Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09
SALVINI AT HIS HOME
Olive Weston's "reminiscences of the
Great Italian Actor.
A FAMILY OF GRAND ARTISTS.
Presence of Mind on the Stage Saves a
Great Scene.
RISTORrs MAGNIFICENT PALACES
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH i


"Casa Salvini" is all you have to say in
any part of Florence, and the cabman will
smile with pleasure and put you down at
the great actors door. When he walks the
streets with his princely tread, one would
think him king, a beloved king passing
through his subjects; they smile and bow
and look upon him with so much respect
and veneration sc nostro Salvini."
But Salvini says that no country really
recognizes art in these days, not even Italy
as much as is supposed. Himself, Rossi
and Ristori are the only italian actors who
have acquired fortunes, but these have been
mostly gained in foreign tours.
He has splendid house in Florence and
a villa on the hills. A glass door opens
into wide marble hall with some parlors
at the end-the servant who received your
card comes back, he opens the great glass
doors, and through vista Of rooms you see
Salvini waiting for you in his study.
The house is very plain, and the master
has that simple dignity which makes his
creations on the stage at once so natural and
SO majestic. A great simplicity and mod
esty characterize every room. fewiphoto-
can be seen any bust or likeness of Salvin1.
He is extremely averse to be taken, even in
photography, and absolutely refuses to sit
for an artist. The Emperor of Austria has
threatened to send a company of gems
d'armes to seize him and hold him while
his court painter transfers him to canvas.
FAMILY OF ARTISTS.
Some years ago Salvini married an En-
glish lady and has a large family of children,
All of his children are artistic in some way,
His daughter often acts in private and has
a delightful style, especially in comedy.
Alexander, of course, is well known here
and steadily advancing in reputation:
Another son is making a great Juror in
Italy, playing his fathers roles and de-
clared BY the Italians to be his worthy sue
cessor. His son Mario, dark, handsome
youth, is a sculptor of great promise; his
work is Of the extremely realistic school,
but shows dramatic breaking through of
tradition, and he has inherited from his
father feeling for powerful expression in
gesture, His best work is called "The
Strike" A laborer in bronze, clumsy and
muscular, has torn np paving stone and
suspends it in the air before hurting it. His
work has now the exaggeration of burning
youth, but will tone down into something
very strong and fine with greater experience.
The Casa Salvini contains a very happy
and united family, and Salvini governs it
with great dignity.
There are few women in the world who
would not like to have lover like Salvini
he is not like the ordinary actor, all af-
fected, sensational and self-conscious in his
strongest passion. Salvini has the grand
dignity and power, the majestic, colossal,
sweep of emotion, and yet
such grasp on himself, such control. that
it makes him seem mana god, and one
must simply fall at his feet and say, II am
thine, do with me as thou wilt" 1 stood in
the wings one night when he played the
Gladiator" and it seemed to me as he
passed me as if he carried with him mag
netism which must sweep all lesser objects
to him. felt as if the breath OF fame were
in my hair, as if I were being sucked into