New-York tribune., 1906-11-25

s,psH BFRNHARDT AS sAINTE-THEREsE
Photograph by Henri Manuel. Paris)
- cha n-esent attraction at the Grand
o-s-o N CaruIIe Mendes who is gifted with
..,.-ing i-nagination. somewhat similar 70 that
.t,,b distinguished Burne-Jones in the art OF
.,,,tng has given Us beautiful. highly colored
.,.-nra AZ once romantic and mystic, Of CASTLE
=, .ss siEtAenth century Of the Spanish Inqui-
...on and Of the royal hermit Of the Escurial
-ss fourth act Of "Sainte-Therese" ettains
,ore- and 3 subliuity unsurpassed on the
r-.n.b stage The scene between Sainte
-ba-ese and King Philip II holds comparison in
r-snseur of EXPRESSION with the nonologue OF
Charles Y in Victor Eugo's Hermann" with the
ssicious alexandrines Of Chimene in Corneille's
aCgs" or with the impassioned TRADE in the
,h,r5 act Of Racine's "Andromaque." This fourth
at =, ~ssInte-ThArese'' Is q fight OF poetic IN
srsrsricn II is only a flight however, for the
rfunscle is 100 lofty for the sustained compass
r. IN. authors power. The rest OF the play
consisting Of eight tableaus or scenes ar
ranged in four acts and q prologue contains
original conceptions, interesting situations and
bssutful living pictures, but lacks dramatic
seousnce clearness. simplicity and logic The
snsc,stor is bewildered, and, less fortunate than
-h.s.us IN "Ariane" has no clew OF thread TO
fnd lis way out OF the labyrinth, and loses his
path amid the maze Of the inextrtcable wind
ings Of " CatuIle Mendes's poetry. "Sainte
The-ase" although heroic, romantic inspired
and human. misses the mark. and fails TO be
masterpiece.
-sa.nte- -Therese" despite IT'S faults. has en-
,gei Nine Sarah Bernhard 10 achieve one OF
ns nest brilliant feats OF her career. The long
pals blue and white costume Of the Carme1te
nm quits her admirably, and gives her the ap-
rsarance OF girl OF twenty. Never has Nine
BsEahardt evoked to so high degree the
sensation Of transcendant purity and angelic
besttude The Virgin Of Avila" of NJ Ca
tuHs Mendes is the Safnte-Th6rese OF Spanish
history, who brought about the reformation or
Carmel, and a. whose sanctihcation by Pope
Gregory XIV (nearly a hundred years after her
death q poetic composition was opened, and the
prize was Won by Michael Cervantes. author Of
Don ouixote." The story may be briefly sum-
married. Scene first: The young priest Ervann
3 about to succUnb 20 the fascinations OF XiTni-
es' beautiful young woman, once z nun. but
Fho abandoned the convent to Join q band Of
gypsies Throughout the play Xiuiera personi-
les the Spirit Of EVIL. A jingIing Of bells an
LOUNGES the arrival OF strangers. Therese de
Oepeda, the virgin of Avtla, worn with disease
saa fatigue, IS brought by her father into the
aoase Of the young priest Ervaun. The priest
requested 70 confess Therese, who is not ex-
pecieo 10 live. ETvann states that he is no
"nger NJ 10 receive confessions. The virgin Of
AVA, by virtue Of her holy mission as the
sVait OF Good, persuades Ervann 10 separate
."m MS teTnptress Xirniera. and. like Tam
AeNser, 10 make 2 pilgrimage 70 the Holy Land
1Aerese. conscious Of having saved a human
U- recovers from her illness. ErYann, in
sV1ea oy the purity OF Therese, overcones the
17rce opposition Of Xirniera. the Spirit II Evil.
anu starts forth on his pilgrimage
ooene second: The market place Of AviIa The
dominican inquisitor denounces the Jesuits. and
-l'ls that Thkrese IS z magician. The beauti-
= AlEniera appears and expresses her hatred
:" 1heTese, who has converted her lover, the
sO1g priest Ervann. Scene third: The Con-
eIl Of the Incarnation. Thkrese helps A poor
'eSS 10 escape the death sentence OF. the In
s-sluon by substituting herself for the con-
--Aeo woman. and is subjected to the begin
-lg Of torture. Furious arguments take nIace
een the Dominican bishop, Fargas. and the
s--I Cyntho, the Kings confessor. in which
questions concerning Church and State
Use shed drops OF blood. Philip II. who
"eard OF Therese. commands Cyntho TO send
-, maiden to the Escurial, where he can talk
"a As1- Scene fourth: Sainte-Therese .prays.
r. accompanied by nuns. walks by night 10 the
ia4 Scene fifth: She is Intercepted bv
SSes' :, who are holding a nightly reveI Of
= -Ne'ese takes in her arms a broken cross.
'fnpresses the mob by her purity that.
CO. e1elains, Make way for the messenger
-. @Iher' the Son and the Holy Ghost" all
sCa!s bow their heads Ervenn, returned
ra,,.- --S pilgrimage. and. like Tannhauser, i'm
S-1' breaches e reformation like Tntber
o4n A.1tn: The Escurial. Philip II enters his
g.. oeAVers a terrible TRADE Of exasperat-
g., 'iDoilsrn, in which he devotes his own ,er-
dr,n u'e armada. and ar;e-ward to Spain and
inv horoscope OF this alIcgorical trinity he
b.. Sefoyed in he'll, which is not q hell of fire
b., s3t water. saintc-Therese arrives with
lara. idll OF aowere and demands the Kings
Who -. o' me advent" the misguided priest
ton 'eeh sentenced 10 death by the Inouisi-
sso Preaching hereay. but Tb4rAse does rot
ErVaRr ui'ioF'urlte man is no other than
Nine G
Which :. aiah Ber4hardt IN this situation
lss,,-, Is the finest in the drama fnnar,s = 90
lbs afi'y 10 saintc-Thefase that e1tcits fro,,,
psusa-hee p-ehee sn enthusiasm not seen on tbq
@ gs stage since the production Of .-C,vrano
Tie fifty lines OF verse that fol-