Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-14

I yet here she is back, at 81, lively and am
bilious, and reported to be acquitting her
self with at least considerable of her old
magnificence still attaching. On the oc-
casion of her visit to Omaha in 1901 The
| Zee wrote of her:
THE gracious Sara is surrounded by an
army of servants so solicitous of their
mistress welfare that they have led the
world to believe she is a woman whom
years of hard work have developed into
a termagant. More youthful in appear
ance and actions than many women less
than half her age, 1t is impossible to ex-
plain why Bernhard avoids the photogra-
pher, unless it be the realization that
other women who are approaching three
score years will be grieved at seeing how
Successful a sister has been in warding
off all traces of old age and in renewing
her youth as the years go by"
easy to Understand.
For the benefit of those who have never
seen Bernhardt on the stage it may be we'll
to recall some Of the comment on her APP
pearance here in La Tosca." The Bee
said in its headlines, Words not a neces-
sity. Tho universal tongue of art proves
to be sufficient Interpretation. 1t was
also noted that society people were con
SPAOhOdo ny .lneiT dDSenCe. the audience
being made up mainly of people who
love art for arts sake, and who were at.
tracted by the artistic merits of the stars
and the performance rather than by more
curiosity" The play was given. as are all
of Bernhardt's production. with fidelity
to artistic verities that most effectualIy
supplies TO the Imagination what the un-
Outstanding may lack of knowledge of the
spoken lines. II is this attention to the
minutest parts Of the production and the
infinitude of detail in expression that have
gained for Nine. Bernhardt the title of
divine"
On the occasion Of Bernhardt's appear
ance at the Auditorium February q, 1906,
she enacted the role of Marguerite eau
thier. The place was unsuited for such
performance, but the demand for seats
had been so great that the managers of
the event decided no theater would serve.
Next day The Bee said;
The audience was cosmopolitan in
arge degree-that is. it was gathered
from five states and many cities People
came from as far away in Nebraska as
Mccook. Yankton and Sioux Falls were
represented. Sioux City and Des Moines
marked the Iowa limits. Missouri was
represented by delegations from Rock
while some Kansans could not wait for
the performance to be given at Kansas
City and came to Omaha Lincoln sent
up about 200 of it's elite"
OF the performance itself and the CEN
trail figure The Bee critic wrote:
zone has difficulty in reconciIing the in
eNorable fact Of her birth in 1874 with the
appearance of Nine. Bernhardt in the
character OF girl in her twenties She
has the grace, the supplcness, the ring
Ing laughter, the merry voice and the
sensuous, seductive way of the woman
who is just beginning to taste the Joys of
living. rather than the look Of one who has
told three score years of active, soul-test-
ing life"
Critic n Prophet.
Something Of prophecy attaches to the
comment Of the critic at that time when
he said:
Sarah Bernhard is being advertised as
on her farewell tour. That seems like a
press agents trick, for naught apparent to
the eye suggests aught than that she will
/ yet again visit the country that not only
showers her with the warmest OF praises
/ for her work as an artist, but which also
rewards with those golden tokens of APP
probation so essentially necessary to true
art Bernhard will come back, for she
is greater than Paris or New York, or
! any one city in the world. She is a true
world-artist, and needs the world as much
as the world needs her."
And back she has come, with her power
but little impaired, according to the press,
enjoying life and giving JOY by her great
endOwments and through her perfected
art
As an example Of the activity OF Nine.
Bernhard, her route for the week will
serve excellently. She plays in Denver to-
day, presenting Madam X'' at the mat
inee and "LAiglon" at the evening per-
/ Torrance; on Monday at Colorado
Springs. Tuesday at Pueblo. Wednesday at
| Wichita, Thursday at Joplin, Friday and
| Saturday at Kansas City and Sunday at
Omaha This is a round OF travel and toll
that would daunt woman OF half her
age but Bernhard is Bernhard. and she
halts at no notion OF fatigue
Faces About Tour.
] George II. Murray. who is making the
adv ance arrangements for her tour. was
in Omaha during the week and furnished
some very interesting facts concerning the
present tour Of the United States. Mr..
/ Murray said:
At 81 she discounts the vitality, nervous
energy and strength OF any woman OF 90
as the present tour. which began In Chicago
on octber "a, will attest She gave thir-
teen performances the first week and four
teen the second. with changes OF play At
each performance ana this following a