New-York tribune., 1886-03-21
BERNHARDT'S "OPHELIA."
" HAMLET" ALMOST LEFT OUT. BUT SOMR
FINE DRESSES PUT IN

FINE DRESSES PUT IN.
IFROlI TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TEIBUNR
PAKIS MlTCu ).
Madame Bernhardt's last creation is the the
atrIca topic of the hour. week ago / told you
she had arranged to let the PansIans see her as
Cphe ia, character in which she hopes often to
appear in her fort hcoming tour IN the United
States. / do not think her rendering OF that part
will be TO the taste of the Americans however sue
cesstul her costumes may be- The translation at
the Porte St. Martin is n new one and so FAR as IL
is possible to be, good one. The transators are
NJ. Cressouere and NJ. samson, grandson OF the
comic actor who was Rachels teacher. They have,
out Of Difference to the famous actress,
50 arranged the version IN which she
appears as to give most prominence 70 Opheta But
things are so managed that this heresy could be
rphted the part accepted by an actress mod
est enOugh to follow copy" The colors in which
Shakespeare paints OPh'lla are cool, tender and
Tranquil. She Is a properly behaved yOuGg lady,
not IN the least wilfu but obe llent to the single
parent whose acquaintance we are enabled to make.
AT the same time she is unconventional and re-
served Her reserve. indeed, is such that were 1t
not for the breakdown of her mind we should have
no idea of the intensity of her passion for hdmtet
she is notin herself theatrical and only becon es
dramatic after she gets demeDted. Madame
Sarah Bernhardt is perhaps, not exactly
STACEY" but she is sef-cOnsclOus, affected and
wholly ungirish. She drawls and langulshes
through her part, which IS expanded TO make her
give the spectators their moneys worth III the
shape of long reel atiOls. Also, despite stage artl-
fees she looks her forty -four years and her voice
sounds ike a wOrn-Ont one of ffty-fOur. lluques-
mel the manager of the Porte s.. Martin Theatre,
was averse to her appearing as Ophelid at his thea
tre But she had set her heart upon that character
which she hopes 10 pay in the United States; and
as she wants to make of her effects III Par's
she consented to act OpheId at a reduced price.
However. this was 50 high that to TecOup the free
list was suspended for the first representation; aud
even journalists had to paw for their places.
There was a dense and brilliant house. Dumas,
Sardou Octave Feullet and NJ. Clemenceau were
present. The latter had come from Nice. There
were good many English and fair muster of
Americans. But Ophelja Only took at the first
representation The pay-goIng public no longer
cares for Sarah Bernhardt Mile Weber is becom-
ing their faVOrlte
Any real student aul admirer Of Shakespe re
could not hut have felr irritable AZ the way not
withsiandlng the excellence of the translation the
par; Of Hdmiet was mangied by giving undue relief
to that of OptcGd Granier has to rant and
rave to prevent himself from beng who'-
ly eclIpsel Sarah Bernhardt's mask-iks
face i'll lends itself TO the expression Of the evanes-
cent graccs and heetlng feelings Of yonth. Sne
was not wnsOme or interesting. Her taken hair
was in a mop and surmCunted with jiuuty little
cap or t)qto winch did not go well with the rest
of the costume with which it was worn, In the
mad scene a mOppish wig is all Tignt. The make
up of the face WAS curiodS. IL was exactly like
portrait in pastels. One would have sand that 1t
WAS not Sarah in the flesh blt her image done in
ii an, ~ in tiutx which hpSppm the
pictorial rcpr 'senta'ion Of bloc Mug and YOUTH
fuI vISaga. What was irartistIc the absence
of grsdatons of shade where check and neck join.
The pIukish flesh OF the and the snOw-whIte
flesh of the other met too abruptly.
Shakespeare makes one Of the tests OF sanity the
power to repeat or "TcwOrd" that which madness
would pambo from. Opheiid sings, because mad,
snatcnes of SONGS titfully. 10 pleas Madame Sarah
Bernhardt and enable her TO entrance with long
Rotations the trauslalors of " Hamlet" expanded
these short dittieS INTO long ones Indeed. their
length is so great as to be wearsOme All the action
of the drama is at a etandstill, 10 give the ac-
compliShed tragedicnne the opportunity 20 recIte
them. Ophe! a. as Laertes puts it, turns to favor
and prettneso" when handing about her sprg5 Of
rosemary, pansies. fennel, columbnes aud rue and
singing her Hey. non nOnny' and He
will not come again." The line For bOnuy
translation and delivered with the languishirg
airs and graces which were in their place in the
character of Marie de heHboarg.
Now, about the dresses. Polonius, who had tine
sense of propriety In all things and liked what was
rich and not gaudy, would have given them his
most chattering approval. With the exception OF
the toque or little velvet cap they III the four
teenth century style. The bodies arc long and of a
piece with the upper skirt or surcoat.
aud the drapery ample. but rather cling
lug The effect Of stomaeher
produced by cord or cordeliere.
The first costume is a blue. lonG-wasted suTcOat,
open at the side, bOrdered With gold embroidery.
and over uudersklrt Of blue Chinese Grape
which falls many folds III a short tram. he
body is cut down square. lhe sleeves are also OF
blue Grape thickly aud finely Dea[ed near the
shoulder and embroidered wrists. The pleats are
held in their place with strings of small pearls and
the necklace Is of large gems OF this KIND. The
second dress is of tissue 50 light that one only
sees on il the gold, silver aud coored six
embroidery. IL Is made loose ike
sculptors overall smock. but confined at the waist
by eweed cOrdeiere and bOrdered with god
lace. Like the white surcoat already. described,
this himsy garment opens all the way down from
the right hip. The under coat or dress Is OF yellow
silk. The costume IN be mad scene Is OF a soft,
light. opane tissue bOrdered with gold ace aud
confined at the waist by pale pink scarf Of Grape
which IS loosely tied al the left hip.
garan Bernhardt went to hospitals 10 study
corpses in Order 10 represent tIuthfully the dead
body of Ophed. She did not think OF studying
love-crazed glrs-who, besides are not to be found
in this country unless riri0leuses of
volvers A French girl who is deserted either con-
SOles h,rself with another or makes the
deserter rue his INCONSISTENCY But she does not
broak her heart. So you can how
hard. not to say impossible. 1t was for Madame
Sarah Benhardt to study from lIte geutle. love-
crazed girls. Her Ophetd. IN the mad seen IL not
work of art. Ii was Madame Bernhardts own wish
10 appear as a corpse in the funeral scene at the
first representation. She mimicked death with fine
veracity But the mimlcry was TO her disadvan-
tage. There nothing tORchdRte In her blanched
face which looked considerably oder than her age
"A ~ oil of