New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-15
THE DRAMA.

THEIR FAREWELL PERFORMANCES.

Henry Irving and Ellen Terry appeared last night
at the Harlem Opera House. and they will continue
to act at that theatre until Friday when they VIII
say farewell. The play "Robespierre. with
which everybody is familiar.-and this will be
twice repeated and II will be followed by Nance
Oldfeld" and The Bells" Thursday night. and
The Merchant OF Venice on Friday, These plays
do not require description, and present comment
the acting Of them would be superhuous The
overshadowing thought. while these familiar scenes
are, for the last time In transit. Is the though,
that these great actors about to leave us Tor
long absence and perhaps forever There has. IN
deed, been mention OF their probable return
to America. year or two from now; bur
the future is always uncertain great changes.
social theatrical and personal undoubtedly.
at hand, and prudence never implicitly
relies upon expectation. The present is all or
which any can BE- sure-the present. and
the memory of the past. Henry Irving and Ellen
Terry visible here at the moment. and those
persons who love the dramatic art. in It's intel
lectual and poetic manifestations, will be wise 10
improve the current opportunity of benefit and
pleasure.
Thousands of people. oil the continent. mean
time. In the enjoyment Of much precious re-
membrance of wonderful and beautiful scenes In
which these players have figured and of many vital
images of character, action and passion.-strange.
imaginative, eccentric, romantic, pathetic, hu-
morous. quaint lovely,-that their genius mas
shrined forever in memorys immortal temple OF
artistic For seventeen years Henry
Irving and Ellen Terry have been known upon the
American stage and during their six extensive tours
of this country they have Illustrated. in a manner
not previously equalled, it, indeed, attempted.
the highest and best subjects comprised In ORA
matte literature Costly and splendid dramatic pro-
ductior had often been accomplished. in various
cities the Republic: but until the influence
of Henry Irving exerted In his London Lyceum
presentments began 10 make itself felt on this side
of the Atlantic did stage scenery emancipated
from the staring incubus of new" paint, acquire
scrupulous fidelity to nature. melowness Of color
and that tranquil charm which is diffused by COM
mingled antiquity, repose, and grace-the soidity
of yesterday sustaining the freshness of to-day.
In Shakespeare his setting Of the tragedy of Ham
LETT and the comedy of much Ado About Nothing
provided models that have been followed ever
since BY his superb establishment and his thor
ough performance of The Merchant Venice he
caused the restoration Of the exquisite fifth act OF
that comedy almost always before sacrificed, he
caused Gin Ellen Terry's lovely actng) the revela-
ton of Portia a lover and not a didactic and
forensic lecturer; and he established in the play
going mind ideal of clear character and fine
and firm and rounded execution as applied to this
familiar play which, obviously is destined to doEli
nate stage custom for many years In one word.
Henry Irving is thinker and a leader; he has
stamped his personal impress the age. and he
has created and left traditions which will endure
long after he has passed away.
The Shakespearian plays that Henry irving has
produced in America The Merchant of Ven
ice Much Ado About Nothing" Twelfth
Night" Hamlet" and Macbeth; and a part of
Richard III Outside of Shakespeare he has
before this public the lovely poetic play of Charles
the First the noble tragedies of Beckett and
King Arthur,'-trasedes expositive of the two
great themes of English history. anterior to Shake
speare's time. that the national poet left
touched; the superb melodramas of Louis XII
and The Lyons Mair'; the beautiful domestic
play of Olivia; the weird ina inatve analytical.
spiritual picture of THE Bells: the sombre In
fnitely pathetic play of Eugene Aram'; the ro-
mantle historical drama of "Richelieu" Given at
Chicago. in 1850: the typical cosmical. heartrend
ing dramatic poem of Faust; the phantasy of
Don Quxote': the melodramatic romance of
'Robespierre' the touching domestic sketch called
"A Story of Waterloo the comedy of The Bellies
Stratagem"; and the serio-comic eccentricty of
Jingle These names wonderfully eloquent of
enterprise force and devotion to a great cause
and a high purpose are however. but incomplete
~ representative of the amazing vitality and
tity of Henry Irving's endeavor and achievement:
for several of his most characteristic productions.
since 1888 (the year of his first American tour.
have not been in America: cmong them being
Werner" King Lear The Dead Heart" ''Ra-
venswood,' "Cymbeline," Robert Macaire" Nine
Sans Gene" and Peter the Great" Of his numer-
Gus brilliant performances in the course of the
seventeen years preceding his first visit
lea, 1t is needless here TO speak One sgn-and that
a conclusive one-of his intrinsic power and
dominant charm is the fact that early In his
career, he gave two hundred consecutive repre-
sensations of Hamlet. to crowded houses at the
London Lyceum n feat without either precedent
equivalent in all stage history He been the
stage for forty-four years. and he has acted a
greater number of parts than attributed 70 any
other actor of whom any record is possessed.
When Garrick took leave Of the stage. in 1776. the
sensitive and sprghty Hannah More who at
tended each of his closing representations,
wrote that she felt IL she had been assisting at
the obseQuies of the different poets Henry Irving
and Ellen Terry leavins; the stage: far
distant be the day when their labors cease and
their light is extinguished; yet a kindred sentiment
of sadness steals through the feeling with which
their farewell performances observed. II
is not alone Ellen Terry who goodhy: 1t is the
enchanting Portia the radiant Beatrice, the incom-
parable Ophelia, the passionate. tender olivia
the perfection of womanhood; II is the face of
beauty that never be forgotten, and the voice
Of magical sweetness that will echo forever in the
secret chambers of the heart. 1t is alone Henry
Irving who vanshes across the 1t is the |
spiritual presence of Hamlet the noble image of |
Iesurques. the ravaged figure Shylock, the l
haunted soul OF Matthias. the gaunt. terrific, i'm
perial King Louis. the sweet. simple venerable |
loving and lovely DR.. Primrose-the perfection at |
once of humanity and art; it is the purely
intellectual force that has been exerted In the |
field of the drama, within the last fifty years; II
is the man. beloved by many and respected by ALL
who, more than any single of his contem- |
poraries. has stimulated the progress OF dramatic
art who has sacrificed his fortune almost his
life in the service of splendid and benefcent
ideal, and who has made the theatre great and
kept IL pure.
On your white wings. ye angel years.
Watt fortune from all happier spheres
With garlands and with singing
That thought Of Heaven TO guide him
And blessings pour. like diamond dew.
On her that walks beside him!
And when is said the las, farewell
n