The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-23
New York Herald Bureau. I
Paris, April e2. !

Hackett, the American tenor,
= In "Rigoletto" at the Opera,
added another brilliant page to the
record Of a season without parallel
in the history OF American music In
Europe. Never before had an Ameri-
can male singer held leading role
on the boards of the greatest of
French lyric theaters and the event
thus assumed significance on level
with the appearance Of Mr.. Albert
Spalding as solo violinist with the or
chestra of the Societe des Concerts
and the production of Mr.. Blair Fair
childs Dame LibelIule" at the Opera
Comique.
Quite apart from It's international
significance Mr.. Hackett's interpreta-
ton Of the part of the Duke was an
excellent exhibition of musicianship
and fully entitled the singer to the
enthusiastic ovation he received.
So far as the theatres go, they are at
present laying themselves out more par
ticularly for the thousands Of British
and American spring visitors who are
and are expected in Paris. 1t is, per-
haps, in compliment to the Anglo-e5axon
drama that NJ Firmin Gemier the new
manager of the Odeon. who has already
done much to promote Shakespearean per-
formances In France, has just produced
French adaptation. by M. Raymond
Gently, Of the Merry Wives of Windsor"
Considerable liberties have been taken
with the original in the effort to con-
dense the play into four acts and present
Shakespeare's thoughts In O French
garb-so much so, indeed, that the
Shakespearean purist might be well adj
vised to keep away. For the general
public on the other hand the play has
been quite satisfactorily modernized and
action and humor alike go with q swing.
Gloomy Contrast.
In decidedly gloomy contrast, both as
to subject and treatment, is the new
three act tragedy by NJ. lie Bargy, the
actor entitled "Une Danseuse est morte.' .
also just produced at the Odeon. Like
Mounet-Sully before him, NJ. LIE Bargy
has deserted the Coincide Franchise to
play. in his own play at the other ma
tional theatre. 1t has already been pro-
duced DIN Brussels, where 1t met with
considerable success, which 1t seems
likely to duplicate at the Odeon. and 1t
is an evident tribute to M. LIE Bargy's
genius as psychologist and philosopher
no less than as actor.
But 1t Is certainly not a cheerful piece
of work, dealing as 1t does with
Socialist Deputy who is also a super
man" to such an extent that he strangles
his mistress. danseuse, on discovering
her infidelity. He then proposes to give
himself up to the police. but his sister.
who is his Egeria as well as leader or
! his admirers. points out to him that this
xytlt hn IF
prospects and he reluctantly agrees to
allow the dead dancers alternative lover
| to be arrested for her murder.
| In the end, as the drama-wise theater
! goer may have already surmised, the
successful rival proves to be his own son
and he accordingly shoots himself off
as the best way out OF the difficulty.
"Une danseuse est morte" is essentially
an actors play. fnll OF strong situa-
/ tons and thrilling curtains, and 1t
should certainly be well adapted for
holiday audiences who. having survived
the appalling weather of the last few
| weeks, still feel In need of Christening.
1t might be said Of Moliere, as of
Charles IL, not indeed that he takes an
! intolerable time In dying. but that the
celebrations OF his tercentenary are sin
gularly long drawn out. The last of
| them. which has just taken place at the
Theatre Sarah Bernhard. takes the
form of. a dramatic poem in one act. by
M. Maurice Rostand. entitled The
| Death Of Moliere," and its late arrival
| is due to Nine. Sarah Bernhardts recent
| illness, from which she has now hap
PLY recovered Showing US the great
man Immediately after he has been
taken III on the stage during the his
toric performance of the "Malade Ina
ginaire." 1t carries us to his actual
| death. supported in his last agonies by
the inevitable vision Tin this case,
Sorrow and. though 1t obviously does
not allow much room for dramatic
! thrills. NJ Rostand's verse is entirely
| adequate, the more so when spoken by
| the "voix d or" OF the Divine Sarah.
The TireIess Bcrnhardt.
Perhaps the most interesting point OF
| the production is, however. that II brings
| with II the temperance In Paris or
the greatest OF French tragedienes, who
| has certainly discovered the secret or
eternal youth. After having until quite
recently toured tho provinces-an ex-
rerience sufficiently exhausting to
very much younger woman-Mme.
Bernhardt signaliZes her temperance
al her own theater by appearing In no
fewer than four characters within a
Mollere." as Glory In the play OF that
name--a striking contrast in roles-as
AthaIic In Racine's tragedy and as
Regime Armand in NJ Verneuils new
play with which she has been touring.
In which she takes the part of modern
actress who Is also a mother.
Outstanding very definitely among
the more modern OF contemporary plays
Is M. Charles Mere's Masked Woman"
now being played at the Renaissance
Theater, with Nine Cora Laparcerie IN
the principal part Although IL cannot
be called a pleasant study Of modern
life, II is undeniably powerful and In
its study OF psychology and more par
ticularly Of human weaknesses. II Is
an interesting contrast with NJ.
lie Bargy's already mentioned la
panseuse est Note" II deals with the
revenge OF the conventional vile Sc
Queer who having been repealed by
the woman he covets, dies soon after
| and revenges himself by leaving her
100000 francs. As the first result,
her husband, who IS insanely and mis-
takenly Jealous, at once decides that
she must have been unfaithful to him.
Just as he Is about to leave her for
| good and all. however. n new Idea
| strikes him. He In scientist: science
| In France Is horribly III endowed: with
| twenty millions an infinite amount OF
| good might be done 20 suffering hui
| manity. The same idea, be II said. has
already occurred 70 a priest TO whom
| the maligned heroine has confessed.
| What an Infinite amount or good works