Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-02-27
SALVINI IN .'THE GLADIATOR"
The Great Tragcdiani Runs the
Gamut of the Passions With
"a Master Hand.


Those who saw Mccullough in 9Th
Gladiator here some seventeen year
, ago would fain close their memory to the
fact after witnessing last nights perform
ance by the illustrious Salvini Salpin
might almost be said to have assembled
beyond the reach of criticism in this ad
mirable impersonation. His appearance
alone-the grand physique, the PROUD
and defiant carriage, the strong and ex
pressiye countenance, all bespeak per-
lection at the first glimpse, and the audi.
ence is at once led involuntarily in pursuit
of the character itself, and instinctively
forgets the actor ,Salvini's version, too,
of the great tragedy has undergone a
series Of adaptations which furnish the
actor with new opportunities that were
lost sight OF in the play as Mccullough
gave it, and which indeed might better
be left alone by any one but Salvini.
In the absence OF a prologue, the
terrible scene upon which the plot
is constructed, where Faustina, acting
under the damning counsel of the Oracle,
makes the fatal incision which was to
give her child at the cost of a human
life, is not obtruded upon the audience,
and the Gladiator's unspeakable fortunes
as he lay chained and powerless to de-
lend the beloved victim must necessarily
be assumed in order to understand the
sentiment of loathing and hate which
actuate Nero throughout the entire play.
The first scene where Salvini is enabled
to treat the audience to sample of his
power and versatility is in the garden
scene where, while undertaking with
seeming good faith to rid the vicious
Empressof her despised rival, he energies |
from the hideous garb OF the executioner,
and with a refined and gentle, pathetic
grace holds out the precious boon of COM
fort and liberty to the beautiful
Neodamia. His magnificent acting
here perfected the climax of enthusiasm
on the part OF the audience which his
silent and unnoticed movements in the I
background had awakened and the hearty
applause which followed only half ex-
pressed the intensity of tile appreciation
that was felt. salvini. displayed in this,
as well as in all the notable scenes. an
irresistible and wonderful power to, force
an audience into the widest emotion on
The instant and without preparation. His
superb derlsion of the gods in the third
act, where he is summoned by unrelent-
ing authority to resume his, obnoxious
work in the amphitheatre, and when he
inds his appeals to Jove unavailing, is
100 grand to admit of comment, for words
cannot paint the picture with the glow
and grandeur in which it shone. @sssr
His master effort, however, is reserved
or the fourth act in the arena of the amphi-
heatre, where, on recognizing the sem
enced victim to be his own lost child, he
appeals to the priest and the people for
Ter life and liberty. The sudden bursts
VI violent rage followed by the soft and
ender caresses and the affectionate en-
reatIes for the remuneration of the girls
ellgion, and the final triumphant ad-
lress to the Empress, bring out splen-
lour OF histrionic power that seem al S
most superhuman sH rs.-s {
Wlthal the magnifcence of appearance.
he grace and force OF gesture, and the J
randeur of voice, there is still much lost |
y the absence of the comprehensive Eng {
sh in his lines. All the poetry of sound q
nd musical fascination of the Italian t
inguage fall far short OF satisfying;th
and in no instance was this I
lore striking than in his powerful APP S
cal to the gods and his remorseful de- p
of their influence. 1t is notin
ound alone that the power of language t
'poses, but in the expressiveness OF the d
ords themselves, and their arrangement t.
graceful and forcible sweetness. il
nd all this was lost in the jargon of t
FUNDS last night. However beautiful Il
he Italian language may be in its place. Ii
was exceedingly out of place in the o.
mes OF the great actor, where every word il
Id every idea, as we'll as the gesture. is q
al
In Miss Viola Allen, Salvini has as per- p
ct Neodamia as it would be easy to W
1t to-day on the American stage. She G
AIDE her first great success i'm the orig n
al presentation of s'May Blossom in in
e Madison Square Theatre, New York. II
ID has been seen here in 'sEsmeralda.' - in
nee which, however. she has made w
advancement Mrs. Foster ia
IS also been seen here before, but.never &C
such good advantage rs in "The Glad IN
or, y although it is but proper to say h:
e was not heavy enough for Faustina. of
The younger Salvini was not seen at til
pest last night owing to indisposition, CO
It showed enough of his powers to sat
the audience that he is following sh
use upon the heels of his illustrious sire. sh
dld his best acting in the marriage re
'ne, which, by the way. while it is one aft
the choicest acts in the play. was all
satly dwarfed by the Indifferent acting ar
Orlgen and the High Priest. We think 4
see In the status of Salvini's male sup
rt better reason for the shelving of
'thello' than that assigned bv his in /,
nous agent. Mons. d. de Vivo. Mr.. VIC
'ivllle acted the Tribune very credit da
", but the parts OF Octavius and Lusi- alb
were horrid. .g .a9 81. , ali;
The Gladiator" i'm many respects was an
Dyed more thoroughly than siOthello,' 9Th
uld have been, and certainly the en-,
nonstrations of the tremendous audi the
e could not have been more favorable TO
hearty in any performance than was tbe
case last night. BON sr, ? mi:la for
n dramatic sense the appearance of Cir
VIM is undoubtedly the most notable Mr.
mt with which the Salt Lake Theatre Wa,
ever been favored, and the audience sur
'he iargesG aSseinDlaSe OF refinement wei
ever sraceu the interior OF either ties
oal eAeeiieht, theatres. From cog
W uoihe tnere was scarcely seat re- L
ming empty, and when this is consid- duo
!, IN connection with the fact that abb
BILE prices prevailed i'm all parts of the dot
,se solneehlhg OF an idea may be had mig
ne iiiiineilse) Tn3hclal success OF the
ori' i., raj .Is,5sssses,r ana, = tail
p,n,,. mn, ~ aalra. pro
n, hullaio Dill day