OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 179, 23 April 1924, Page 7

OBITUARY

ELEONORA DUSE FAMOUS TRAGEDIENNE Br Telegraph— Pause Association. Copyright. New York, April 21. The death is ar-ounced of Madame Eleonora Duse, the tragedienne, agqd 65 years. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Atssn. [.Eleonora Duse, the Italian tragedienne, was, some twenty years ago, considered (after Bernhardt) the finest Continental actress of recent times. Born on a wagon outside Venice in 1861, she accompanied her parents on their tours throughout the towns of Italy and, as is natural in such an environment, absorbed the dramatic instinct and could never remember the time she was not engaged on the stage, however rude an erection that may have been. Alter leaving the parental company, she obtained engagements at provincial theatres at a very modest salary, and though at the age of twenty she had gained a lot of very useful experience, her prospects were by no means roseate, nor had she given strong indications of the genius which later on was to place her in the forefront of rhe world’s actresses, but a short four years later she suddenly sprang into fame as a tragic actress of supreme achievement, and her reputation .rapidly spread through the whole of Europe. She played in all the classic roles, and in such powerful stage stories as “Camille,” “Magda.” “Fedora,” “La Tosca,” “The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, “Cavalleria Rusticana” (the drama), and “Monna Vanna.” Duse also created parts in plays written by Gabriel D’Annunzio, and for some time there existed between them a “temperamental” partnership. She toured' iu America, and had performed in London at intervals since .1893, when she was received enthusiastically. She played again in London the next year, and during the season was commanded to appear before the late Queen Victoria. Aftei her break with D’Annunzio, some twelve years back, Duse retired from the stage, but two years ago was induced to emerge from that retirement, and make her reappearance on the stage. Last year she accepted an engagement to tour America, and, in the course of an interview, gloried in her association with Italy's poetpatriot. Only some three months ago she appeared in San Francisco and was wonderfully veil ieceived.| MARIE CORELLI London, April 21. The dearth has ■ occurred of Marie Corelli, the well-known novelist, aged 60 years. She died during her sleep from heart failure. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable [Miss Marie Corelli, the adopted child of the poet, Charles Mackay, was educated in a French convent, and studied for a musical career. At an early age she betrayed literary gifts, and the success of “A Romance of Two Worlds” decided her course. Since then she had written a number of novels, which have had large cir culations, and also “My Little Bit: A Record of War. Work.” . She prevented the demolition of ancient buildings at Stratford-on-Avon connected historically with Shakespeare, and saved the chancel of the church where the poet lies buried from being invaded by modern memorials. She also persuaded Mr. Edward Morris, of Chicago, to purchase Harvard House, and to present it to Harvard University, to which it now belongs-1