New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-01
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
BOOTH AND SALvINI IN HAMLET.

OF Music. Booth appeared HaD'iei; salyni az the
GAost; Barton Hill the KING; Mrs Bowers as the
queen Miss Marie Wainwright Opheiia; the younger
Sayini Ldcrics. and Mr.. C0uldock as P0ionius As
tho Ghosi appears in only two vocal scenes. and as
signor Salvlu IS the only gentleman who spoke foreign
language. tire representation was. substantially. the
whole English manifesto OF the tragedy salvins per
Torrance of the Ghost being the exceptional feature and
the CHIEF novelty OF tho night.
In work that savni has presented certain fine
gifts OF his and noble elements Of his acting have
invariably been manifest His stateness OF presence.
his ample, melodious. resonant voice, his uncommon
capacity OF diversified facial expression, his abundant
physc power his consistent OF just cor
respOndence motive and action and his proiusc
mimec skill which has become to him n second nature.
are always obvious. whatever may be tho personality
that he has undertaken to interpret No actor surely
have used pantOmine more el0qnenty
than salvini uses It, Who that has IT
will forget Conrdd|S narrative OF the homicide
the prison ifo OF the escape in "Morte Clvie"i Or
OteVo's delivery OF his defensive speech before the
Venetian Senaci II peases Saylni sometimes TO use
his great talent for pantomime in the wrong pace-s,
for example. when uttering WbcttOs farewell. speech
which is fine aud touching wncn IL Is spoken
with no gestculaon establishment whatever. But
he is supreme and superb IN the employment OF this
expedicn, moments when 1t is essential As the Gho
in "uamle' could and did not it, but relied
exclusively on a sombrc. unearhy aspect and the scope
and depth and variety OF his phenomenal voice. The
I'm son alton was pcryaded with noble dignity and
grand soemnty. 1t not much to that in this
performance OF the Ghost Sgnor Savini gave deeper
aud impression OF his intellectual grasp OF this
subject of Hamlet" than has before given by his
performance OF Hamiet himself His elocution In the
Ghosts narrative was beautifully shaded aud his intro
duction Of the Impulse OF human feeling when
speaking the adieu to Hamlet had most touching
effect.
As TO tho permanent value OF signor Savnrs perform
anccs-iudged by what they contain, viewed as Ideals
and considered with reference to their meaning for
others than himself-a thoughtful Judgment
cannot invariably speak with enthusiatm. The spirit
that shines through OF his recent performances
not the exalted, romantic, reued spirit OF poetic YOUTH
Yet his acting continues to reveal human creature
whose endownents extraordinary and whose char
acter is such must arouse and stimulate lively
analytic interest. Mankind always attracted by the
study human nature spontaneously toward any
and every specimen Of that nature which stands apart
from mcdocrty and therein promises some KIND or so
luton OF the everlasting mystery IN when the human
race abiles Such a personality must always be
Significant and such actor AS Salvin who sometimes
sartes and usually interests awayshave students
and admirers. He stands ON the summit Of great
fame which nothing hereafter will essentially modify.
Edwin Booth as Hamtet is already one of the trad
tons OF the In this journal 1t has been
discussed from to with degree OF mlhutehes'
which, to readers may have seemed wearisome
iteration. But the public requires to be reminded now
and them the excellence which is close at hand and
on SUCH an occasion this is Inevitable that at least
a passing intimstion should be given OF the grounds
| which Justify acceptance OF Edwin Booths Ha'ntd as
the best upon modern 1t is the best because
1t the Mr.. Booth does does not 20 DacK OF
Shakespeare to reproduce the hero OF an ancient
chronicle; labor to depoetze an ethereal poetic
and degrade 1t to the level OF everyday NE
HaDtet Byron truly said, is not nature ne Is an
iuea His mental and spiritual condltloh IS tue re-
suit OF mysterious and perhaps impossible experience
He has aud talked with spirit from wor
HIS temperament. likewise, IL exceptlphal TIC IS mex
pressibly gentle. He has lived through noOlo anu
manly yonh. He has honored father ana mother WIN
that beautiful fal affection which Is rooted In the sou
most sovereign reason has been shaken by a
terrible atiction and supernatural shock leaving
HaDlet embodied by Edwin Booth, ana II Is caiehy ad
mraDle because IS Shakespeares ereaon i;oonimS
upon this Hamlet the spectator DehOhts prncely gen
tleman whose nervous organization strung to the hlgh
est pitch tremulous to every breath Of feeling ana OF
circumstances whose sadeyei wisdom sees the futity
OF all upon this EARTH whose NINA, oppressed ny
all lent motive and necessity for action yet saur
aed with the OF human nothingness Is perpexrd
80 the yyerirs Of burdens gropes darby toward mmOr
tally. beautiful spirit animates and digLnes the
whole representatioEa spirit which blends the deepest
feeling the liveiest Imagination. lofty maenanimlty
them together with mperceptble art and throwing over
them all mysterious halo OF romance aud pathos Inc
staIucsque beauty and intellectual concentration OF the
performance the grace OF gesture WIN When IL Is e
bellished. and the noble nueht anu uiversheu
with which it is delivered found last nignt tonaye
lost of their victorious CHARM As long as LuWih
Booths Lanlet upon the stage the pubic Will
enjoy dramatic representation in when the laws OF
poetca tragedy are respected and the feeling OF poetry
is realized conveyed The welcome accorded TO Dr.
Booth upon his first entrance last night was That OF long
continued. emphatic anG significant applause 1t was
obvious that the public Intended by somewhat marked
and unusual demonstration to express Its dlsapproya
Of the unjust and ungeDcrous aspersons which nave
upon Mr.. Booth some quarters within the
last days. such a manifestation OF popular feeling
IS entirely creditabe to the city IN which Edwin Booth
has hal long. honorable and indeed lustrous career
1t was remarked, however by fdis'ag that honor is
something which detraction will not suffer Some peo
pie never so happy as when they think they have
found a a noble character and perfect reputa|
uoD Folly loves the martyrdom OF fame