Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-26

TIE 1RkMONIb AUDiIOhVMs
vice In tho orchestra, and every seat in every
part OF the house commanding an unob-
structei view Of tho stage.
sIaSoR ToNAso sALvIyf
Il Is probable that no European actor, with
the possible exception Of Henry Irving, will
ever receive n more enthusiastic welcome In
the United States than did Signor Tomaso
Salvini. Too many biographies and sketches
Of Salvini's life have been published - make
ono interesting now, and II II even unneces-
sary 10 say that he Is acknowledged TO be tho
leading living exponent Of the italian school
Of acting. Many old theatre goers who have
learned to admire him during his former
tours In America, viii be sorry to learn that
no has fully resolved TO mako tho present his
farewell appearance on this side OF tho water.
Salvini like most mon who have made do
cided successes, has many little pcculiarlties
and some big ones. He Is a man OF strict and
precise ideas Of morality both In social and
business life. and when on the stage he insists
that everything shall DO done exactly as II
should be. In Bologna, several years ago, he
was announced TO appear In Qthello, his first
representation OF the character In that city
The character Of Iago was entrusted TO n well
known and popular leading man, Sgnor Pic
cinini, q man OF immense stature and physical
strength. At tho preliminary rehearsal all
went well until tho famous scene in Act III
between Othello and Iago, when at an Inn
portant juncture Iiccinni was found to be
on the wrong sldo Of the stage.
Sig. Salvini quietly and politely pointed
out to him his mistake, and requested him 10
take the other side when giving the actual
performance Piccinini grumbllngly con.
sented to do 20, saying that although he could
rnt eaat that ~ t,ra Ia ft,V1rb hiHaranra xaf ha
''supposed," when tho time came, that he
would assume the position desired by the star.
"You supposer exclaimed Salvini "Nay,
sir, you will be there" When night came
things went smoothly until this very scene,
when either Intentionally or more probably
through forgotfulness, Piccinini again took
his stand upon the wrong side.
Salvini stopping dead In his part, walked
deliberately across tho stage, seized the as
tonished Iago by the waist, and carrying the
six-footer across tho stage as II he were
child, deposited him on tho desired spot, with
the audible exclamation, "You shall stay
therep For moment che audience, com.
pletely taken nback, was silent, but, grasping
the situation. tho house broke out with vol
ley of tumultuous applause. Piccinini, even
more thunderstruck than the audience, sim
ply bowed to Othello, and the performance
went on.
At the end Of the act there was a vocifer-
Gus ''call," the audience being fairly mad
with excitement, but this was nothing to the
enthusiastic uproar which ensued when the
two actors, hand In hand, appeared before
the curtain In answer to the call 1t was
genuine ovation to both men--to one as the
teacher Of q lesson, TO the other as its recipi
ent. From that night until poor Piccinini's
death tho two actors were the warmest and
BEST Of friends, and when Piccinini, through
loss OF his sight, was forced to leave tho
stage, the people Of Bologna were the first to
come forward with such liberal aid as placed
him beyond the reach OF want for tho re-
mainder Of his life