OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18174, 21 August 1922, Page 7

OBITUARY.

DAME GENEVIEVE WARD, Australian and N.Z. Cabta Association. (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 13. The death is announced of Miss Gencvievo Ward, tho famous actress. Dame Genevieve Ward, who had reached the advanoed age of 84, for manyj years reigned as the greatest English-speaking tragedienne. Of unusual power and; personality, and endowed with a stately presence and a. speaking voice of unforgettable beauty, she was an outstanding figure in a generation by no means lacking in great actresses. She was bom in New York on March 27, 1838. Her father, Samuel Ward, a prosperous planter of Texas, was at one time United States Consul at Bristol; her mother, a woman of remarkable artistic and intellectual gifts, was the daughter of Gideon Lee, Mayor of New York and Congressman. Most of Genevieve's childhood was passed in France and Italy. Bossani saw tho great possibilities of her voice, when she was only 15, and arranged for her to study under Ronzi, director of the opera iiy Florence. When she was only 16 she made the acquaintance of Count Constanti ne de Guerbel, a Russian nobleman of great personal fascination, and they were married at the American Consulate at Nice. Suspicions, however, were aroused by Count de Guerbel's failure to arrange for the religious ceremony re- ' quired to complete the marriage, and the Tsar'was appealed to. The Count was ;n ■ ' consequence Summoned to Russia by special ukase,' and the religious ; ceremony was performed in Warsaw Cathedral. The bride and her family left Russia immediately, and she rever again husband, who died a few years later. Returning to Milan, Genevieve Ward resumed singing lessons under San ' Giovanni, and stiidliid declaration, under (he poet XJberti. Desiring an-impartial opinion of her powers "alii a singer, she disguised herself as a poor Italian girl, and .sought instruction from the famous Lampefti. He was more than flattering, and she made such progress in her art that he forgave her her deception. In 1857, taking the name of Madame Gnerrabeila, she mada. her debut in opera at La Scala, in Milan, ringing the title rolo in *' Lucrezia Borgia," ajid at Bergano in " Stella di Napoli.'" Her triumph was repeated in Paris in " Don Giovanni " in 1358, and in 1859 she sang the part of Maid Marian -in Macfarren's '' Robin, Hood," at< Covcnt Garden. Her voice was often compared to that of Grisi in her best days.: j Her last appearance in opera was. at, I Havana, in 1863, for an .attack of; dipb--1 theria totally destroyed her. singing voice. For sqme years she taught singing in New , York, and then decided to go on the stage. After systematic study with Fanny Morant. she mude»Vier debut as an actress at Manchester in 1873; as Lady s Macbeth, and also appeared as Constance in " King • John." Her success -was immediate.. In 1 the following yisar the played IJnaiuta in " Tlie Prayer iii the Storm " at the Adeli phi in London, and the piece ran for six _ months. In 1375 she appeared as Countess : Thecla in Lewi,!,. W'ingueld's " Despite the World," and i:nr W. G. Willis' " Sappho," ; both plays sharing been written expressly for bar. A further period of study under . liegnier, the great French teacher, followed, and th£in she made her debut in Paris, giving somes from Macbeth both ih | French'and in English, and was invited to • join the Comedie Franchise. She bad bei fore played Rebecca in " Ivanhoe," Julia i in " The Hunchback," Portia, Medean and other parts, and her preference for English drama caused her -to decline flattering proposals from the Continent. She > added - Queen Katherine and Emilia in "Othello" to'her roles—indeed, she was i generally agreed to be the best Emilia of bier generation. . r She proceeded to win fresh laurels on! tours in America, India, Australia, arid 1 South Africa, the part of Stephanie- in i " Forget-iw-Not" bedne perna,ps her . greatest success. In 1893 she joined Ir--1 ving's company at the Lyceum, playing j Queen Eleanor in " Becket" and Queen Margaitet in " Richard II." i In 1921, as a birthday present- on the occasion of her 83rd. birthday, the; King I created Miss Ward a. Dame Commander- of 5 the Order of The British Empire.. ' - - '■ ■ ... ■ ■