Tomba eleonora duse biography

Italian actress (–)

Eleonora Duse
Duse in
Born	Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse ()3 October Vigevano, Pavia, Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire
Died	21 April () (aged&#;65) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse	Tebaldo Checchi &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
Partner(s)	Gabriele D'Annunzio (–) Lina Poletti (s)
Children	1

Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse (DEW-zay, Italian:[eleoˈnɔːraˈduːze]; 3 October &#;&#; 21 April ), often known simply as Duse, was an Italian actress, rated by many as the greatest of her period.

She performed in many countries, notably in the plays of Gabriele D'Annunzio and Henrik Ibsen.

All All. Sign In. Eleonora Guilia Amalia Duse. She was an actress and writer, famous for Cenere

Duse achieved a unique power of conviction and verity on the stage through intense absorption in the ethics, "eliminating the self" as she put it, and letting the qualities emerge from within, not imposed through artifice.

Life and career

Early life

Duse was born in Vigevano, Lombardy, Austrian Empire, in to Alessandro Vincenzo Duse (–) and Angelica Cappelletto (–).^[1] Lombardy would be taken from Austrian control the year after her birth by forces under the Kingdom of Sardinia, and would form part of the fresh Kingdom of Italy when she was about 3.

Venice and some surrounding areas would linger part of the Austrian Empire until she was about 8.

Both her father and her grandfather, Luigi, were actors from Chioggia, near Venice, and she joined the troupe at age four. Due to poverty, she initially worked continually, traveling from city to city with whichever troupe her family was currently engaged.

She came to fame in Italian versions of roles made famous by Sarah Bernhardt, such as La Dame aux camélias.^[3]

Career

She gained her first major success in Europe, then toured South America, Russia and the United States in ; start the tours as a virtual unknown but leaving in her wake a general recognition of her genius.

While she made her career and fame carrying out in the theatrical "warhorses" of her day, she is remembered for her association with the plays of Gabriele D'Annunzio^[4] and Henrik Ibsen.

In , while in Naples, she met news writer Martino Cafiero, and became committed in a love affair with him.

However, less than a year later, while she was in mid-pregnancy, he left her. The baby did not endure birth, and shortly thereafter Cafiero died as well. Duse then joined Cesare Rossi's theater organization, and met actor Tebaldo Checchi (pseudonym of Tebaldo Marchetti).

The two married in By , the couple had one daughter, Enrichetta Angelica, but separated after Duse became involved with another actor, Flavio Andò.

By this time, her career was in full swing and her popularity was high in ^[4] She travelled on tour to South America, and upon her go back a year later she formed her own company, meaning that she would assume the additional responsibilities of both manager and director.

Between and , she had an affair with the Italian poet Arrigo Boito, perhaps best remembered as Verdi's librettist. Their relationship was carried out in a highly clandestine way, presumably because of Boito's many aristocratic friends and acquaintances.

(Despite this, their voluminous correspondence over the years survives.) In later years the two remained on good terms until his death in

In she met Gabriele D'Annunzio (–), who was five years her junior, and the two became involved romantically as well as collaborating professionally.

Gabriele d'Annunzio wrote four plays for her. In contrast to her relations with Boito, her association with d'Annunzio was widely known. When d'Annunzio gave the manage for the premiere of the play La città morta&#;&#;[it] to Sarah Bernhardt instead of Duse, there was a furious clash, and Duse ended her affair with him.

In contrast to Bernhardt's outgoing personality, which thrived on publicity, Duse was introverted and private, rarely giving interviews.

Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse, often known simply as Duse, was born in Vigevano, Lombardy in to Alessandro Vincenzo Duse (–) and Angelica Cappelletto Duse (–). She came from a family of actors (both her father and her grandfather, Luigi, were actors from Chioggia, near Venice).

She found public appearances to be a distraction, and once remarked to a journalist that away from the stage, "I do not exist". Bernhardt and Duse were unspoken rivals for many years. Comparisons of Duse to Bernhardt with regard to their acting talent were frequent, with warring factions arguing over their relative merits.

Those who thought Duse the greater musician included George Bernard Shaw, who saw both actresses in London within the span of a few days, in the matching play. Shaw gave his nod to Duse and defended his choice in an adamant oratory quoted by biographer Frances Winwar.

Dame Ellen Terry, who knew them both, observed, "How futile it is to make comparisons! Better far to thank heaven for both these women."

In , Duse completed a triumphant tour of the United States; in Washington President Grover Cleveland and his wife attended every performance.

Mrs. Cleveland shocked Washington society by giving, in Duse's honor, the first-ever White Property tea held for an actress.

First international stage actress and the most charismatic and honored actress of her time who was renowned for the subtlety, depth, and psychological insights of her stage portrayals. Born Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse on October 3,in the town of Vigevano, Italy; died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 21, ; daughter of Alessandro Duse an thespian and Angelica Cappelletto Duse; married Teobaldo Marchetti Checchi, in estranged after ; children: with Martino Cafiero a son who died within a week of his birth; with husband daughter Enrichetta Checchi b. To many in Europe and the United Statesthe Italian actress Eleonora Duse was "the incomparable Duse," a stage artist of unsurpassed dramatic authority. As the first international stage actress, she gave performances which drew plaudits from George Bernard Shawinvitations to a reception at the White Houseand a instruct performance at Windsor Castle before Queen Victoria.

In , Duse retired from acting.

Other relationships

Around the time of Duse's retirement, she met and became committed in an affair with Italian feministLina Poletti, a former companion of writer Sibilla Aleramo. The two lived together in Florence, Italy, for two years before ending the relationship.

She is reported to have had a relationship with Russian count and painter Alexander Wolkoff and lived in his palace in Venice, now known as Palazzo Barbaro Wolkoff.^[5]

Later life

Duse suffered from ill health (largely pulmonary) throughout most of her adult life, and the many years of touring had taken their toll.

She retired from acting in , but returned to the stage in in a series of engagements in both Europe and America.^[6]

During this interval, in , she made one film, Cenere ("Ashes"), prints of which still survive.

She was very saddened in her work in the film, and later wrote to the French singer Yvette Guilbert with the request not to see "that stupid thing, because you'll find nothing, or almost nothing, of me in that film". There was also a certain amount of professional correspondence between Duse and D.

W. Griffith, though ultimately nothing came of this.

Duse achieved a unique power of conviction and verity on the stage through intense absorption in the traits, "eliminating the self" as she put it, and letting the qualities emerge from within, not imposed through artifice. Venice and some surrounding areas would endure part of the Austrian Empire until she was about 8. Both her father and her grandfather, Luigi, were actors from Chioggianear Veniceand she joined the troupe at age four. She gained her first major triumph in Europe, then toured South America, Russia and the Together States in ; beginning the tours as a virtual unknown but leaving in her arouse a general recognition of her genius.

On 30 July , Duse became the first lady (and Italian) to be featured on the cover of the nascent magazine Time.

Death

Duse died of pneumonia at the age of 65 in Pittsburgh in Suite of the Hotel Schenley while on the eastward restore leg of a tour of the United States (the Hotel Schenley is now the William Pitt Union at the University of Pittsburgh).

A bronze plaque in the lobby commemorates her death. After being moved to New York City, where she lay in state for four days before her funeral service, her body was returned to Italy (where another service was performed).

She is buried in Asolo&#;– where she had made her home for the last four years of her life&#;– at the cemetery of Sant' Anna.^[7] Her daughter Enrichetta donated some of her mother's items to the state in These items are preserved in Asolo in the Museo Civico.

In her granddaughter Eleonora Ilaria Bullough (aka Mary of St Stamp as a Dominican nun) donated the last items to the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice.

Acting philosophy

Duse was cryptic regarding her acting style.

She claimed not to have a approach of any sort, and scorned at efforts to put her art into a science. What is known is that she had a highly heterodox, almost religious philosophy of acting, inquiring to "eliminate the self" and become the characters she portrayed.

It is a common misconception that her acting was purely intuitive and spontaneous, in existence she labored over her craft.

Duse wore little makeup^[4] but "made herself up morally. In other words, she allowed the inner compulsions, grief and joys of her characters to employ her body as their medium for expression, often to the detriment of her health."

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "her art depended on intense naturalness rather than stage effect, empathetic force and poignant intellectuality rather than the theatrical emotionalism of the French tradition."^[4]

Over the course of her career, Duse became well-known and respected for her assistance to young actors and actresses during the early stages of their careers.

Among diverse artistic geniuses who acknowledged organism inspired by Duse are up-to-date dance pioneer Martha Graham and Imagist poetry pioneer Amy Lowell. She was great friends with actress Eva Le Gallienne, who wrote her biography.

Recognition

Duse was the subject of the biographical film Eleonora Duse.

The Teatro Duse in Bologna is named for her. On the occasion of the celebrations in Asolo for the th anniversary of Duse's death, an entire theatrical season was dedicated.^[8]

The upcoming clip Duse, directed by Pietro Marcello, stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as Duse and Noémie Merlant as Enrichetta Checchi.^[9]

Gallery

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links