The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-06
SalYini.

, A correspondent OF the New YORK
Evening Post recently paid a visit 10
Signor Salyini, the famous actor, at his
residence near florence. The results
of the interview are given In AN inter-
esting letter, from which we select a
few paragraphs.
Signor Satvini, in speaking of his visit
to this country, said that he was de-
lighted with America and many OF
its customs, and that he hoped to re.
turn there in two or there years.
In speaking of himself he said that he
was s'bofn on the stage" His father
was an actor, loved young girl who
was an actress, married her, and
(spreading his hands and bOwing) said
he, s'Behold the fruit of their union. My
father greatly desired to have son who
should succeed him upon the stage land az
an early age, he began to train me. We
were living in Leghorn, where we re-.
manned until my mother died, when my
father brought me to Florence, and l
took up my studies in good earnest. My
heart was in the art, aud l worked with
a will. At the age OF seventeen years,
be put me under the tuition OF Modina,
a great master, and little by little i
gained my present success" He an.
nounced his Intention OF soon leaving
the stage, and the success OF his Ameri-
can tours were in a measure the means
OF his being able so TO do, and to have
plenty for mis- old age.
He pronounced Hamlet his faxorite
role. 3'Tell me-" he Inquired OF the cor
respondent, show do you picture Hamlet
| in your mindT' "Rather tall, slight,
dark and sombre-looking," was the re.
ply of his visitor. Salyini interrupted
| him with, "That is the prevailing idea,
| x.yhv il
ent, Ii is not Shakspeare's conception,
for he himself says (act fifth, scene sec.
ond, sHe's fat ana scant Of breath
Read the play, and you will find tina,
Shakespeare intended him to be stout
man; yet all the world thinks that be is
thin, weakly man. If were going to
represent the character of Hamlet
should not make myself larger than
am, but lind that / am none too large
| for Shakspeare's conception"
| l asked him what he thought the char
acter of Hamlet was intended to pOr
| tray. He answered, 8Doubt. Shaks
peare wrote his plays to represent ii
each one ruling principle OF passion
Hamlet, doubt; Macbeth, ambition; Ro
meo and Juliet, love; Othelio, Jealousy
81 can not understand" said |, "why
YOU should prefer that character tC
| Othello: Tor it seems to me That you arr
| peculiarly calculated by temperament
physiaue, all, to represent emotionp
| He answered, "As Z young man
liked Othello, because | was Otnelio; J
4 felt jealousy. But now | like Hamlet
| In answer to the question, "When vol
have killed persons on tue stage, have
| you ever had any accidentsP he said
IL have never seriously hurt any on,
else, but have twice almost killed my
| self. Once in stabbing myself | was s,
excited that l forgot TO simulate, anl
plunged the dagger into my breast Il
within half an inch of my heart. 1 wa
| almost dead, but with qurck surgical ali
and care my life was preserved, although
i was very i'll for several weeks. Again
in Zaire, after l have killed her Civ,
to her brother the dagger wet with th,
4 blood of Zaire, and'' (atter
passionate speech) 81 kill myself AM
4 fall. Tue sciinitar, with which l an
supposed to stab myself, tumbles upol
the ground just as fall. This time it g.
fell that the point stood up and fel
upon it. 1t pierced my side, and, bein
mi.circular in torn, not only ran int
my side but oQt again, making TWO larg,
wounds. l screamed with pain an
1 grasped my side. The house appiauded
[ thought that had killed my self, 70
the warm blood ran like water down M
4 side.''
The whole OF the interviews were ap
parently easy, natural and most iutei
esting, Signor Saivini beng communica
4 tive aud remarkably interesting.