New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-24
THE DRAMA,
NINE. ELEONORA disc.

Nine. Eleonora Duse, an actress from Italy,
emerged at the Fifth Avenue Theatre last night. and
presented the character Of Msrgherta Gauther known
TO this stage as Camille. Many persons attended,
and Nine. Duse was received with that welcome OF
courtesy and Kindness which the American public
always extends to the stranger within It's gates
welcome. perhaps, Is sometimes ill.bestowed. In
the present instance IL was deserved, and it
warded. Nine. Dusc proved TO lie an actress OF
exceptional force. sensibity. and personal charm.
she Is manifestly. woman OF uncommon physical
vitality and OF intense ,emperament-a woman In
whom feeling oversways intellect. and impulse Is
more potential than thought Her stature Is impress
sve. Her features large. The lower part Of
the face Is heavy and denotes self-pOlse and
iuto concentration. The eyes dark and fine.
with expression that passes swiftly from serious
sweetness TO lowering gLJOm The lips and chin are
eloquent OF tremulos emotion. quite irrespective Of
the spoken word. The brow Is low and is expressive
Of refinement and gentleness. The dark. abundant
| hair shades and softens countenance which other
wise would be sombre and pathetic without relief.
| In demeanor Nine Duse combines grace OF natural
| movement with elemental repose As actress she
is representative Of what is called the emotional
schoolthe school Of Descce and Of Clara Morris. the
latter OF whom, In certain strange manner. she re-
sembes but does not equal. Her most extraordinary
characteristic Is her mobility OF feature and her best
Gift Is her voice In the vocallsm OF Italian actors there
is usually the sound Of the lemon-sQueczer; and that
familiar note was not absent from the vocalisn OF
Nine. Duse Her tones, however. are. In general
clear rich. variable and sympathetic and. they can
be trusted. she possesses TINT precious qualification
for true success In acting, good heart. Mme Dnse
mas been called an Italian BernlaIdt. That is folly.
She has little, II any. technical resource She does
not resemble Sarah Bernhardt in any particular. Her
personality is woman-ke and seductive. She acted
simply naturally, directly. and never once seen
in the attitude OF alteration toward her own surprising
oho loho x-torv nff pafu
she missed through prosy tamcness the true effect OF
nature But In the assumed gayety when parting from
her lover whom 1t is Camillcs purpose TO abandon.
she struck the poetic note Of pathos, and In the
ensuing of splendid misery she expressed per-
fectly a state OF passionate sensiblity and agoni~u
suspensc-tle quick anguish and woful desolaion or
n broken heart An actress who can do that pos
sesses intrinsic power for She knows human nature
and she SO identify herself with It's moods ana
images ms 10 arouse noble emotion and eXalt the soul
1t ought however, 70 be said that the values OF this
performance consist in denotements OF Individuality,
more than In surprising artistic achievement. Inc
winning feminine wles. the hectic spasms, the ororn
womanlke weakness. the abandonment. the incessant
BY play the sustained identifcatiOn-all those were
admirable attributes OF what appeared to be unsnded
art The lmpersOnatlon, however, VIII not cause u
be forgotten the Camille OF Sarah Bernhard, or that
OF Helena Mod cska-whiCh is the best-or that OF
Clara Morrs-and surely not that OF Matilda Heron.
vet sometimes It is explanatory. The gain to the
public In the advent OF Nine. Duse is not great The
time has long been passed when any foreigner con'u
"asonish the natives" In this capital. Yet u is II
gan-for the that Nine Dnse, within h'r
limitations is actress OF signal ability-Sehuhe'
original and attractive.
IL could be wished that Nine. Duse had chosen "
make her first American appearance In reputable play
and great character. The fact that she has not dohc
so is significant II indicates deficiency OIL H'ee't'"
pnrpose and II indicates subscrvencc TO low staisrd
of theatrical taste The higher order OIL diamauc
artist is mental and spiritna-no simply physoiosca
no doubt the condition Of repnant ana loVe's'cReh
oourtcsan is dcplorable and all the more oepo'Ho'c
wben complicated with pulmonary disease. NO DOUBT
that condition cam under theatrical treatment, be nde
tributary to Of narrowing setOhhc' anu uI'
matte effect. Matilda Heron, In her Wild way oe-
noting what she could act best used To clamOr ior 'hc
woman who Is lost, But Matilda Heron was always
n Ntt,e crazy. and she became absolutely so before
she died Sarah SiGdons-if believe the record
produced greater effect than was ever cic""u y,
ony emotional actress OF modern times ana Si'"
siddons commonly represented the woman VINO Is ioa
The lost woman In fiction has been te OCCASION VI
! +, yast amount OF sentimental t"a1die. Oh" oi
Dr Johnson.s remarks be;rlnS that subject might
| he quoted IL II were not more explicit than polite
The topic IS that cannot be freely discussed II
apperains the hospital and II should be iei. 10 c
| doctors II Is offensive In every form OF art. and
|
tog her an assemblage OF persons, mostly young men
and Young women, in what ought to be a period OF
| refinement, sunshine, and joy,-and invite them 10
muse and moraize on the experiences and emotions
OF sick harot is TO commit grave offence not simply
against good taste but against puDhc NORRIS me
| shocking improperly of such proceeding ought 10
| be manifest to everybody, and II Is manifest to
don. The attitude Of NINE. Drse toward THIS
subject of course is the attitude TINT prevails on me
Continental stagewherc everything IS allowable that
| can be made TO WELD effect. Her IlaNhoOk-whh an
ingenious simplicity hat Is ecnIis'lv eomiev ,ho
is "stnl capable despite her many asons OF ronrlng
herself to strong. pure and uns~l1sh PASSION lhnt
may have the sacred cArcrence Of iovei And TO that
astounding proposition the attention IS asked o.
persons presumably sane and Whose siomaehs are IN
good order 1t Is hunliatlng 70 be Obliged 10 mink
upon such matter at ALL The giving Of p expert
the best way will be TO take refuge III quotation
The learned Judge in this instance Is LORD byron.
who probably knew the subject as well Us 1t was
ever known by anybody:
ain her first passion woman loves her lover;
| III all the others all she loves Is love.
| Whlcl, grows q habit She can nc'er get over
| And Ats her loosely-likc an easy glove"
The tone is cynical but the though, is sound, and
there Is truth in thOse four lines than IN Il
whole library Of such PLAYS ms Camille"
Nine. Duse has brought trained and competent
medlocri,y on this occasion. slgncr Ms1anti. as
Mr. Dnyal attracted attention. c ho.s by his ripe
porabc The fill cast Of characters is given here ::
Mas:nerI1" l.. sd 9@ss
OLYMPIA Bonivcnio
E E5"a',S H Maq MSnsii
A,mandS D% ",a;c M "a, Anap
GS,,onc dc Rieux Galli1n
ssnt,,,aidn. " e:linm
S",c ii Gsy n5il@id9d
In BIa Stance
TN Iacchc tcil
| cr,<n,Dn TtIC,rpr