by giving strong EN-
phasis to the humanity that is woven in with
the wickeduess, shown the depth Of terrible
suffering upon which the character is built.
AT such points as Now DER the one-haf world1
and "Methought l heard a voice cry sleep no
more" Mr.. Booth attains to tragic power of tone,
q thrilling vibration aud wild excitement, not
readily to be described; while his illuminatono
character, by means of the pathos that he employs
throughout the sequel of the Murder scene is bril-
liant and deeply impressive. In the Banquet
scene his sustained frenzy and dclrious passion,
before the imagined spectre, unseen by all eyes
other than his own ,mpart terrific reality to an in
visible horror, and in the hghest degree magin-
alive and powerful. There is another iumiuatya
moment, at the close of this someone Of thO5d
fine moments when the actor merges himself in
I a q 4 II,
sonifed-at which Mr.. Booth show, tho
tiend-cOnquered and utterly dcSoate King, holding
the crown in his hand and gazing upon it with Eyes
that are woeful with all the anguish and de5pcra-
ton 1t has cost. If this be not Shakespeares Nae
6eth then we have never seen it, nor shall
it, save in the readers dream. Still anOther of these
eloquent nstants is that of the pause, after Abide
within, III call upon you stTaight"-a pause in
which repentance and human agony over its own
helplessness seen, forOne heartrending moment,
in conflict with the demon that impels his victim to
yet deeper deeps of crime and misery. Upon Mr.
Booths eloquent delivery of the blank yersc-ful,
resonant melOdiOus, sustained, and made TO seem
the language of nature without ever being degraded
to the COllOqual le- ell of prose and of common life
1t is not needful to dwell His listeners owe him
this luxurythat they hear from his lips the perfect
music of the English tongue.
1t is something to bear the burden of so great
part as Lady Nacbeh without absolute failure.
sustained it, nevertheless, with the formal con.
Stancy" of an experienced actress. Her s0meWhat
mOnotOnOus delivery of the text, however, lndI-
catod that its subtleties had not been studlousy
considered. and her stage drawng,room manner
denoted the professional line III which her eXpe;
Iiencc has been acquired II should not be needtuI
to remark that intensity, and not demonstratlye
force should characterize the conduct of Lazy Mac
beth and that strenuous, almost vociterOus, ana
obviously artificial and lingering vOcalism Is ln-
harmonious with her nature and with the stna-
tiOns in which she is placed. Miss Vernon best eX-
pressed thePart and her own tried talent, IN show
in the CHASTITY horror of the sleep
scene. Mr.. Eben, PlymptOn presented
MacdHf, and though deficient in pathOs. at tho
strong point of the woodland scene, was thorough
y intelligent and right in ideal and adequate IN eN-
eCutOn, giving, indeed the best ShakeNpearean per-
Torrance that he has ever yet set before TINS puD
The treatment of ROsse By Mr. John A. Lane, should
particularly be recorded most excellent and, IN
a professional sense, most exemplary. The uSeo
the text by this actor, use traught win me as
cretion true feeling aud delicate shading Is espec
tally grateful to those who love the language Of
Shakespeare in its eNactness and purity But hr
Lane should have been cast for Bdnqa0. part
which, Oh this occasion, suffered slaughter aS Ell
fectIye as hat which overlook hing Duncan HIM
self. This monarch according to the faCetOus Gus
tom of the American theatre, was lulled TO sleep
with incidental Scottish music taking his ,slnmber
%W SH5s ali holding and within mile Of Edin.
bOrO Town" he scenic resources OF the ol1r
Theatre are very CHASTITY, and their full ghaSthne''
was displayed in the setting of Macbeth
"AIDA" AT THE ACADEMY.
Mr. Mapleson began his winter season of Italian
opera at the Academy of Music last night with
performance Of Vcrdls Aida" The principal
parts were in the hands of the singers who gave the
opera twice In the fall season Nine. Patti, Itid;
Nine Comma Tiozza AmnGis; Sig. Nicolini, RhcdG-
mes Sig. Galassi, 1monasro; Sig Cherubni Ro8.fs,
and Sig. Lombardelli, II he. The orchestral music
was rendered as the well-balanced and efficient
band at the Academy uniformly perform their in
portant functions under the decisive beat OF sig.
Arditi, and the stage sets were those which have
done excellent service on numerous other occasions
when this brilliant spectacle has been presented
The chorus sang with crude tone and the womcn'
voices were ovcTbaanced by those OF the men, ms
WAS the prayest defect in the representation, WHICH