The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-08

tempt is made to set MOunct-Sully up ms
the first tragedan of his time it can excite
no emotion moro serious than pity. The
absurdity of the thing to any one not so
aggressively patriotic us the average Pa
risan is ut once manifest. Compare Mou-
net-Sully, for instance, with Booth, Irving
and Salvini.
There Is absolutely no respect in which
Booth was not the superior of the French
man. He possessed Il much more pleasing
personality, II million times the subtlcty,
and rs Il reader he was to Mounct- Sully as
the schoolteachcr is to the child who is at
tempting to master its alphabet.
With Irving the shortcomings of the
French tragedian are not so marked, for
they both have strong mannerisms, but
every word, every step, every change of en-
preston of the Englishman is characterized
by thoughtfulncss, and there is strong
spirituality or idealism about his work that
Mounet-Sully cannot approach, much less
excel.
Salvini-the elder, of course-is, however,
the actor who most strikingly disposes of
the pretensions of the French trauedian.
They are both addicted to robustious
methods, but Salvini's are always consist
ent, seldom inartistic and never impotent
while Mounet-Sully's frequently are.
10 sum it up, the representative of the
I
not great one His work is marred by
too much crudity, offensive mannerism
and spasmodc jerkiness 10 entitle him to
rank with such men as Booth and Salvini
or even Irving. His methods may be ap-
preciated i'll France, Il country which has
produced many excellent comedians and
some really great tragcdennes, but never
but one wonderful tragedian exceptinu
Talma.
The company supporting Mounet-Sully is
mediocre or worse, with but one bright
spot. That is his leading lady. Nine SECOND
Weber, who is an actress of great power
and much fncsse. Her art, however, seems
to have not yet reached its zenith. Con
scientiousness and IL desire to avoid rantiu..
seem to be the distinguishing characters
ties OF her work, and as she possesses I'M
questioned dramatic strength and appears
TO be quite young great things may yet be
looked for from her.
The engagement OF Mounet-Sull up to
this time has been anything but n success
full one, rows Of empty chairs being pain
fully i'll evidence ut most of the perform
ances. Mounet-Sully is worth seeing as the
representative Of n certain school of acting.
hut any one who has listened to the ncom-
parable and subtle Booth, the powerful
and robust Salvini or the spiritual and
thingof disappointment unless he goes pre-
pared to see the inferior of these men,
Utopia, Limited" the latest Joint work
OF those past masters of comic opera con
struction, Gilbert and Sullivan, has been
packing the Broadway theater at every per
formancc. 1t is generally conceded that
neither librettist nor composer is heard mt
his best in Utopia" Mr. Gilbert's falling
short being much more marked than that
of Sir Arthur Sullivan
1t would be strange indeed if two men
could 90 on forever writing such meri-
torious operettas as The Mikado," PA
thence, "lolanthe," Pirates of Penzance''
and "Pinafore," and it is by these standards
that the distinguished collaborators always
have been judged. There are many little
Gilbertian shafts of sarcasm in Utopia"
and considerable music which is typically
Sullivanesque and therefore decidedly in
terestinK.
But the stage setting of utopia" is what
has made the opera the talk of the town.
The first act is very beautiful, but the sec
ond act, which represents the throneroom
in the palace of King Paramount on the
occasion of his first attempt at a state re-
ception, is the most elaborate scene ever
shown upon the stage in this country. Be.
side it The Black Crook" and similar af-
itiIIS ACTUALLY sink INTO nothlnRneSS.
The reception is deliberately carried out,
and the costumes of the women are enough
to set the average feminine heart in a Wig
orous and envious lutter. When "Aris-
tocracy" was produced In New York, the
papers had good deal to say about the
magnificent court dresses worn by the prin-
cipals. But i'll utopia" ordinary every
day chorus girls wear trains which appear
very much more elegant, besides being
more numerous. The mems habiliments.
too, in this act are not easy 70 describe al
though they may be set down in word. rs
gorgeous. OCTAyUs COHEN
New York.