Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-31
MADAME JANAUsCHEK.


AS Madame Janauschek, the great &C
tress, will appear in tragedy in this city
four nights next week, and at
she is one of the most prominent figures
in the world OF dramatic art, the follow
ing sketch of her life is timely:
In person Madam Janauschek shows
that splendid physical development
which comes with sound health and q
well-balanced mental organization. In
private manner she is afable and kind
hearted, and there is said to be many q
poor struggling artist whom her bounty
has benefited. 1t is in her professional
life, however, that we are most interested,
for her success has been phenomenal.
Her very appearance on the stage indi-
Gates the wonderful strength of character
that she possesses. She knows and feels
her own power and superiority, and in
her own sphere she is a queen and an
autocrat as well as a philosopher and
critic. Her long life of devoted study
and observation has given her one of the
most incisive minds of the time, and in
all matters theatrical her judgment is
considered invaluable, while her critical
knowledge of history enables her above
all women on the dramatic stage to re-
produce past events and portray past
characters with masterful accuracy.
1t is generally supposed that Madame
Janauschek is q German. Such is not
the fact. Her full name is Francesca
Romaha Magdalena Janauschek, and she
is Bohemian, having been born in
Prague, Bohemia, July 20, 1897. Her
native tongue, therefore, was Slavonic,
and she had to master the German Ian
guage by hard study. It was while under
vocal instruction that she was introduced
into the society of actors and was per
suaded to go on the stage. Though she
has reason to be satisfied with her sue
cess, she still retains her preference for
the life OF a prima donna, and feels that
she was fitted to command that position.
% Even when in the midst of my first
great success at Frankfort" said she, 81
once had my trunks packed, ready to 20
to Gottschalk at Paris, and prepare for
the opera. But my sister opposed the
idea. | was now in q good position.
Why give it up for an uncertainty
After playing while at Prague. Mad
anne Janauschek went to Chemnitz, where
her fame spread rapidly abroad She
next became leading lady at Cologne and
frankfort; at the latter place she re-
NAMED about nine years. On leaving
Frankfort she felt that her reputation was
but concluded to put it to a
lest by tour through the continent,
going to all the principal towns where
German is spoken, but also visiting Rus
sia. At Vessel she played before Napo-
con, and during the year spent in Dres-
i len she was great favorite OF King
John, then ruler OF Saxony. Her roper
ORE was made up of the leading plays,
n which she appeared as "Iphighenia,"
'Antigone," Medea," "Phedra," and in
he leading roles of most of the tragic
olays of Goethe, Schiller, Leasing and
,thers. Everywhere her success was SO
marked that it was really a continued I
walton. The number Of times she was
allied before the curtain during single
performance would, if repeated here, seem
Incredible. Her success was unbroken.
whether in Russia, at Vienna, or after
Yards in London.
She played three years in Europe, and
n 1867 she came to America with her
'wn company, playing first in German
nd winning full appreciation, even in
hat language. But she could not be
ontent with this foreign tongue, and
fter three months in New York. she
eturned and began the study of English.
returning to America in 1871, she began
er American career as Deborah, !" in
ne Academy of Music, New York, where
he remained for time and then tray
led about the country In 1876 she
'ent to Australia and thence to London.
laying only short engagements and re-
lrning to America the same season to
llfill her engagements here. She has
nee remained in America, satisfied that
lis is her proper field. She has received
invitations to return to the
,ene of her former triumphs, and hopes
be able to accept them, but no definite
lans have been formed.
Madame Janau schek is said to have
he finest diamonds in the world outside
a moiety of European royalty.