New-York tribune., 1903-03-21
RERNaIRDT m WERTHER.
Ness Msls Pert for Frenck AetTess
Play from Goethe's Book.
Paris, March 10

ctally Whea they CONTAIN eE1OtIonA4 oeA1n
scenes. and Pierre DecouroeIle. q clever drama
tist whose reputation was earned by startling
zneAodzarnAs sOr the Ambigu Theatre, and OF
which Les Deux Gcsses." or '"The TIVE Vaga-
bonds" is q striking example. has in his free
and ruthless adaptatioa Of Goethe's "Werther
provided the Preach aEsress with fatal de-
nouement QHits a. narrowing e. those supplied
by Hamlet "LsEeazsccie" or IL 'Aiglon-" " MAS
senet may be pardoned fcR Transforming sne
sentimental reverie of Wefthsr- into an opera
which was produced IN Paris some ten years
ago with moderate success but the selection
OF a literary and purely psychological study
described by Goethe himself as "a painful dls-
cord between 8 young mans heart and reality
and In which action Is restricted to one sitaa'
tion sseEns almost inexplieahle-
n Vas nevertheless, upon the initiative OF
Sarah Beruhardt that the Partisan oramaest
ssa to work to make play out OF WERNER.
II was q Quixotic venture and the SUCCESS IL
decidedly qualified Sarah indeed gives new
presentation Of death. ahe Valtzes with iuVenhe
grace and there are delightful living pictures
Of Teutonie hlisa hut there Il continuous tnre&o
Of .nonotonous melancholy throughout the ave
long acta Of ''werthar." ana the movement OF
the piece keeps revolving upon itself In tedious
circles The 'rWerther" OF Sarah Bernhardt ana
q, Pierre DecourceIIe Is surrounded by person
aees and incidents that would have 2stohlsnea
Goethe who probably never dreamed ehaI MS
jdvl would be developed into a melooraHla 1or
2 Partisan public 1t would have been theatri'
cauv impossible for Sarah Bernhardt to occupy
the stage for Eve acts solloqalzlng WIN ne'
own heart
Consequently episodes and situations nave
been grated on to the story. which, In us
dramatic attire runs follows: 1t IS IN the
GARDEN Of the worthy Steinbach. beneath the
shade Of lime trees that the young dtpiomapst
wsFtber first meets Charlotte. II Is Cnarlotte
with blond hair and blue eyes. just as was the
real Charlotte Buff, who was oescriOeo DS
Goethe in order rnislead idle curiesi'T' eS
80 b-7,nerte with black eyes" WertheF here
falls in love with Charlotte ct fFst slehI Inc
family Of little rnotherless children rotnPihs
and playing about Charlotte, their eioest sistei'
is beautifully presented Maeafon' d FaIisi~H
friend Of werther. created by the dranatist TO
afford e contrast with his joyous nlocAiiie'
epfcurean philosophy TO the shifting sac SeiiAi-
,o.,taIie-7 of the hero brightens up the scene
y-ertber dances with Charlotte and learns that
she Is betrothed to the bluff and commonplace
Albert Schmidt Sarah Bernhard attreo III
blond wig and dark brown suEtout ana Knee
breeches and silver buckted shoes, waltzes
beautifully Such is the first act, which ellCiteo
genuine and deserved applause
The second act takes us 10 the FARMHOUSE
1S a
ertne p Eighty and frivolous village lass, is be-
loved bx c7urth. a brutal peasant, whose animal
r,assiou affords striking contrast to the love
ef Werther for Charlotte. Albert Schmidt the
6ance Of Charlotte is expected TO return from
q Iournev and is awaited by Charfotte ana hef
father werther has made sketch OF stem
bach's daughters in q family group oteiiiOn
notices that ell the portraits are hnlsheo eAceps
that OF Charlotte. He urges Cnerlotte 10 pose
for her picture, and the lovers are LETT alone'
werther reveals his passion to Charlotte while
q thunder storm with e deiuge or rain eAeues'
Here we have 6 dash Of Sarah Bernhardts love-
rnakIng-glov1ng electric and irresistible The
valley Is inundated. A horsernan is swept into
the river. The horseuaan turns out 70 be Aieert
the dance of Charlotte Werther. VINO Is an
excellent swimmer, does not hesitate TO plunse
.nto the river TO rescue his rival The rustic
Gurth who has already OWNED Werthers love
for Charlotte exclaiuls as Werther strips 10
xlunee into the hood: .sAh! and thst man thinks
he Is iB love. Peer devil, Why doesn't ne let
Albert drown Nevertheless, Werther saves
AT+Ar+,s life ard here we are in fuIl-hedged
z11eIodrana-
In tie third act Charlotte IS married to AL
bert. It is Christmastide. Gifts are distributed
from the tree. A carol is sung by Charlotte and
the little felix all join in the chorus starting
news comes that the ferocious Gurth mas
stabbed the coquettish Catherine because she
had Tilted him and betrethed herself to anotneF
man Magalon, the good natured Partisan, ap-
rears with his arms full OF presents for the
children. Shortly afterward WertheF comes In
werther is unable TO Danish Charlotte from his
mind and ike the cat IN the fable is always
returning Albert begins to feel worried at the
presence Of his. rival who saved Ais life, but
IS reassured when Charlotte assures him that
she has never been nor never Will be unworthy
q his confidence Charlotte goes upstairs to
bid her father goodnight Albert. left alone in
the hall looks out of window and sees Werther
roaming sadly about. Werther approaches the
house and sntsrs the hall Albert hides behind
6 curtain werther benoans his lot, and Ia his
soliIoquy discloseS his vain love for CAaFfotte.
Albert reveals himself and tells Werther that
be has all along been aware CT Werthers
passion for Charlotte. Werther confesses that
all efforts have failed to cure his passion The
husband prefers friendly advice and urges
him to greater fruness and energy Werther
sadly promises that unless he conQuers his in
fatuation he will 20 to far away land never to
return.
MagaIon, the happy-go-lucky Partisan, ap-
pears just in time to suggest Partisan remedy:
One nail drives away another: replace the
woman you love by womankind in general.'
Nevertheless Werther fingers in the household,
and daily propinquity leads to the inevitable
result One evening Charlotte is alone, playing
the piano. WeEther comes up and talks love
10 her. He cites Ossian- love legends Of an
tIouity. and tales Of Ioyelorn youths and maids
and Of broken hearts. He finally pleads the
cause Of his own passion. Charlotte listens
fondIy, and by her eloquent silence shows how
deeply she shares her lovers feelingB- They
fall into each etheFs arms and embrace. Their