New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-04
THE DRAMA.
SALvINI.


the first Of series Of ten representations with which
IL is announced that he purposes to take leave Of
the American stage. The theatre was not crowded. but
this exceptional and extraordinary actor was vel
coined with abundant and rousing enthusiasm. 1t is
almost seventeen years since that memorahi,
night at the old Academy Of Music lit was the night
of september 16, 1879 when savini began his
American career, astonishing this community with =
performance Of Othello which, for the attribute 81
tremendous force had not been equaled since
the best days OF Edwin Forrest and Of Gustavus V
Brooke and which, for originality Of treatment had
not been rivalled since the time Of the German
DAWSON He was then stranger here. lie Is now
ono OF the best known and most ardently admired
actors Of the age From first 10 last his life IN
America has been one triumph. His ideas OF SHAKE
speare and his rather monOtonous methods OF lntepe
tation have not been accepted by all Oh us AS preiesoe
IN those of our own stage. No foreigner ever yes
understood the works Of Shakespeare so well as those
works are understood by shakespeares race. Ihcre
l. an idea current that the Germans comprehend him
be,ter than the English do but that Is preposteous
folly and as to the Italians 1t requires out giahc9
AZ their TRANSACTIONS OF him to perceive Una. IN many
important particulars they have missed INC mary
altogether The colossal powers Of savini' however
have carried everything before them ana HIS e'esF
reec as an actor has not been denied by anypody'
In saul Ingomar Conrad the Outlaw, Niser "e
Gladiator Paolo and Samson, ana as INC o"o'' "
Hamlet he has done great things anu es' '. -
brilliant and permanent fame. hls n'"S' m
Macbeth at least onethird of his othelo anu W
ainly half Of his Lear are better iorso.'on .aa IL
mcmbered But enough remains to au'hcn',.a'o ma
genius and TO vndicate his splendid superiority on.
the welcome accorded to him last nght pro'c' "''
he will end as he began conqueror'
The play was the fve-act tragedy OF samson os
Ippolfto D'Aste. a fKwhich Is loosely oaseu "p''
the we'll known Bible story OF the Hebrew her'ue,
and which was written expressly for oaiVh'
The first half Of 1t is dull. The auditor listens ~
samson's own forid and ostentatous description "a
his victorious combat with the lion Ia passage uo
nvered with superb pantomimic felicity by oai'inp'
together with his incendary proclamations OF war
against the Phisnes but it is not until the emo "
act second that the spectator sees anything dohe ahu
il Is not until tho latter part of act third that ne sees
a personality which is essentially and unequivocahy
that Of samson. At the close OF act second samson
nersonally confronts and dc6es the Phstne MOP anu
rescues his father from their clutches IN the secohu
half of act third he yields himself TO the cnchan'meh'
Of Delah's beauty and to the intoxicauon OF "'nc'
and in the sequent moral and physical collapse ne
reveals TO that iren-indicatcd here as weak ra'o'
than Intentionally treacherous,-the secret u MS
strength In this latter scene human nature Is ho'
deuictcd In its most admirable aspect. Yet the de'
notement of 1t is ecmcntay true, ana IL thefe W any
moral to be drawn from the spcctaclc OF aoIec' ~"
render that is afforded by strong man III Ms 'ii
lufatuation for fascinating woman' certainty ''e
phrosophcr may imbibc This instructive morality III
liberal abundance from savini's potraturc Oh aa'''s
fraity The sight is humiliating, but the aotn's =
magnificent 1t need not be said for the pubic tha'
remembers salynis Othello, that In situations Oh ''
kind this actor does not trouble himself muoh ao'".
sentiment. Act third closes with the seizure u
SAMSON who is then doomed to be shorn ana oihoSp
In oct fourth he is half maniac and he curses Ms
betrayer In act fifth he resumes, or rdIheI nc
TO- hi, state of essential nobility OF manhood, ana ne
%
that by one final act Of justice ard OF sacrice ie can
bring rerbuuon upon ms wlcnea anu nd M The lat he
crash, The pillars Of the Temple OF Dason ana over
whems at once the phllstnes ana MS own '"''''''o'
strong dramatic situations denoted here-but their
greatness Is dependent on the personal1S ou,S
is by turns that Of impre'atlon, sarcasm path9s, 81
inraiion. and -nblimty. The mood to Which ne al
iaus AZ last /, the highest mood that the human sou
can ever reach while the bounds OF m0ltallty-tlS
lonely awful grandeur Of superiority TO 3Vs ana
rendng grief and absolute desolaton mas prongn' nv
man the bleak verge of eternity ana tush, MN .
Their. Is no refuge except in God. To all these slt'a
lions Savini's massive indvdualism. trsmulous sens
billy and passionate intensity make I'm tnof b
equal That at al events Is the encct that nc
finally leaves upon the imagination ana nc hcsrI ear,
lie was recalled with vo'iferous pl&udlts al,cr ga
e,r,ain n /, greatly significant OF the actors power
that he can carry such a stted and generally ponder
play Astounding IN dinse Enelo's S Jews and
rmnhe' 9r a. The Zeal Of emulation inspired
as, IF sayini's American associates to unwoned
vocal effort The decrept sire OF samson. though
manfcsty at his last gasp emitted sounds that ,,a
fnr horn might envy nor the Pr Sc OF .Hi
much asern this The eontictnS passions ana h h
Mis- MAY brooklyn. did not prevent that lazy ron
adjoining her person quite as co9uettshly Tor , u!e
dungeon as for the boudOir, and In Miss BrooEyns
nerfornance il was delightful 20 see how much
woman can suffer without showing the least sign of
IL i'm either her face. her person or her voice. ic
full east OF parts is here recorded:
sem,oP. ii: father spS' Fs%s c
htbu
OF G3kl.-
IN urnotvn
Mecah. Hsni~ p"NA"N
Samson will be repeated tonight 1sivipi does Toe,
not appear on Wednesday. but on thursday ne VIII
present " Tho Gladiator on Friday Consod in "Ihe
0ntlaw7 (Morte Civel. and IN saturday. otneiio.
His engagement extends to March 10. II Is an en-.
privilege that IL affords TO playgoers should nor oe
neglected.