"MARIA CARMI."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1402, 30 March 1912, Page 5

"MARIA CARMI."

' A MARVELLOUS PORTRAYAL. ■ "Maria Carmi" (Frau Voilmoellor), the lady who so beautifully portrayed the Madonna in the mystery play "The Miracle, caruo almost unheralded to London, writes Sir Claud Phillips in the London "Telegraph" j her name was not even mentioned at first in tho programmes of the notable, performance which step by step has won its way to the-achievement of complete success. The statement unofficially made that the part of tho Madonna would bo represented by an Italian lady who had never mado the stage a profession was received much as such theatrical statements generally aro received, that is, as on advertisement of the subtler kind. Yet it was truth; and truth, Too, which gave some hint of tho quality ot the unique performance which was to follow. A Great Combination.' To assumo that the inspiration of genius, and that alone, enabled Maria Carmi.to present the lofty, and touching, tho tenderly human and yet wholly Divine figuro of the Virgin as she did, is to assume too much. That genius glowed through her rendering of the part, that true fervour inspired the conception and made a luminous atmosphere arouna the beautiful figure, in which it moved find had ite being, so-much is obvious. Yet perfectly to express a great tion. there must be not only true fervour tut consummate art. This art, whatevor the degree of experience or inexperience of the artist, was forthcoming; and it was that highest form of art which conceals itself. That Herr Reinhordt, most brilliant and inventive of "metteurs on 6cene," performed his part here, as in the whole performance, cannot T>e doubted; and for what he has done in this instance he must greatly be thanked. But that this memorable embodiment of a Divine nature, under, conditions of extreme difficulty, is in the mam the out : come of the artist's own inspiration, ot her own dramatic genius, cannot reasonably be doubted. The keynote to Maria Cnrmi's performance is a wonderful tenderness, a wonderful womanliness;. tne womanliness, not of the mortal, but of tho being whoso mortality has merged in the Divine, whose part it is to console, to protect tho miserable sinner from tne lightnings of Divine wrath. This great figure is the true Virgin of the Intercession, the "Madonna del Popolo (Madonna of the People) of Italian art, whose ample ■mantle is spread to shelter kneeling humanity from war, pestilence, and <U1 evils.: This is the Virgin who sits at.tho right hand of Christ oh tb» day of the Last .liidgment-the awful "Dies -Trae - mitigating'by her intercession the; rigour of the Divine .Tudge. It is to»heV that, in Goethe's "Faust," Gretchen, betrayed and abandoned, sends up her cry of agony. "Ach nei.»e, Du Schmeraenreiche, Dein Antlitz gnadig meiner Noth!" A Spectacular Climax. Those who have seen this artist can never forget the beautiful humility and vet the loftiness of her demeanour, tho intensity of her # all-pervading sorrow, of her all-embracing love. Sublime is the fervour of her prayer at the _ great moment of intercession, and exquisitely womanly, with the transforming/ touch of tho "Divine, her loving greeting and sheltering of the little children who swarm around her in perfect love and perfect faith. . So high are we lifted at these moments above tho tawdry realities inherent in stage representation, however consummate, that we experienco a shock when,' as a climax to the scene in which the forlorn Nun, washed. clean of sin, is reinstated,- the •■• Madonna (now again become a'• resplendent■•• image) _■ is borne triumphantly along' in procession amid tho acclamations of the jubilant crowd. Accepting, as we do here, the conventions of tho modern mystery play, we cannot, reasonably find fault with this spectacular close as irreverent. And yet it jars strangely; we feel ourselves abruptly drawn down from the. heights of contemplation -to which.; we have insensibly been lifted by- tho quiet yet intense fervour ';of; a great performance.., .Another, a greater and nobler, if. a-loss spectacular,: climax, .might .ca'siiyube. imaginp'd. ./»iWi9 would, make, the repentant NUnialP ,in agonised appeal at the feet; of the Blessed Virgin; then, ns- she, rising from her throne, •■ clasps her hands once moro. ; in, prayar.' that, the mercy of •, heaven ..may descend, thervshould tho sinner, happv at last and at rest, fade slowly into death— her prostrate form overshadowed by the great golden robe of: the Virgin who is in very truth, as sho-here appears, the Madonnatof the People. '■■•>.-.■■ -j