Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-08
RIETORI.
her EliEabeth--Her Last APP
pearance in Memphis.
History of Her Life.

in her grand character of elizabeth,
Queen of England" All who saw her
agree that Ristori was lost in the queen.
She was the great Elizabeth herself.
She lacked In nothing. The " make-up'
was perfect, while her acting in the part
is truly unapproachsble. W~epronounce
this great queen Of tragedy 8 theatrical
wonder. We Of Memphis ought to be
proud that she, who received the enco-
miums Of the Florence, Milan, Paris and
London press, and was pronounced BY
them the greatest living histrionic ge-
MUS, paid us a visit. We say this be-
cause Memphis can now be placed SIS
q first class theatrical city Of Amer
lea, for she visits none others. Her mas
terpieee of acting, however, comes to-
night, and no one should fail to go this
evening and see her great impersona-
ton OF Lady Macbeth" We know
that anything connected with this tai
ented lady viii be Of interest 20 our citi-
zens, who have always been great ad-
mirers Of genius, and consequently
give a sketch Of her history. 1t W be
found interesting Adelaide RisSori,
Marchiones Cspranica del Grille, was
born in 1925 st Civita di Friull, which Is
on the border Of northern Italy, between
Venitia and Lombsrdy. Her parents
we're poor, and attached to a company
Of travelling comedians, called the Cav
ichi troupe. Her fret appearance on
the stage was at the very early age of
two months, wheR she was introduced 10
a basket, in a play entitled " New Years
Gifts." In her fourth year she com
menced to take child's parts, which she
continued to do until fourteen years of
age, when she made her first appearance,
in Is+0, as " Francesca di Rimini," in
which character she achieved her first
success and decided her future life.
Mademoiselle Ristori then abandoned
her wandering life, and joined theatri-
cal company playing under the especial
patronage Of the king of Sardinia, and
with the advice and assistance of an ad-
mirable actress aud estimable woman,
Madame CarIotta Marchiona, she pro-
crossed rapidly. In 1874, while at the
theater of LeghoFn, Ristori may be said
to have really commenced to establish her
reputation in those wonderful creations
which are now Unexpectedly connected
with her name as an accomplished act
ress. Henceforth her course vas upward
and onward to success. In 1916, how
ever, a marked epoch in Mademoiselle
Ristorf's life occurred. The Marquis
CaprsGica del Grillo, the heir to one Of
the nobIest Roman ducal families, be-
came infatuated with the pretty young
actress, and their marriage was solemn
lied shortly sfterward. For E time sue
ceeduig her marriage Ristori withdrew
from the stage, but returned 70 il as a
tragic actress. Her success as a TRACE
dian was not won in a single day. At
first her representations in this new role
were not very successful. but she studied
to overcome the obstacles in her way,
and at last was rewarded with q COM
plete triumph, which vas accorded for
the first time on the occasion of
her appearance in the character of
" Francesca di Rirnini, " at the italian
opera house in Paris, on the occasion of
the opening Of the Exposition UatVerseDe
in Nav, 1855. The audience that greeted
the debut was not a very large n but
BY chance Alexander Dumas, Eugene
Scribe, and Jules Janin were present.
On the next day the former wrote :
" Last night / was at the representation
Of Francisco di Rimini' at the Sale
Ventadour. Hooked around the theater,
but did net see Rachel. I beg that she
20 and see how the death-scene is per-
formed" NJ. Scribe called Immediately
on Ristori, and, in her absence, left
his card, on which be inscribed " Eu-
gene Scribe, in acknowledgment Of his
admiration for Madame RistOri, and With
thanks for the great pleasure he expert
enced last night" Jules Janin was the
most enthusiastic in her favor. IRIS
tori, Ristori % be wrote, " she is the rage
Of the day She is tragedy itself. She
is comedy Itself. She is the drama. She
reigns-she g~overns-she commands and
the crowd obeys." Her next appearance
before a Partisan audience was in the
more difficult part OF " Myrrha "a part
in which the actress, as the im~persona-
ton Of unnatural crime, has very little
OF the sympathy Of the audience. But
Rlstori, true to the Grecian ideal, repre-
seuted the guilty heroine as beautiful,
with a dignity and grandeur almost
divine, though the victim of unalterable
tate. Her success was immense. She
was no less successful as Mary Stuart"
a character In which she was subject to
comparison with other artists who had
made the part peculiarly their own. But
she created a new Mary Stuart and
her identity with the character was most
complete. The first season ended on the
tenth Of September. She gave thirty
six performances, the gross receipts Of
which amounted to half a million of
francs. This success was so gratifying
that she secured the theater for three
following years. During her residence
IN Paris she was the recipient Of many
generous testimonials Of the esti-
matioR in which she was held
by the most enlightened artists
and literSti OF the country. Ristori
has met with the greatest success
in England, Spain, Germany and Rus
sis, and her arrival in this country ma
turally excited great expectations. Her
first appearances Sn the American stage
was made on Thursday evening, the
goth Of September in the role OF
-" Medea," and her Debut was q perfect |
ovation. She has since made her ap-
pesrauce in the character Of judith"
" Elizabeth" Francesca di Rimlni,"
" Phsedre, Z" Myrrha," "Adrienne, -
"Lecouvreur, +" +" Mary Stuart, " Debo-
rah, - Lady Macbeth, " "Bisnca, " +" Nor-
ma" and 1" Semiramis," all with the
greatest success. Ristori has led an IN
blernished private life. Not ven a
breath Of scandal has ever been raised
against her. She is the mother Of two
interesting children, and is universally
esteemed as a Of piety and Of
generous instincts.
ANOTHER Died OF BLOOD.
A Man Shot at a Ball by Some
Unknown Person.