The New York Herald Newspaper, September 21, 1866, Page 7

RISTORI Triumphant Debut of the Queen of Tragedy. “UNPRECEDENTED OVATION. The Most Brilliant Dramatic Night on Record. A NEW THEATRICAL ERA INAUGURATED. &e, &eo, &e. From Our Critic in the Private Box. ~The détut of Ristori in America, at the French theatre Jast ovening, was moro than a success—it was a triumph, From this performance we must date a new era of dra- matic art in this country. No words can do justice to the perfection of Ristori’s impersonation. Tho adjectives “grand,” “aublime,” “magnificent,” “superb,” which ‘burst spontaneously from the audicnce, amid a” storm of applause, at the close of each act, seam too weak to convey an impression of Ristori and her acting. From the rise to the fall of tho curtain she was not Ristori— sho was Modea; and her audience felt that what thoy Saw and heard was not acting—it was natare, ‘The weather last evening was extremely disagreeable. A rainy, murky, muddy night, in which nobody cared to bo abroad, was hardly favorable to a crowded house. Yet such was the enthusiasm in regard to the debut of Ristori that @ crowd collected in the rain outside the theatre door and stood patiently observing the carriages that tolled rapidly up in the glare of the calcium ticht, ‘as if hoping that, by some moans or other, the dramatic sensation inside the theatre might produce some exturnal Phenomena worth witnessing. A police force, under Captain Speicht, kept open a passageway through thi crowd forthe ladies and gentlemen who were fortunate enough to have tickets for the performance, and @ large corps of ushers, in charge of Superintendent Rullman, seated the audience without confusion. Many persons were present at the opening of the doors, ata little after seven o'clock, and when the orchestra began the overture every wout was occupied. “imho adior lence was a remarkable one, A more select, critical, and fashtonaie assemblage was never gathered in this metropolis, The French and Russian Ministers ‘were present, altendod by numerous diplomats. Prowi- nent authors, divines, critica, lawyers, officials, politic aus I and gentlemen of fashion filled the boxes and parquet, or menaded through the theatre. Almostevery person hin the range of our lorgnetie was noticeable eithor for talent, wealth or position. The ladies wore attired in full evening costume, and, fora wonder, the goutiomon unanimously followed their excellent example. At no other performance, not even at the opera in the height of its prosperity, was so much attention paid by the audience to the costume en régle. The consequence was @ brilliant house, before which it was a pleasure for auy ‘artist to play. The approval of such a collection of the wits and the beauties, the beaux and the belles, the loading representatives of every profession, and the ac- knowledged arbiters of taste and fashion, was of itself a compliment; but the enthusistic applause that [tistori ‘won may be truly termed an ovation. ‘The tragedy of Medea opens with a fine scene between Creon, Jason and Orpheus, and as it proceeded the au- dience felt that the artists who had been selected to support Ristori were themselves star actors. Attired with classical simplicity, the dignity of their demeanor and tho eloquence of their oratory marked the Signora Glech and Cesare Ristori as worthy impersonators of ‘their grand and difficult rd/es, and when Signore Giech entered a3 Creusa, her youth, her beouty and ber quict grace at once won every heart, ‘The excitement to see Ristori now momentarily increased. All the praises that ‘had beon written of her power were not half so potent as ‘the fact that she had such sublime contidence in hor own genlus as to surround herself with such assistants, cach one of whom could vie with the ablest performers upon our stage. This audacity, so unlike the conscious weakness of some of our own stars, who purposely assign the subordinate parts to mere supernumeraries, in order to add an illegitimate and artificial pre-eminence to thelr own atiractions, was appreciated by the intelligent audi- ence and provoked their already great expectations At lust Ristori entered, leading her little sons aud so @bsorbed in her réle as to pay no attention to the warm welcome she received from every band. Her first words went a thrill through the audience, and from that moment no one had eyes or ears for any other performer, Ristori’s tall and stately person naturally aasumes the most statuesque attitudes. Her mobile face varies with every phase of passion. Her voice, now wwoot as the softest molody, and now instinct with hate or rovenge, is as full and clear and 9s exquisitely modu- Jated as the finest organ. Her limbs move in graceful gestures to emphasize her utterances. Her eyes flash lightnings or melt the sternost heart to pity, as she wills, Imagine this wonderful woman, queenly in look and manner, clad in a scarlet robe that seemed dyed with the blood that she had shed with Jason, and Medea stands bofore you. All the strangely divores emotions of the character she fully ‘and perfectly expressed. Now raging like @ tigress at her betrayer; then into a mother's tender de votioa; aow infuriated by the gods, then racked by her quenchiess love; now torn with remorse, then pleating for pity in irresiativie tonce; now disguising her revenge- fal plots beneath a scornful acquiesence in Jason's wishes, then giving free vent to the hatred that con- @umed her, m every look, accent, gewtare and por she ‘was the terrible Medea, forgetting herself, her audience, the theatre, and all che unconnected with the fearful drama that she was depictiog. Under her influence the audience sat spell bound. Their cheeks bienched aad their \\pe trembled as she Barrated ber wrongs and planned her deep reveage. ‘When she wept the tears started unbidden w overy cye. Thore was bat little applause; the audience forgot that im the breathless inverest with which they followed the ewiftiy culminating story. Only at the end of each act @id the goneral enthusiasm manlfest itself in an unani- mous recall. But more eulogistic than any clapping of hands or shouting of “bravos’’ was the sudden silence ‘Vhat fell apon the assemblage when Ristori came upon ‘the scene and the sigh of repressed excitement that fol- Jowed hor exit, Speaking a language which compara. Mvely fow of her muditors Could perfectly compreboad, abe reached and swayed them through that universal language of genius which none can fail to understand ‘The moat unlettered of the audience could have trons lated Ristori’s sentences almost word for word, although they may have tried in vain to catch the drift of the elo queat specohes of Creon, Orpheus and Jason sud ‘he maidonly utterances of Crousa The represea'atives of ‘Wiese characters were admirable actors, bul Rator did more than act. Without raat, withont tearing ber per sion to tatters, without aay extravaganes of vole oF at tude, she contrived to convey to the auden ¢ the ora impression she desired. She was ead withuus failiug nto the traditionary posture; she raved wiihoul mreamiag oF Clutohing at her hair, The most diverse pass! wore equally well portrayed. Nothing could be more trawic than her awfal threats against ber rival, and yet in wet second, during the interview With Jason, when she pro tends to agree to his proposals, she proved herself « ‘Queen of Comedy as weil as of Tragedy, and the audience emilod with her only to frown again we she hurled her tremendous invective upon ber recreant lord. For aimost the first time since the visit of the alder ‘Kean we have seon real tragic acting upon the American mage. Ristori is an artiste who can teach our aciors ‘their art, and will so educate Our audiences that they Will Bo longor be satisfied with more mouthing Last @voning (hey showed themselves heertily and critically appreciative, Tho same points that moved the pubice of italy, of Germany, of France and of Londow Ww on ‘thasiasm wore at ones recognited and applaute! bere By what art Ristori produced her offsets it is impos ‘bie to determine, At times she appeared tnapire! NEW YORK HKRALD, FRIDAY, SHPTEMBER 21, 1866—TRIPLE SHEST. ing terror and remorse, ror, from guilt Uo is violated and faithful husband by the assassination of their children, One such performance as that of last evening would Produce an olectrical shock in theatrical circles never to be forgotten; but a series of representations of the same extraordinary power will result in a permanent benefit tothe American drama, We hope to see the French theatre become, during Ristori’s engagement, an acade- my, at which our actors and actresses may learn their profession; and where there is so much to learn and to uplearn we shall expect to see no tnatteutive students. Manager Gran is, therefore, doubly to be thanked; first, for tho pleasure he has afforded the American public by inducing Ristori to visit this country, and again for the justruction which our professionals will derive from her from horror to despair, order of dramatic art here for many years to come. The experiment of importing an entire company of lead- ing Italian artists to assist Ristori was venturesome and expensive; but our citizens have proven that they are Rot to be outdone io liberality by any manager, and horeafter there will ba no excuse left for Lose who per- sist 1m presenting us with unsatisfactory entertainments. More might have been dono by the stage director of the French theatre, however, in the appointinentg of Medea, None of the scenery was above the average, and that of the secoud act was wretched. There was so much noise and confusion behind the curtain, also, between the acts as to seriously alarm tho ladies of the audience. It is true that these defects may be overlooked by those who attend only to seo Ristori; but when there are only three scones ina drama, and those by no means com- plex, the stage director is certainly culpable if he cannot get them up artistically and set them without annoying the audience, Ristori will make her second appearance to-morrow evening, From Our Critic in the Dress Circle. In the character of Medea we flad all those attributes with which the imagination of the Greek mythological writers delighted to invest their heroines, The victim of the Eumenides, the Slave of Venns, the instrument of the gods of vengeance, the terrible Erinnyes, who Punished filial disobedience with the most fearful tor- ments, Such a character is represented in the Medea of Ristori, but oftened a little in the modern adaptation of the Grecian story of the French author Legouve, Still enongh of the ancient portraiture remains in the mod. ern picture to preserve the tragic horrors of Medea’s mythical history. In the construction of the play, although th the plot is is changed somewhat from tho original ory, none of the leading points are lost. We have still the predestined sufferer at the will of the gods whom she has offended, and the woman, in her character of wife and mother, with all her absorbing love, her eensitiveness to wrong, her despair at desertion, her ma- ternal instincts, ber jealous passion and in ber last ter- rible trial—a resort to vengeance in the murder of her own ofpring in order to strike at the heart of the hus- band who has abandoned her. ‘The play is based upon the old Greek story of the Ar- gonauts, who, with Jason as the leader, set forth im search of the Golden Floece, which they found, as pre- dicted, in Colchis. Here M@fea, the king's daughter, who was much skilled in charms and witcheralt, con- ceived a violent passion for Jason, and ran of with him, but not until by her spells and incantatious—the gifts of evil delties—she helped him to overcome the difficulties with which ber father, the king, obstructed Jason's pos- session of the famous Golden Fleece. Having won the prize the hero started on his journey, accompanied by Medea, who robbed and abandoned her father, murdered her brother and stained herself with fearfal crimes in her insane passion for the wandering chieftain, The old story of woman's devotion and man’s ingratitude is here repeated, Jason grew weary of his wife and deserted her. He landed at Corinth, and was about to espouse the daughter of the king, whon Medea, accompanied by her two children, after many wanderings and much suf- fering in search of hor husband, arrived at Corinth on the very eve of the nuptiala, Here is laid the scene of the tragedy. The story and theagonies of a life of crime, passion and misery is crowded into the events “of one day. The outcast wanderer, with her children, suppliants for charity, the impassioned lover still trusting in the faith of ao absent husband, the victim of ‘an evil destiny, the wife maddened with joalousy and the weight of her great wrongs, the mother straggling between love for her children and the temptation to avenge herself upon thetr father by striking at his heart through thoi innocent bosoms. These are the phases of woman's life, natural and unnatural, which Ristori depicts with such marvellous power. On hor first appearance, leading her two children, her majestic grace, the deep sadness of her expression, the musical intonation of the votce as she bids her little wanderers have courage, all told in an instant the story of the exiled queen, the suffering woman, aod the gran- deur which In vagrancy aod sorrow still iluminates her character, The first impression of Ristort upon the audience it is impossible to overrate, She awes by the majesty of her demeanor and charms by tho tenderness of feeling which shadows over all the fierce ele- ments of Medea’s nature in the opening scone, when craving charity for her children. Wehave not yet seen tho transformation from the woman and the mother tothe unhappy victim of demonismn of which she be- lieves herself possessed. Bat when, after relating to Croasa, the betrothed of Jason, the story of her love, her abandonment of her father, the crimes with which she is stained, and describes in melting tenderness the parting from ber mother's coach, on which she left lock of hair as a farewell token, sho refers to the pangs of jealousy, then the spirit of the dark Eamenides takes hold of her, and the frenzy in which she exclaims that should she find her hasband in the possession of « rival she would treat them as the leopard does his proy “I membri sanguinanti ne Squareia a brano a bran!” ig terrific. From this point to the conclusion of the drat act she is straggling with the direst passions, ‘My woes come from the gods,’ she solemoly exclaims, Dark forebodings of fate, fancied warninss from the deities, the throes of anticipated treachery, all take possession of her, until the climax is reached ia the discovery that Creusa is about to become the wife of Jason, and thea follows a burst of passionate declamation terrible to listen to and wholly impossible to describe. ‘Whon the curtain falia upon the first act, the autience feel that they are in the presence of something more thas human, as if the inspiration of evil wore a Toality and not a fiction of the artiste, aod yet it le after all bat the display of human passions and gulferings tuat we beliold, iutensiied by the braia and hoart of genie. Ona of the Snot passages in the play ly the meeting with Jason in the second act. She greets Lim with « dirst of Joy, but (@ suddenly awod into frigid inditter ence by lis cold recognition. Then ucceeds s terribie calm, Pride conquers affec The recollection of hor wrongs crushes oat the laten! pasion which consumes: ber, aod with Ditter bul quiet rareasm she combate hie proposal to disgolve the marriage We, to load ber with the wealth of Epirus, aod send ber fori apom the world. Still calm, sie taunte bim with the question as to what «pot om earth she cag beiake hereslf where hor name is BOL @ terror, and the crimes committed for him, all for him, have not rendered her an outcast, With fearful emphaats she reco: those crimes, the record of which extends throughont al! Greece, sed asks to what haven shall she turn. In (hia seene Ristori oxhi bits perbape ber Guest dramatic ability It is indeod a inavtorplece of usture, ‘The kill of (he aptide is ao por fact that we hardly recognise the iwiervention of art in the oxquistte olabomtion of feeling so natural to the im aulied wife, stung by the proposal to reloase her unfaith- fai Wusband from the most sacred ties, aud voluntarily consign bim to the nda 2 of 9 pew and unholy leve, To comprehend ihe ontire dramatic foree and power of Ristori’s impersonation of Medea, we have lo witness the atruggier between maternal affection mod the thirst for unnatural vengeance, which follow the sttempt to separate her from her children, or to chon the one who in to accompany ber io her wand 4, while the othor remains with his farher Simulating eonsent to the seperation with Jason, she bas seoretiy resolved to saorifor the lives of ber sous, ent to devroy the bride by meany of & folsoned veil presented to her as, te gift of Apollo. The i the punieh- mont the devigne, in the sxtremity of her anguish, and infiueheed by the fore, for her fattbiew husband, to strike dows a one blow all (hat he loves and leave him desolate. fut ite © met ecoomplabed with. ub @ foartul wtrife with her maroroal nwtionta Abe re hy 004 ghe reionys br (acess ay! Sort oy oeiantr betrays her Country, is accessory to the death of her | of Ristori’s brother, poisons her rival and murders her children ig wbhorreat; but Ristori succeeds—by what magic we cannot tell—in convincing us that Medea is not respon- sible for her crimes, but is the mere instrument in the hands of the gods for the accomplishment of certain dark dosigns; and so we pity hor as she struggles with tho tnevitable fate that impels hor, spite of her shudder- to hor- until every sacred the mother punishes ber un- performances and which will give ugia beter aud higher’ acting surpasses itself, Ste raises Ler audionce to tho height of her own intensity, and sUb- dues them with (he tenderness that gathers about her heart when she embraces, with @ mother’s fondness, the predestined sacrifices io her terrible vengeance, What wonder that there were few dry cheeks among those wlio witnessed that touching scene, It wero a sterile nature that could witness without emotion the appeal to her children to decide which one would share her loye and inisery, and desert the home and rank which their re- creant father offered, The effect of this passage was olectrical. It was something never to be forgotten, The great events of the drama hasten to their cousum- mation. Medea driven to despair, resorts to the last act of vengeance, When the death of Crousa by the agoncy of the poisoned veil is announced, and the populace, driven into a frenzy of hatred against Medoa, assail her with cries of “death,” “death, to her!’’ she hastens to complete her vengeance, and slays her children at the foot of the statue ot Saturn, the god who delights in child murder. ‘This is the accomplishment of the story. The desperate revenge of Medea is complete, When Jason enters, and observing the bodies of his murdered children, passion- ately demands, Who has slain them?’ Medea replies, “Thou !"’—The story aud the picture are one. Dramatic art conld do no moro to corplote’the ill-fated history of Medea. Her vengeance is perfected. Tn that one power- ful word all the wrongs, tho suffor tags, through which sho has passed are wiped out. Tho grievances of the mother and the wife are terribly avenged. From Our Critic in the Parauet. Itis related of Kdmund Kean that at the commences mont of his career, when be was startling London with his brilliant acting, bis wife, inquiring from him one night after his return from the theatre as to the events of the evening, asked bim what Lord Essex seemed to think of the performa: The answer of tho impetu. ous and triamphant actor was, ‘Damn Lord Essex! The pit rose at me." So Madame Ristori might say to-night in her more delicate tongue, Maledetia sia la critica! tt popolo mi zostenia, The writer will not vonch for the purity or correctness of the Tlalian phrase, but he thinks there can be no doubt of t ruth of the idea sought to be con- veyed. ‘Hang the critics! The people bave endorsed me." Rarely, if ever, has such a reception been given to an artist on this continent as was given to Ristori last night. Not only did the pit mse at ber—as Kean ex- Pressed it—but the entire audience paid her that compli- ment; and, for minutes after the curtain fell and rose again that she might receive tho homage 60 unaoi tmously tendered her, plandits, bouqnets, shoats of “Bravo, Ristori!’ and other demonstrations of enthusi- astic admiration greeted her, It was a real iriumph— something for an artist to be proud of, And right well was the compliment deserved. From the moment she entered on the sesne, until the last ter. rible tableau where, with dripping dagger outstretched, she replies to the wild ery of Jason, asking who had wrought the murder of his two childrea, then lying on the steps of Saturn’s statue. ‘‘7'w''—during all that time the interest of tho spectators was concentrated in her, ‘The genera! acting was not bad—some of it indeed was excellent—but there was eve and ear for Medea alone, The impersonation of that slighted, injured, bat terribly revenge(ul charactor was superb. Every change, from love to hate, from hope to despair, from acorn to fury, seemed to carry with it the speli bound feclings of the spectators, who really, as the French express it, assinted at the tragedy. The eyes of women gushed with tears, and the hearts of mon melted with pity as the relentless and pitiless look of hate and rage yielded to the tender emotions of the mother, when, abandoning the bloody design which she had formed to avenge herself on Javon by the murder of bis sons, she clasped them to ber heart and fondled them with passion- ate love. That was, perhaps, one of tho most effective scenes, It was, certainly, that which seemed to awaken tho greatest sympathy and emotion. With what wonderful power, too, did she render the passages where, depicting to Creusa what jealousy could incite her to, she replies, in answer to the question what she would do if sho discovered that Jason was false to ber, “What would I do then? That which the leopard does when, in the recesses of the for roaring tp tor- rible joy, he casts himself like a thunderbolt on his prey, bears it into his cave and tears ite bleeding limbs in pieces.’ The energy with which she delivered this terrible sentence was appalling. No less #0 was the wild delirium of joy which she exhibited @ moment afterwards on seeing Orpheus and learning that her Jason was near her, the exclamation, “My husband! My hero! Their father! No more sorrow- ing. Ob, my children, your father lives," was wonder- fally affecting. And as the act closed, her scornful and menacing reply to Creusa, who had just boasted that she loved Jason, and that to-morrow they would be united atthe altar, “He! Thy husband! We eball see,” was & Magnificent piece of acting, and completed the triumph which the preceding scenes bad won for her. The scene in the second act where s#be tries to win her runaway lord back to her by tenderness, and says to bim in piteous accents, “Jason, Tam Medea;"' and then, when she finds him pitileas and unmoved, upbraids him with ber sufferings, reminds him of their mutaal crimes, aud asks bim, despairingly, where she is to Gnd a refuge, was fine beyond description. The withering scorn with whieb im reply to his question whether she would save hor sone, ahe turns flercely upon him end exclaims: “Be silent’ Be silent! Their very name upon your lipe but aggra vates your infamy’ produced « fine effect, But the grandest scene of all, that which stamps her as the Queen of Tragedy, is the soliloquy im which she gloats over the idea of the grand vengeance she # to take upon her rival in letting out her soul at the dagger's point, fol- lowed by the next scene where the Fates recm to have given her victim into her bands and where sue is sud denly checked in her thirst for blood on fuding tha! Crousa has come to save her from death. But it would be vain to attempt to poiat ont all the splendors ‘of Ristori's acting. It holds the spectator spellbound. He follows ler in every gesture, in every Jook, in every word. She encbains him aa if he were looking on at the cotamission of a real tragedy, It is diMeult for him to realize that it ie all but a mimic scene, The horror of reality is inseparable from 1 After what has been said any efforts at minute criti- clam of style would be superfiaous. In attitade, in mobility of expression, in the power of photographing emotions on the countenance, in declamation and in that greatest of all artistic powers—that of identifying herself with the character she assumes, and of identify ing the andience with ber as if the seene was a reality - in all these sue is pro-emineutly great. She bas all the classic grace of Rachel, aad, in addition, she has the fre and force whieh Rachel lacked, If perfection in art is possible Ristori has, im hers, attafned it, From Our Critic With « Promenade Ticket, Long ago ove dark night in the year 1848 an Amor. can artiet. a friend of the writer, was promepading (or a by-strest in Rome. The lights from « ich he was passing tempted him within And without understanding more than a few words of Ktalian he was amazed and delighted by what he styled “the glorious pantomime ' of the principal actress whom be saw on the stage. he was personating the character of Myrrha. He felt, be aferwards said, like another Amorioan artist, who started when he first saw the statue of Apollo Belvidere, and exclaimed, with an unwopted cath, “A Molawk warrior, ty ——!" Both artiets recognized {nm the supreme art which they witness od the highest truth to stars, Tt happened that thie representation of Myrrua was the last appear. ence of the actress (or a long Ume, Her name, even al that period, bad cot become go familiar to fame an to preven! oar artist from forgetting It, although the impression her mareeiloas acting made on him was never effaced. Years afterwards, (n 1865, be went with us to the fret representation of Marie Aiuart, io Paris, by Ristori, “he bed scarcely uttered a word when, not- withstanding the ‘ference of comtame and character, he recognized (n her the great unknown actress who had fascinated him at Rome. He had unconsciously antic!. pated the homage which Paris, accustomed to the om- pire of Rachel, at Sret reluciantiy rendered to the newly risen Queen of the Ruropean mage. Tat wished be could have seen how eponte- neously cartily New York welcomed Adelaide Ris tori wi the fourth scone of the first act of Medea she descended upon the scene the deserted wife of Jesoo leading Melanthens and Lypoaom by the bend; thugiastic reception which sho met from « honee as fall a0 {t Could bold with representatives of the most cullivated Classen in our conairy, who have long lamented with (he Heeate the low gianderd to which the drama hae been reduced lo thie city, and who were 10 rejotee im the change which the sppearasce of Rior tae inaugurated Wh © promenade Uieket t was enay for your eritie ta discover the proprivity of sdmiuing birm atl ever the house to discover how unanimous the fesling ag with which Ristori was eresed. Nor could be fail t sotles how lone tay Ged Cgerrinsie, 2 tee Magpale pot Grotto remarked with surpriny 894 gratification after the performance was over, our Now Yuk sudience applaud. ed, Anstinctivety aa ft were, the very paa%*se3 on which Paris and London, Madrid, Romo and st, Petersburg had more ‘eliberately, perhaps, but not leas docs: Vly, set the seal of their approbation, Woe do not hesitate to record the impression made upon our New York andience last night, that Ristor: as Medea, has more nearly approximated the antique idea of the character as presented by Euripides and Apojlo- nius, than M. Legouvé bimself, the author of the tragedy, bad ventured to give it. Her regal front, the wonderful mobility of her expressive countenance, ber majestic port, Hike that of au exiled queen, to use the words of Crousa; her picturesque costume, designed, it is said, by the great actor Ary Schetfer; ber voice, now soft as a zephyr, and now a storm of passion, tearful and trembling, or sonorous and thrilling as a clariou, and her tuimitable acting lent eloquence and foree to her personation of Medea—the Medea who is not only a fond and deserted wife, a tender and devoted mother, « jeatous woman, as she might lave been in any age or land, but who is also a barbarian, fired with passionate love for her Argonautic lover, and inv pelled not only by that love but by the furies themseives, by the fate’ impending over all old Greok tragedies, to the commission of crime after crime, in order to accom. plish her purposes, almost without remorse, at least, with no modern sentiment of duty, Surely thus explained and rendered by Ristori, Medea is more terrible and ess odious, as well as more truly antique than if ordinary love and jeal- ousy of modern timos had alone inapired her, Yet human nature is the same in all times and countries. And how thoroughly the woman is Ristori’s Medea! The Argonaut won hor love, ag she tolls Creusa, not otherwise than he wou that of the daughter of Oreon, To the barbarian girl of Cholchis no loss than to the Greek girl of Corinth, we may say as Modoa says to Creuse, Hay cor di donna, Thoa hast a womau's heart! Her distress and anxiety as @ doserted wife wandering in search of ber husband, hor devotion to her children, “stronger,” she exclaims, “than ber hate;’’ her womanly jealousy of Creusa, nay, her vengeful determi nation to strike at her faithless husband through his dearest affections—lo loves Cro! Meleantous and Lyenon—A si i tre nei tre muora—in all three he shall die—all these traits are as true to nature as if a dire fatality had not overhung Medea, transportiug her into the heroic ages of paganism, French critics have complained that Mr. Legouve has not used language suiliciently charactoristic of the heroic Ago; that his verse is even less poetic than prosaic. But Ristori breathes into each line the very soul of pootry. She fills it with the sbounding vitality of ber own rich and abounding nature, and Ores it with her splendid imagination, Her elocution is the very poetry of speech. Some ‘of the critics of her earlier performances at Paris, we remember, professed to fear at first that Mme, Ristori would have to be damned with faint praise as “reciting well but dressing ili—as exaggerating tho effects of her pantomime, and yielding so tar to the impetuosity of he nature aa “to «make false verses’ by cutting off or adding a word here and there,—a fault which they averred would be unpardonable even in Rachel. But Europe has long sines got bravely over any approhension of boing con- strained to “criticize” this tragedienne whom America wolcomed Inst wight, and unreservedly applauded, as the greatest in the world. Boguemil Dawison as hello, Large as the Stadt theatre is, there was hardly stand- ing room in it last eveaing when the curtain rose on the début of the distinguished German tragodiaa Mr, Bogue- mil Dawison, His first appearance as the Moor was the sigual for the most enthusiastic greetings on the part of the immense audience, and bouquets were showered on bim from every tier, Daring the play, and at the tragic close, the enthusiasm seetned to increase, for in addition to the bouquets doves fell Auttering at his feet from the fair occupants of the boxe. The character of the noble Moor is one in which dignity and voleanic passion are mingled, There is some- thing terrible in the awaking of @ sont like Othello’#—«o truthful and unconscious of treachery and guilt in others, from ite calm, dignified repose, to conseiousness that its dearest object is unworthy of it—that sbe in whom every feeling was wrapped up has betrayed her vows, that her childlike innocence ts but Theatre Mr. awaking of that soul ‘when th the troth dawns on it; when irrealiges that ft bas foully mactered the most faithful end loving of her sex, and the black, demoniacal ireach- ery of ‘ea te ex) Dawinon force than power Thore was only one hie audience — foot raged within the breast of the two credulous husband. Iv the scene in which he accuses Desdemona of he = paseions infidelity he abandoned the measured, soulless style of the mere actor «and became the pasionate hashand Alternately embracing and repalsing the frightened object of bis suspicion and , uncertain whether to give credence to her re- {aebal procssiatiens of innocence or to the cunningly devised tale of his ancient, be made his bear ers foel that there was «@ real Othello be- fore them. Im the last scene there war = want of that voleanic passion and then utter that should preeede and follow the murder of the ‘ne love daughter of Brabautio. No matter how correct au elocutionist of how Snished an actor as to mere slage inanner Mr. Dawigon may be, there is something beyond that to indicate the = artist, Words or gestures can not do it; they alone do not reach the heart) A sem tence may be spoken in the same tone of vowe by two persons, or they may uxe the self same gentures, yet there may be @ vast difference in the effect produced by each. <A single word or wave of the hand by @ truly great artist often thrills the rou! more than five acts of ‘‘stageyness’’ or ranting by another representative of the same character, Mr. Dawison was pretty rly mppertas. The beat of the other characters who, an Casio, way excellent. In the a oy ae and the afver shame and repentance of the disgraced limutenant be displayed histrione talent of the highest order. Mr. Hoym made a rather tame Iago. He was too flippant and cold for that errant Mi who caused and desolation bie Devdemona wi very poor ip |. but her manner in the Inst poenes ne Marriage she wae ihe culldl.ke, loving and hat Shekepere conceived, and he wage a preeent. The rest of Ber on Saturday evening #1 eoppear in Marcisse 0 new JERSEY STATE FAIR Closing Day Three “Fine Trotting Matcher. Trestos, Sept, 20, 1806 he Central Agricultural Society The stiendance war not m The first anuual fair of of New Jersey closed to-day, great ae youterday, owing (the thresteuing sete of the weather, A heavy (all of rain last night made the track rather heavy bot notwithstanding (hie disadvantage the trotting was decidedly wore xpiriied, ond (he time made was quile aa good as yemerday The double team trot of ting day beowern W. 4 W. Hi. Onten, mile toate, beet three ia five. sed ended inate on thet day, wae trotted ander by Dobie protem 1 year old stallions closed with three entries, and yin, who divtanced the other ‘The closing rece, open to ai! horses, mite berate beet remiuin 9400, $200 and bla, Ave entries, trot of the The fret prise chextout gelding. the second by third by George McFariend « Daley making three stra: ” Time of the winner of first premiom 2 4 s About 12,000 visitors " m the ground to-dey KANSAS REPUBLICAN STATE CONVENT ON Torrens, Kavsen, Rept 20, 1806 ‘The National Union State Convention met bere to-day and nominated ibe following ticket:—Gevernor, J. L. MeDonnell, of leven j Lieutenant Governor, Major James R. MoCiure, Dave county, Secretary of State, Colonel MeGougy | Anditor, N. BE. Goan; Treasarer, Coronel Walker —s Sones, Rome Borne C tendent of Puviic eae amen B Baird Justice, Neivon Cobb, for Congress, General & w bier, of Fiesco't, a1) of hom, except Gow end Cobb, ars republic be Conven! on passed resolutions looting to the reel Interests of (he Uoited State and thie State §require thet one but loys! men should hold places of and power ih the govero ment, abd, therefore, feders! officials from thie State who wander (he administration and om | the Coverninant «nud De removed and (heir places Glied by Joyal mee WW YORK CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATION, The Democratic Union today now cated Parmer V Rayrevaiias ve 0 Congren mais FOR “THE z PACIFIC llegg of this elty for Tee rteamehip Henry Cheancey, " Gagute Grey, we Jenve thus port oa Friday for Aspinwall The mae for Central America and the Routh Peote will Clnee at half past ten o'clotk om Friday morning The Naw Yort Hessto~ Ravtion for the Paciiemou! be ready at aii geet one 9 cork in Lhe morning: Sineiacenios, \G Wrapoers, ready (or wailine. #2 cone NEW YORK SOLDIERS...” SAlLors. Conclusi f the State Union Conveanc4 ar Syracuse, Sraacven, Sept. 20, 1966. The Convention of the Soldiers’ and Saliors Union was called to order by Presideat McKean at wa o'clock, ‘Tho report of the Committee on OMcers of the Union ‘tor bho ensuing year, through Colonel Hopper, tho chair man, Was as follows evident, Colonel James B. Me Kean; ents, Colonel FB, B, Fowler, Major Putnam Fietds, Colonel Clark, Lieutenant Colous! &. ¥ Morris, Captain G. R, Row, Lieutenant Colonel Armaull Cameron, Captain J. J. Randell, Lieutenant Colones G. W. Warren, Colonel D. J. Carr, General Brad Winslow, Captain 1. D. F. Stow, ‘Major General A. Baru A E. B, Lansing, Captain Charies ‘Tracy, ¢ N. M. Crane, Major Giles H, Helden, Major James Je.; Recording Secretary, Major W. Parwons; ¢ ponding Secretary, Surg seon George pon Alexande: r A, Ediniston; Chaplain, Rey. J. 8 Barber; Sergeant-at-Arnes, Liewtem in ae, Quartermaster Sergeant W. L nt Johu Vauyh the commit kar nained were electod by Dallon Colonel F. J, Bramhall proseuted the tyowing, which fas adopted: — . "etal Resolved, That the Executive Committers be empowered 40 appoiut a mub-oomities eontributio ° the purpose of ¢ of New York » ubstitution of the wooden kes was tendered the Pr i, Sud the Union adjouraed sine di accepted, avd the eqaired and wt and receive Seuthing Ken Johnson The Fate of Cwesor and Charles th Recommonded to bis Considerat Syr. . Sept ‘The Soldiers and Sailors’ Mass Conventior suant #0 call, at Shakspere Hall at noon to-day tary of State, Major Goneral Francis C, tw the Convention to order, The Coavention was (hon forr ly opened with prayer by Brovet Brigadier eral Van Pottten, General Baxtow nominated as tomporary chairman of the Convention Adjatant E. B. Lansing, of Aubura, who on assuming the chair delivered a sarcastic ape He spoke of tho objects of tha Conven tion, Ho reviewed most seat President Johnson, and tho example of Cmsar, wh met, por low, called Gea and stirring the acts of ngly scommendad to him bad hie Brut and Charles the First, who had lus rod to the treachery of that great 1 home the speaker cam course, “An irrepress! will be folt all over tho omwell, He from whose aud bitterly denounced his @nontlict Is now arising whici wry." He aidverted to the refer throats of war, and oxy ¢ readiness of the loyal iery and suilors to maintain the right in the futuea a. they had in the past, If war inust come they are read) for it Colonel George D. Kelloy if New York; Capiain ¢ R. Knowles, of Albany; Frederick ‘L, Manning of Sencea;' Colonel A) J. Smit Captain Frank Myers, of Eric, mry secretaries, The wounded and disabled delegates of the Union, which met yesterday, wore invited to seat the platform. The Convention adjourned watil three o'clock KRCOND ARSHON, At three o'clock the Convention reassembled, and tho report of the Comuuittee on Permanent Organization, re ported through its Chairman, Col. B. A Ludwig, 'the folt owing persons as officers of the Couveation ideut—Gen. John Cochrany, of New York. Vico Pre idents—F iret district, Gen, Jno. E. Hambiia, Col 1 S. Wilson, Col. Joseph’ C. Jackson; Second ‘district, Gen. E. LT Oligney, Capt. RE Cl den, Geo. A B. Smiyy; Third district, Col. Josoph Hydo, Capt. W. P Barker, Col. G. W. W. Foarth disirict, Col Abel of Onondaga, avd wore appointed tewpo Stato pou Godard, Major W. 8. Lieut. J. B, Rice, Fifth district en, J.P. Van Potton, Major D. F Hitehio, Capt, D. Preston; Sixth’ district, Col, GL suuith, ‘Captain B. Gere, Licutenant A. enth district, General N. M. Crane, Major T. K."Parsous; Eighth Diserie M. Low, Major Cattell. Captain K. A. ries—First district, Colonel George D. Kellogg po Captain W. LB. Speers; Third, Tieutenant Muar Benton; Fourth, Captain A. W. Briggs; Fifth, Capes W. R. Chamberland; Sixth, Lieuteuant Wo A Catrill § Captain Ta hoviaetel Eighth, Lieuteuant P, Smith; 3, ¢ addres, which wus read moral BARNUM then road the following resolutions Resolved, That by reanon of the Hon of « nm men of the Mov and overthrow of the ra i in the constitu¥onal amendment abolisuing he Civil ihe bs DLL enacted by Congress, Fmpire State are cetiet upon pal citizens 19 stand by ‘of the uation. ‘approve the action of Congres in aastituing ae ite iegilmnate constitutional py Fogative to dedlare what lerius and guarantors may right fon og Ayaenin ny Vpn eal Fo Males =~ ly im re meoure ure oe of (he Country a in the Interests of freedom and justier. if ‘ABA praotionl weanure for the settiewent Of the questions neorssartiy involved in the restoration of the rebellious States to the full rights of loyal Bates tn the Union we are In favor of the adopiion of the pending conslt tutional amendment, by virtue of which federal prot will be insured to the bu: a hb, But if thie shal me propose to end t purpose. Reestlok Fact we earnestly ok forward to ond hope for the time when the adc option of the pending euendment shall ree. “ ‘which be ‘ie justly eutt ‘of civil oF ‘politioal rights font we belive that the to the late war will never be tho and principle of the Dectaration of Tutepen all men are ore ail become a site! aud prar, Uical principle of 0 fr gaverament Kesolved, Tha proudly the nom! Goveruor, Gener: Gavernor, How, Bieph yt Gomarel 4 M. Hammond for State Mrise ee eee such & support from tue yeach over the Mouth ike fei *ympathize with free goverment an ruly, unresery apart reeves im bee ae rhe hetr okt war cries in battle, 4 fad "people for of man. We lurther resolve, what was declared uy the of the Koldiers’ and Sailors’ Lolon of whe Btw cay yesterday, That Tha © pride end ream 4 their leaving more ‘han thurty ® Al belf-past coven o clock and by req re) Joho B Cochrane NH Belding, Ue uel Geo, 1, Kellogg, Gener Colonel John Ho Downing, Ge General Jowph B Cope. Jobu Hammond, General H. Bernom, Geners! J BM rey, (enerel Win. Gregg, Genera! Milo B. Pidridpe, Gone Joon B. Marviedae, (apain BO free, Genere (eo. Mo Love, Havre Van Adrer In accordance Wik thin regiulien (he Chew sppe nied much commitive ‘The thanks of the the ofearr to the wovention t ppenwers and to the shy repemye rouncs of (berre & b evyonreed , ORRUE bee Borsane ti (eho (22 te rnb le wae app ration® * Slew be A Reon Sd nt egies Wards at Gemtee) Copper. W hotenale Children's . Vewey erent, New York The He eae, collab, (ee Cy sees Sheet otte CISEN BERG, Mi Vette o man Cyrene, is bh ay BA and Ka- cHeprtellie Ay. 4. sue Gnome pate Revterr” 2% | of WON IS Kavoe Honee. and vy Lanerorthrs, Sez, Pe y's New Pr mom ae Cal sed sen. ints the Drow ms “Re ue et EPC SU Re is PS Me oe ee age * Siar Ss Rebs els Blas Pa Rates I, eS" oe pane 2g fa oars orgr vere ees id BEE ee [ME Xt co. sito | Capture of Pons” lmportamt Towns by the Liberals, Repnblican Operations in the Neighborhood of Vera Cruz and the Capital. Evacuatien of Mazatian by the French. bo & Wanomurow, Sept. 20, 1868. ~ su Minwior, recgived to-day da- (ie va Now Orleans, conbaimlag the C. Mr. Romero, th spatenes trom Ver following sows: — Toe ony of Hueplottian taken by the Mislcans, un 1th wit, The Austrian garrisou city, leaving their dead and wounded boli The Austrians bad also lost the city of Cacopoastta, da tho Sime of Puebla, the whole garrisou Laving beea cap= tured by the hverabe, iu the Stale of Oaxaca, wae f General Jiquerva, oa the oo from Oe was dr It wae reported at Vora Crum that Toluca, the capited of the Stale of Moxica, only forty-tive tiles from the ity of Mesico, had been captured by General Rogulos, Tuspan, ® port on the coast norta of Vera Cras, wae also taken by the Ii! Mi The report of (he occupation of San Luis Potost by the Mericans 1) coafrmed Mr. Komero bar aiso received the following despatat in New Oris od Sept 16 1 communica the following information re ceived from reliable sources juaperialiste have withe drawn from Guayamas and Mazatian They have only two ports ia Mexico—Vera Cruz and Acapoleo, The Hebrals bold the roads between Vera Crus and the ott of Mexico, the Freuch bolog There rrethog and alarnn be poh oMleral, Its rom defousive, ou tb much 4 the F hat Genera Bazaing on the next if he can got lo w nga large § the army 2. There are also othorgramors that Maximy! au pwas about jazaing would not let bie go. From the ft cl haye intormation 4 aah inst yup to the 26th att bon San Lu te Peto ined by a oo » Nevada isin tha escort bi REGATTA AT SPRinuriceo, MASS. SPECIAL TELEGRAM 10 THE NEW YORK HESALD. Vour Spirited Races Joshua Ward Wiese te the Sealers’ © Ast. doh, Ne Mey Crew © 1p, Maw, Sept 20, 1968, A grand regatta, » supervision of the Spring- fold Hegatta Association, came off here today, and hag formed an interesting at in the history of the city, Notwithstanding the drizziing rela that has boon falling nearly all day, there were | rowde of persous— some attracted by curwalty and others by policy meson, bled « horas of the Counectiout ae far as the coureg race extended, and more generally at the point immediately opposite the judges’ buat, from which the contestants started Platforms and benehes had been constructed, and other means devised by which the pleasure of the peo cred. The pring. and dixeouresd tutors, could be» far as possible, field Armory band was in stiendeace, some very fine music The time app wart was ball some delay A mammary of ther 1s follows First Race-—Six oared boats, open to all Firat prite, $200, nocond prize, $100. The boats entered were the J. W. Diekinan field, Cortume—white xhirte and red capm © Nou, stroke, M.A, King, J J. Murphy, Moran, J. A. Lynch, bow The HK Maker, of sprinfield Costume—red cape and white shirt, | Crew—Thomas King, Wen. Deogen, Joba Reynolds, H Rows, P Collins, J. H. Gould, The J. ¥. Tapley, of Springfield. Cosume—greem bandkerchiefe and white ehirte Crew—J Pierce, © FP. Hovey, G. i. King, Jobo Mal- fam, V. Barrington, vow. Al the preconcerted steno! of reatinesn—the Airing of 9 win —the above named reaay for the start, The boats appeared in good order, and the howed fair sigus of Laving © clone race, “Are you calld oat, aed lmmediatey efter the we notee of bg OF — but before oneded (ar the Dickiuson s Italo abe 10 the sake boat was quite tively, and it wae = tret by the Dickinson = From this point to the boat the struggle was severe, bul wan won, a vy the Dickinson = Time, twenty minutes onde, Baker, (renty minutes, forty see Tayey distanced Heound race —Single wherries, open to all two milee. First prite, $160, second prive, The fi boats satored’—Angeline, of New York oly, rowed by Joswun Ward, No Name, of Portiend, Me, rowed by Walter Brown; David A Carson, of Hudeom, §. tT, rowed by J. MeKiel; TN Doyle, of Moston, ro Foster Doyle Thi race was by for the most important, and resuliod (a Joak Ward winning t noe in ifteon ainutes Gfty- pine seconds McKie! Came in seonnd, is inieon min~ ules oor-hall second = Doyle eee ¢eteneed = Browe offered ae a reason for being defeated that the buat he had wan wo light. It ta alleges i ware borrowed a0. The third eu font onved bwase, My prise 610) second, 6100, 20a all, three miles Niewiae, wa nied for the poate in the flew race we past one o'clock, but there was, as uaaal, en —of which there were foar— three mites. so O' Brie, &. Verneiy of Kow Yorks A Regaa!4 of Willem Boe, of feid, Anther Jw i Decker, of Carctrdue Postion bf Maitt~ Daceister of ewwkive © Dacre soot. 2, Ieee catch payed here today betwee of Brooklyn and (he Pastine Clot of former wee the wianer, The sore send y eight lo pineteee a aa How od to §S0. Gate 5 eptotere Ragdege Me Treenes, © Totnes Mareh wlll ob Bo 8 Vener wore BURNETT « HTANOASD COOKING BET . LISTON, to won WLARIMIL. tae Geom Fen. fama in the er, and OO ORIN, the bent Heer Dreer oe ee ertest vr etle: Packer's Calebraved enivr for phe Corssim care of Get ag vost, Ww be a eo wae Pros Pripes Casved to AU) Legal Lal iericn at tor prcloey. OeNet eA ERT TEN arses Legal Lattertes. oven New Prizes Paid ta wiaeeet enter pe eed blige er ro Maeve Beene a4 sinde. New wy Gare ee . oe bo The Hows Seowtna DAG peta) many ee * ace ae aren, at co os te) ery to ake