The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-12
DRAMATIC ART.
Sara Bernhardt Gives Her Views on
Acting.

girdles and a big French rose pinned
just over the heart, Sara Bernhard
consented to talk with obliging good
sense.
$50 many women ask me of whom
to obtain instruction. who are the best
masters. l shall say at once, study al
a conservatory at the Conservatory OF
Paris, if possible. There are not only
the best masters in all the branches OF
dramatic art, but competition is excel
lent to arouse the energies. Rivalry
| incites us to excel. Beyond this, at a
conservatory there is a warmth of art
atmosphere. 1t is like sunshine to the
growing plant. Here are large num-
bers who are interested in similar pur-
suits. Here a be q frequent inter
change of ideas, the study of individual
tastes. There is ever present at a con-
servatory that valuable teacher, COM
| parison, and the fellowship. Gamer
| aderie, the sympathy OF those who
have the saine end in view, the same
hopes that tend toward an enJhusi-
asric interest in ones work.
Young artists must remember, too,
that they must pursue a direct line.
That it is necessary to have firmness
|. Of character. They must not be
drawn to this side or to that. There
will be obstacles. They will confront
| you from the start, They will be al
ways there, invariably, and by firm
ness of character alone can you *
pect to overcome them.
acquire a habit of system and pur-
pose in your study. Learn early the
value of promtitude in what con-
Germs your art and tine play itself. Let
no outside interest interfere. Be
prompt at rehearsals. First, last,
and always my rehearsals receive
close observation and thorough at
tention.
1T is best personally to superin-
tend the whole of the piece. Then
the perfection of the parts is more
certain. 1t has been said of me that |
keep my audiences waiting unneces-
sarily. 1t cannot be laid to my door
that my rehearsais are kept waiting,
put off or delayed, but in rare in
stances Of indisposition. An artist
must work if she loves her art. She
must work. She is not only willing,
but she cannot help it; she is impelled
to it.
.'She must, too, be an inspiration to
those dependent upon her. She must
vitalIze the play throughout. She
must lead, direct, suggest. guide-in a
word, she must be the magnet around
which the entire company draws.
Her own study is neve finished.
There will be always something to
learn; she is forever absorbing from
new sources of information, from life
which is always new. She is con-
stantly developing new presentations
OF old ideas and breaking from old
lines.
"Let her go among the poor, among
the suffering into the hospitals; let
her travel, observe and think. She
must know something of every side of
life, of all conditions of men; some
thing of every motive which actuates
humanity in its various manifesto
tions. Let her be able to judge for
herself; conceive her own ideals, and
she will be the better able to satisfy
the playwright and the playgoer, the
author and the public.
.American women should remember
that their voices are cold, and voice
PLAYS an immense part in dramatic art.
THE Latin races have o warmth
| of tone than the Saxons, and warmth
| of tone should not be underestimated.
| Voice culture should be begun and its
| Importance understood at an early
age. 1t requires great patience, much
care; and Americans should seek to
invest it with something more OF the
heart.
eff pleading look is potent, how
much more is a pleading tone. There
are a hundred fine %gradations to the
| same word. Meditation, infection,
| these are Ineligible, when the word
itself is from some tongue unknown
to us.
"What is more marring and jars
more upon us than to hear issuing
| from a beautiful face a cold, hard,
| sharp or harsh tone?
Eloquent is the plain face of a wo-
man from whose mouth comes the
melody OF a musical voice. True, it is
a natural Gift, voice, and nc amount
| of cultivation will make really beauti-
full a bad one, but cultivation ano
care will do wonders for an ordinary
one, and will be the mea OF preserv-
ing a fine n
lit is important for the beginner tt
seek good masters. This is sometimes
impossible, with the result that much
will have to be learned anew and
many bad faults destroyed. The
choice of a part of a play is a matter
of taste, of fancy, and only trial and
experience will prove beyond the per.
adventure of q doubt it n is quail
fed for the part chosen. There are
so many things to consider. First,
what the play is; is it a good produc-
tion, we'll conceived, wells planned!
And then there is the public to inter
est. 1t depends, too, upon the sue
cess an artistic has achieved. how in
dependent she may be in following
her W tastes and iuclinations. Sht
goes through the world, and finally
some one is found who understand
her, whom she inspires, ana whose
work in turn she is glad, she is enthu
siastie. to interpret. These two are il
mutual understanding; their ideas arr
in harmony. The author does justice
to the artistic who i%nterprets him, anS
the artistic fully realizes the fondesI
hope of the author. In her his pro
duction lives, his heroine exists
breathes, moves. He has not worked
in vain.
There appears to be a divided
opinion about applause. That is Sc
much a question of race. The Latii
races are demonstrative, full of en-
thusiasm. They are vehement in TIN
expression of emotions, whetheI
~pleasurable or otherwise. They ar