The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-23
Bernhardt II La Sorciere'
SlDays Thousands BY Her Art

1UAy0 4 HOACN
Worshiping name, voice, pres
ence; acknowledging miracles, vowing
enchantment a living force; swearing
a woman Is divine, protesting she IS
merely fetish-bow now, all We emo
tional and all ye cynics, too, bow now
to Bernhardt. For here in this sixty
second year of a life whose span un-
knowing man is prone to say is three
score years and ten, there reigns a
and life is art art, for Ae she a has truly
achieved a paradox: the paradox of
youth that is maturity and experience.
It matters little whether fame, or
tradition, or the mystery of her miracu-
lous youth lured us last night within
the circle of Zoraya's magic spell. It
may even have been the god Appear
ances that was the compelling force.
Once lured, the spell was cast, and in
our heart Of hearts we owned it's
queenship.
Tracing thru memory's intricate
weaving, the warp of fifteen years ago
shows in the dimming wool one gra-
ory-thread Of golden voice. Clearly
stands forth this vision of wonder
woman. Masses Of hair with tawny
lights fall about the rounded curves
of an ivory neck and shoulders. Allur-
ing grace of poise and movement;
haunting tones Of voice, throbbing, in
sistent waves of emotions still WELD a
potent spell. It has been such beau
tiful dream thru all the years; such a
gracious memory! Was it really all
true, or was it only part of being
younger and renthusiasticS Last
night came the test Either that golden
dream would be lost, or it would be
revivified and intensified. .l
The Woman of the Dream.
Nearly all are in their seats, for the
performance is late. The music stops
The last echo of the violins quavers
upon the air, and hush of expectancy
falls upon the crowded Auditorium
The curtain is up; the opening lines are
spoken. And now, white upon the
dark misty, shimmering, out into the
meonlit grove glides the woman OF oul
dreams. Yes, just the same woman OF
our dreams-only, in supple grace, II
physical expression perhaps Just tritf
more wonderful. And the voice! All
| it's pure level tones fills our ears, ant
| the dream comes true; the memory l:
ours to hold again.
Nine. Bernhard chose, for opening
her Minneapolis engagement, Sardou
drama Of illicit love, 1.-THE Sorceress.
1t is a play Of evil, yet Bernhard
makes it almost play Of good. Herein
perhaps, her consummate art shows a
its greatest height. WELDING her onl,,
>sorcery, that of love-. she makes he
voice portray her passion, thus Danish
ing from the picture that element O
animalism upon which the lesser actres
voice, that golden voice! We drink Il
/ its LIQUID flow, and then we culver be
fore it's tempestuous sweep or marvel
it's gamut of emotion. And all tn
while this woman's grace is enhancing
astounding, for bend captive tho W
NAV. we cannot completely Danish fror
our consciousness the fact that year
have made this woman great as trul
as has genius.
The art Of Bernhardt speaks all lang
uages. To the eye alone it tells tn
story. The varying curves Of the fin
gers, the degree Of vitality in tn
thumb, the measure of tenseness in tn
head and back-all had their messag
for the eye, even without the face an
!. it's wonderful expressiveness. Vocally
and chants, it scorns and withers an
annihilates-and all the time no effort
no straining, no theatricalism. Sh
/ even subordinated the cheap, manufac
j tured theatricalism Of the Sardou pla
and made real and convincing it's mos
unreal scenes. go -
t A Wonderful Climax.
It was for the tremendous fourth &C
that we waited. Even the great Ma
dame Sarah herself seemed to- be hold
ing her voice and passions in reserv
for the great moment when she hurI
swift scorn and defiance at Cardina
Xlmlnes and his attendant train. Sue
scene it is that proclaims Bernhard
the incompatible. There was no dis
appointment-an as round followe
round Of applause, the marvellous WON
an smiled with all the wistful sweet
ness of one to whom it was all a new
and happy experience.
Conced1ng, tho, that the tempestuou
TRADE is the most thrilling, the mos
intense, there still turks a shadow,
questioning whether the subtler art la
not In some Of the earlier scenes: Tn
first scene with Don Enrique. for in
stance, where all her beguiling coouetr
IS practiced to arouse the passion whic'
IS TO spell their doom; or that swift
Kaleidoscope vision Of all her emotion
when she shames and taunts and Plea
with Enrique. p'o '0'
1t IS in spite Of his approaching ma,
rage to the daughter Of the goVerno
Of Toledo, this love, and to defen
Zoraya he commits murder. after
wonderful scene in which Zoraya fire
his love, his shame, his pride h
wrath, ending in their fight, then the;
arrest. TO protect him, the tribunal {
the lnquisition forces her to admit hal
log controlled him by the spells
sorcery. 1t is in this act that Berl
hardt again rises, after the denunci,
ton scene. She realizes she has mao
her lover murderer, and as til
crafty cardinal whispers in ht
ear, she owns her sorcery enslave
him. Comes then an outburst {
wage and wild despair, for hi
confession has deceived her lover. Sh
shrieks her scorn, then swiftly turf
again into the sorceress, confessed an
doomed. -
AS she is about to be burned tt
governor pardons her because she ha
freed his daughter from hypnotic sleel
The priests refuse to acquiesce in til
pardon, and her lover, now stirred
realization Of her sacrifice for hin
springs to her side, beating off I'll
swords. of the mob now instigated b
the. priests to attack the pair.
The lips Of the lovers meet-Zor
vas lips give poison to her lover-an
they both die on the cathedral steps.
Supporting Artists Strong.
Adequate to the part of the love
NJ: De Occur is gratifying and sati
tying In his every scene with MN