The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-05-06
Madame Fanny Janauschek.

MduSIn0 JanauSch6k came
among Us a stranger, ignorant of
our language as well as the people
to whom she presented herself as
a candidate for favor, and she re-
mains among us yet, a permanent
and splendid ornament of the
American stage. Francesca Ro-
mana Magdalena Janauschek was
born at Prague, Bohemia. on July
20, 1887. Of family of nine chill
dren she was the fourth. Her father
was merchant, whom business
reversesl overlook. Francesca had
developed an extraordinary musical
talent in her childhood, and at the
age Of ten was a brilliant pianist
and phenomenal vocalist. At six
teen she went on the stage at Pra-
que. Shortly afterWard she ac-
copied the first engagement offered,
and went to Chemnitz, where she
joined a travelling company at q
salary of $14 per month. Socially
she soon rose above her position
on the stage, and made such
AoplO 0NnnCCo III uOI pKO-
fession that at the age of
eighteen she engaged as leading
actress at the Stadt Theatre at
Frankfort. There she remained for
eleven years and made her reputa-
ton. The first year her salary
reached $500, and after that 1000,
besides benefits, which amounted to
over $4,000 per year more. At the
end of the eleven years, and at the
age of 29,she closed as a star. There
was but one thing left for her to
win, and that the title of Royal
actress. For year and half she
starred through Europe, which was
then ablaZe With sher fame, and at
the end of that time accepted a
three years contract with the Royal
Theatre at Dresden, at a salary of
$500. She remained for one year.
| For three years after she starred
through Europe, and in 1867 came
to America with her company.
Although she acted exclusively in
German, the EnRlish-speaking pub
lie recognized her ability and en-
couraged it, as they had Rachel's
before her and as they did Bern.
hardt's after. Madame JanauscheB
was so we'll pleased with her first
acquaintance with the country that
after she left it she determined tC
play here in English. She went tC
work to master the language by
heroic means. She was already
something Of a linguist, and
a knowledge of the principles
of the strange tongue was not 81
difficult to attain to. Indeed she il
said to have mastered it within
year. But to perfect herself in pro
nunciatiOD was another matter, anC
to this day traces of heI old tongue
still cling to her English, and rem
; der it, like Fechter's PECULIAR with
OVt investing it with the charm tn
splendid vivid originality of Fechte
c1oaked his own defective intona
tiona with. She is eminently
tragedienne, and in her hands tn
most splendid passages of the dram
atistS find appropriate and thrillin
Interpretation. The actress touche
the intelligence and the heart; stir
8 the blood and the soul. There i
|, one thing for which the America
: stage has to thank Madame JanauS
g chek. She brought to it heroi
: strength and a lordly breadth {
C style which had we'll nigh departe
from our boards, and redeemed tn
classical drama in the Unite
States from decadence in which
was becoming the toy of hands il
v competent to WELD the fan of Fro
Fro1t, far less the dagger of Lao
Mocbeth.-Lo9don Fra, July 90 8