Adelaide Ristori
Encyclopedia
Adelaide Ristori was a distinguished Italian
tragedienne, who was often referred to as the Marquise.
, the daughter of strolling players and appeared as a child on the stage. At fourteen she made her first success as Francesca da Rimini
in Silvio Pellico
's tragedy. At eighteen she was playing Mary Stuart in an Italian version of Friedrich Schiller
's play of the same name. She had been a member of the Sardinian
company and also of the Ducal company at Parma
for some years before her marriage to the marchese Giuliano Capranica del Grillo. After a short retirement for her career, she returned to the stage and played regularly in Turin
and the provinces.
It was not until 1855 that she paid her first professional visit to Paris
, where the part of Francesca was chosen for her début. In this she was rather coldly received, but she took Paris by storm in the title role of Alfieri
's Myrrha. Furious partisanship was aroused by the appearance of a rival to the great Rachel
. Paris was divided into two camps of opinion. Humble playgoers fought at gallery doors over the merits of their respective favourites. The two famous women never actually met, but the French actress seems to have been convinced that Ristori had no ill feelings towards her, only admiration and respect.
A tour in other countries was followed (1856) by a fresh visit to Paris, when Ristori appeared in Montanelli
's Italian translation of Legouvé's
Medea. She repeated her success in this in London
. In 1857 she visited Madrid
, playing in Spanish to enthusiastic audiences, and in 1866 she paid the first of four visits to the United States
, where she won much applause, particularly in Paolo Giacometti
's Elisabeth, an Italian study of the English sovereign. She finally retired from professional life in 1885, and died on the 9 October 1906 in Rome. She left a son, the marchese Giorgio Capranica del Grillo.
and Lady Macbeth
, in her interpretation of which, Ristori combined high dramatic instinct with the keenest and most critical intellectual study.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
tragedienne, who was often referred to as the Marquise.
Biography
She was born in Cividale del FriuliCividale del Friuli
-External links:*...
, the daughter of strolling players and appeared as a child on the stage. At fourteen she made her first success as Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta was the daughter of Guido da Polenta, lord of Ravenna. She was a historical contemporary of Dante Alighieri, who portrayed her as a character in the Divine Comedy.-Arranged marriage:...
in Silvio Pellico
Silvio Pellico
Silvio Pellico was an Italian writer, poet, dramatist and patriot.-Biography:Silvio Pellico was born at Saluzzo . He spent the earlier portion of his life at Pinerolo and Turin, under the tuition of a priest named Manavella. At the age of ten he composed a tragedy inspired by a translation of the...
's tragedy. At eighteen she was playing Mary Stuart in an Italian version of Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
's play of the same name. She had been a member of the Sardinian
Sardinian
Sardinian can refer to:* Sardinia* Sardinian people* Sardinian language* Sardinian...
company and also of the Ducal company at Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
for some years before her marriage to the marchese Giuliano Capranica del Grillo. After a short retirement for her career, she returned to the stage and played regularly in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and the provinces.
It was not until 1855 that she paid her first professional visit to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where the part of Francesca was chosen for her début. In this she was rather coldly received, but she took Paris by storm in the title role of Alfieri
Vittorio Alfieri
Count Vittorio Alfieri was an Italian dramatist, considered the "founder of Italian tragedy."-Early life:Alfieri was born at Asti in Piedmont....
's Myrrha. Furious partisanship was aroused by the appearance of a rival to the great Rachel
Rachel (actress)
Elisabeth "Eliza, or Élisa" Rachel Félix , better known only as Mademoiselle Rachel , was a French actress....
. Paris was divided into two camps of opinion. Humble playgoers fought at gallery doors over the merits of their respective favourites. The two famous women never actually met, but the French actress seems to have been convinced that Ristori had no ill feelings towards her, only admiration and respect.
A tour in other countries was followed (1856) by a fresh visit to Paris, when Ristori appeared in Montanelli
Montanelli
Montanelli is the name of:*Giuseppe Montanelli , Italian statesman and author.*Indro Montanelli , Italian journalist and author....
's Italian translation of Legouvé's
Ernest Legouvé
Gabriel Jean Baptiste Ernest Wilfrid Legouvé was a French dramatist.-Biography:Son of the poet Gabriel-Marie Legouvé , he was born in Paris. His mother died in 1810, and almost immediately afterwards his father was removed to a lunatic asylum. The child, however, inherited a considerable fortune,...
Medea. She repeated her success in this in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1857 she visited Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, playing in Spanish to enthusiastic audiences, and in 1866 she paid the first of four visits to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she won much applause, particularly in Paolo Giacometti
Paolo Giacometti
Paolo Giacometti was an Italian dramatist born at Novi Ligure. He was educated in law at Genoa, but at the age of twenty had some success with his play Rosilda and then devoted himself to the stage...
's Elisabeth, an Italian study of the English sovereign. She finally retired from professional life in 1885, and died on the 9 October 1906 in Rome. She left a son, the marchese Giorgio Capranica del Grillo.
Studies and Memoirs
Her publication, Studies and Memoirs (1888), provides a lively account of an interesting career, and is particularly valuable for the chapters devoted to the psychological explanation of the characters of Mary Stuart, Elizabeth, Myrrha, PhaedraPhèdre
Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
and Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth may refer to:*Lady Macbeth, from William Shakespeare's play Macbeth**Queen Gruoch of Scotland, the real-life Queen on whom Shakespeare based the character...
, in her interpretation of which, Ristori combined high dramatic instinct with the keenest and most critical intellectual study.
External links
- Adelaide Ristori at Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site