The Washington herald., 1907-01-15
David WarheId Repeats His Triumph
In asThe Music Master"

who went 10 see David Warheld In The
Music Master in New York, and left
the tneater with misty eyes in the middle
Of the second act. 4 won't let any man
work me up as that fellow Warfield was
doing" he explained TO the friends whom
ne deserted when they encounted him
after the performance.
II is probable there were many men in
the brilliant audience that flled every
seat in the Belasc0 Theater last night
who felt the same way before the second
act OF ''The Music Master was over.
The verdict OF New York and of other
cities OF the country on the star and the
play has been indorsed with profound
feeling by one thoroughly representative
gathering of Washington people and there
is no doubt the same result viii be
reached at each repetition Of the beauti-
fully artistic and poignantly moving per
.formance at the Belas0c during the re-
mainder Of the week.
II is one OF -he few instances in recent
years in which high expectations. based
on the .'reclame" of a long run in New
York, have been not merely met but ex-
ceeded. No drama Of this generation has
won the renoWn that has fallen 10 this
simple play by Charles Klein, as pre-
scented by David Warfield and his asso-
ciates. Critics Of many cities have praised
the production. and especially the eX-
quisite work of Warheld in the leading
role. They have frankly admitted that
criticism in the ordinary sense was dis
armed. and they had nothing TO bestow
but praise. which, in self-respect, they
felt constrained to moderate below what
was due in order to avoid the appearance
Of excess. Yet the high expectations
raised by extraordinary comment Of this
kind il is only the simple truth TO say,
were fully realized by last nights ini-
tial Washington presentation Of The
Music Master at the Belasco Mr.. War
field was paid the tribute Of the closest
and most sympathetic attention from his
first appearance in his rusty cloak and
his oddly fascinating smile early in the
first act and when the final curtain fell,
after the almost harrowingIy pathetic re-
union with his Iong-lost daughter, there
was hardly a dry eye in the house At
the end Of the second act ne received a
genuine ovation. The curtain had to be
rung up eight times, UNTIL finally, the star
came forward hesitatingly and deprecat-
ingly in the midst Of a storm of applause
and expressed in a few modest words his
heartfelt thanks for the honor done him.
There is no mystery in the success of
Mr. Warfeld It is as simple as the
heart of the noble and kindly German ar
tist whom he impersCnates. 1t is due TO
the possession on his part Of the rarest
gifts Of elementary human insight and
sympathy and the painstaking art TO
study out and reproduce in his own per-
son the soul movements, with all their ex-
ternal manifestations of the type he has
undertaken to portray. For his Won Bar
wig is well-defned type Of the refined,
noble, simple. unpretentious German, with
whimsical but deep-seated sense OF
humor and a capacity for affection that
shows little on the surface, but is in truth
tragic in its depth and intensity. In the
| scenes Of the most appealing pathos there
are flashes Of fantastic humor that serve
10 relieve the strain. And in the comedy
| scenes there is always the suggestion OF a
1 serious undercurrent Of feeling that pre-
/ serves the dignity and sterling manliness
Of the fine old character. The pathos OF
the impersonation is never allowed to
touch the realms Of the hysterical There
! is a repression, a sclf-cOntrol, that seems
without art so nicely shaded, so con
/ sistent, so delicately worked to complete
! oneness is the characterization. Only once
/ does the passion of Won Barwig master
| him. move him out Of himself.
/ This is near the close of the second act
when the music master encounters the
/ false friend who had robbed him of his
/ wife and daughter years before, and now
/ In his fear of exposure and the destruC-
/ ton Of his reputation and standing, seeks
to drive the real father from the society
/ of his child. In this scene Mr. WarfieIC
/ literally electrified his audience by the
! strength of the splendid passion that
swept away all his kindliness and phiIoso.
ply and made him the threatening
/ avenger of the crime of which he haC
/ been the victim. Here the fineness of tn,
actors art was beautifully displayed IN
the thickening Of his German accent ant
/ his relapse at times entirely into hi.
mother tongue to find words to EXPIRES.
!
the scene Of stress and hatred the daugh
| ter, with her sweetheart. receiving tn,
| congratulations of the latters family
And over the mind of the father syep
vision of the wreck of his beloved
! childs happiness that would follow hi.
revenge, and his passion fades away i'm Z
sublime remuneration.
| 1t was one Of the most masterfuI piece.
| of acting witnessed here in a long. Ion.
time, and the ovation accorded Mr.. War
! field when the curtain fell on the seen,
was as well deserved as il was spontane
/ Gus. OF even higher artistic value. per
! haps. was the scene just before the fina
/ tall Of the curtain, when at last hi
/ daughters insistence draws from him hi
admission of fatherhoOd, and he clasp:
| her to him and covers her face will
kisses mingled with tears. The charac
| terization is beautiful and made convinc
ing by a thousand little touches that be
/ tray painstal1ing care, the fine intelli
gence, and the ardent sympathy Of tn
true artist, and that entitle the actor t,
| The high place on our stage he has beel
| generally accorded as a result of hi
work in this piece.
Mr. WaTfield's supporting company /
throughout excellent and in full sym
pathy with their chief The production
one Of the evenest and most adequate il