New-York tribune., 1886-04-27
THE DRAMA-MUSIC-ART.
sALvINI AND BOOTH IN OTHELLO.

The presence of Edwin Booth and Tommao Sslvini
upon the stage and IA principal participants IN
of he great tragedies OF Shakespeare was comb
IDENTIFY and rightly trusted to prove powerful magnet
OF attraction. At the Academy Of Music last nigh
Salvni appeared "a OthelloD and Edwin Booth
appeared as lago' aud they were hailed with
enthusiastic plaudits by great multitude. ihe
house WA denscly crowded and the manifestation oi
public feeling was extraordinary. Mrs Bowers
encr,iug from long retirement, came forward a.
4" Emilia" aud thIs enhanced the interest OF a
rem arkable occasion. The veteran Charles W. Cou-
dock played Brabantio" That delicate actress, Miss
Marie Wainwright appeared Dcsdemona."
SavIni's son Alexander played Cassie" Tho ex-
percnccd and capable actor, Barton Hill. presented
the Doge Of Venice The piece was carefully
mounted and the performance passed with surprising
smoothness. considering It's hybrid character.
dramatic performance. when the interiocutors
address one another in different languages, is
necessarily fantastic. and sometimes it becomes
ludcrous and sometimes it is tedious. An attentive
observer an follow it, but he will incline T. bestOw his
attention particularly upon SPECIAL maniiesta-
tions of genins or ability IN Fartcular actors 'hah
upon the general drIit OF me work lac Hash Drama
is something to be endured rather than enloved and
for The sake of seeing such actors Salyim and
Booth together the public would chccriully endure
much greater burden tban il bad to bear last nISht
Each OF the tragedians had his special welcome
the applau-e each case continuing lOf a IOuH
time. Mr.. Booth twice recalled amid yoc'ferona
cheering the end OF the Cyprus scene while at the
close of the temptation sconc-thc great scene OF the
third act-SayIDi and Booth were three times cal Ell
before the curtain with such plaudits as are seldom
heard in a theatre. The public satisfaction was, IN
fact unbo lnded For this result there are OF course,
many well known reasons. Slyinis embodiment OF
the Moor is frau. .ht with colossal force. both
physical and emotional, and Edwin Boolhs embo IL
nent OF Iago is vital with splendid glow Of intel
icctua lie aud brilliant with a wild lustre OF
mon-trons wickedncss Neither OF these performances
Is new to this public. The novelty Of the night was
the combination OF both and the resultant intensity
of feeling and be auty C execution to which each actor
was naturally stimulated. There u no new opinion 10
be recorded here Ie-pecting Edwin Booths " lago.
Ii is II best embodiment o that character that has
ever been seen upon our stage aiike I'D r''a auu vi
execution Nor II there any new word t. be sad mere
about SaIvinis mPersonat'on OF the Moor from IRON.
the poin; of view which l. adopted by the eminent
Italian bi- is OF the greatest excellence and
from anv point OF view his execution OF 1t superb
II must be added though that his ideal OF UtheIIo
doe, harmonic with Shase espeaIe. Tic makes MN
an animal aud very little else. lie Is at his best In
the ierOclty.
bv his animal nature is to take a 10" We" OF the
character and that Is squarey "n'agohietic
to the drift of Shlkespeares text What - the
attitude of Othso towatd DesdemOna - IL Il the
attitude of perfect 1--we lie scarcely believe that he
las beeu bless ii as TO win her heart li- massive
nobility. his lral grandeur, has peen - ie more
massive grand, b the perfect s"fea - t"t I'M
high ani sacred love difu-ed over his mind H heart
He is lifted to such he-ht Or ecstasy n"' ie ch E!e
him nothing more. The words that hr 5p'r-s on meet
iug Drs'lemOna" az Cyprus reveal hl- -'Hi III lis
essential greatness II were now to dc t"ere no"
10 hr most happy" What /, tie attitude 81 salylns
Moor toward Dcs lemnna - II Is tnc attitude Ol
rarual passion IL LACKS refinement, il itfHN poetry;
it lacks that feeling OF awe which, con.i.. grd win
human passion the invaria lie ohef attriut" o. true
love It SHOWS the animal side of the c!drac ~ auh 10
predictions advantage nut II shows noL4S else; and
thereto IL only half way true. Adnli All mat can "e
claimed a. 10 tie uureisohihg ana even cr" 10 ~
of mans animal and II SIN remains true tha
man mas spirit well bOdy. ana that when we are
dealing with shakespedreS Oiheio We ar, "rflLnE
with poem and not with blood aud thunder melo
drama. Tie celestial element oi" OthelO love II iSI
~ essential the animal element or tor ont or thr
celestial element proceeds the heart bredElug paos o
tre Farewell OF the tremendous lint, beginning. Had
pleased Heaven and OF the aWlu scene OF una
sacrifice Cthc.o" ia not a snoring barbarian lie
loves Dcsdemona" with an eXal'cd l'f"' anu ne
DESTROYS her at last In 20 slcthca. - Ti more grand
more terrible. majestic IN its desoaion than any
thine that can bee IMAGINED oi Druld soemnty oavlm
drpit. tho Moor Orer--elSudl IN ls ovc ana rs
l.Ing frud IN his act Of reiribuuOn. 10 Is great
acting is not true ana tht 'etoie II Ia not great
enough. -. .. .....-.., - ,,.-.,, -,
II Is the attitude OF tender, conndns friendship.
loVed yOu. Cassie lUu. OF AL men nave slhS.ed OUT
a. brother, cOmTlle. friend In yOu placed an apsp
lute fruSt Whoever else might fal. You. frt Wohl'
he constant Yet you hive fallen away from me. Ill a
time when most needed your fidelity. II breaks my
heart Ia do t-Dut Will make Y"u AN example" lou
Michael shall ht punished for your iipl' hu your E'n
ishmeut shall he the more signal ea-e you are sun so
dear To me- Never more otlcer OF mine -! what
docs signDr solvni make OF this PASSAGE lie shakes
n fist in Cassos" face snaps AT hlin with almost
rabd wrath. and, vigorously huddlng tie aroused
De-,lcmona In us dismisses hs Lieutenant as
il had been thleVing Sculon ahI 50 prlc"s away
this Shakespeare OtheO II l. not every student o
the piece who can md It shakespeare The Popt lar
cnthnsiastic adn iration and that is feeling which
rarely pauscs to discriminate Inc gam OF t"is per Orn
auce i that the puhlc hchOlls in one and the same
tragedy OF the greatest actors OF the nineteenth