How Histori Became a Tragedienne.

Evening Star, Issue 7387, 6 December 1887, Page 3

How Histori Became a Tragedienne.

The memoirs of the celebrated Italian I actress are announced to appear in a few weeks at Milan and Paris simultaneously, and we are enabled to publish in advance the following translation of one of the earlier chapters of the book, which promises to be of great Interest:— My father and mother were extremely worthy people, but very indifferent actors. They consequently considered it quite natural to “ consecrate ” me to “art”; and, as if Heaven wished to grant their prayer, an opportunity was afforded them of habituating me to the boards from my birth, I was not three months old when I made my first dehut. A one-act piece entitled ‘ The New Year’s Gift’ was obtaining much success at that time. A young girl loves a young man ; the father will not consent to their union ; they marry secretly and have a child. Unable to summon up courage enough to confess her fault, she avails herself of New Year’s Hay to send the old gentleman the baby in a basket of flowers. The grandfather is touched, and the piece ends. It was not very complicated, you perceive. Well, my dehut was a perfect failure. Without waiting for my cue I began to squall abominably, and, although the actors hastened the denouementnotwithstanding, too, the art with which the the lovers threw themselves on their knees, the public roared with laughter, and my little solo was very prejudicial to my comrades. They carried me to my mother, who gave me—what I had just asked for so noisily. Next day my role was taken from me, and I must even admit, to my shame, that a fine pasteboard doll replaced me advantageously. My second debut took place at the age of three years, in a mediaeval drama by Avelloni, called ‘ Bianca and Fernando.’ It was fonnded on the sad story of a good eMtelaine, whose husband had been killed at the Crusades. Sheloved a handsome knight, hut one of the husband’s friends was on the watch, and stole her little girl. I was the little girL It seems I had not yet acquired, in those days, any adequate notion of any naturalistic art, for the first night, when the villain tried to seize me, I caught hold of his red wig, and began to scratch his face like a fury. On his renewing his attempt at abduction, I ran towards the wings, and in spite of the pages in lavender tights drawn up before the door, made my escape, screaming: “Mamma, mamma, he’s hurtingme 1 ” My second appearance had been no happier than my first. When four and a-half they gave me a little part in a little vaudeville, and I can assert, without any exaggeration whatever, that I obtained an enormous success. The manager turned it to account. I remember that the stage-manager used then to announce at the close of each performance the next day’s programme, with the cast. As the actors’ names were announced the public applauded or hissed—hissing was vigorous in Italy in those days—and when little Ristori was named for a role warm applause followed. I even recollect saying one day to a colleague : “I wish they'd leave me alone; it’s a bore to be always on the bills ! ” I was already an actress. When I was ten they gave me servants’ parts, I had letters to carry, and this hurt my vanity as an artist! Never have I had to endure so much rehearsal as at that period. The manager was indefatigable in teaching me how to be natural, and as this necessitated walking on tiptoes it was far from easy work. Moncalvo, the well-known manager, engaged me for children’s roles when I was twelve; but as J was very forward for my age, ingenues, parts, nay, even those of jenne* pre.mit'res, were soon entrusted to me. It was a monstrosity, but in petty companies they were not very particular in those days. I had the courage to attempt tragedy when only fourteen, playing the heroine in Silvio Pellico’s ‘ Francesca di Rimini,’ at Novara, and I obtained such a success that the director wished to engage me off-hand as leading lady. My father refused ; he signed an engagement for me at the King’s theatre, where I was to fill ingenue roles. The Royal troupe, which played at Turin all through the winter, was under the management of Gqetano Razzi. It counted among its members Vestri, Righetti, Mesdames Marchioni and Romagnoli, artists whe were then as celebrated in Italy as Pasta, Malibran, Rubini, and Tamburini. I should have played ingenues, but at the end of tRe first year sentimental leads began already to fall to my share. Three years later, in 1840, I signed a five years’ engagement. I was heroine ! And it was in that way I became a tragedienne!

A Western man sent to the editor of a lopal paper an item to the effect that his fortieth wedding anniversary would be observed on a certain day. To his disgust, when the announcement appeared, it was found that the printer had left out the word '‘anniversary.’’