The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-03
HE HATES SPEECH MAKING
SaIvini Tells a Reporter That It Is
silly
FOR ACTORS TO GET THE HABIT.
Something About Himself, ard How
He Came 10 Play Shak eSpeareas
Roles.


sprinkled we'll with gray and growing
thin. The use of wigs has caused it. he
says. His pictures are like him, though
his countenance in conversation is less
severe, and the thin line of mustache he
once affected in his part is there now in
reality. The hair he wears in his Ham
let is his own, but darkened.
He is pleasant to talk to. His CONVEX.
sations show the fire and energy of the
actor, the languor of the poet and dream
Grand the quiet, smiling unassumption of
the gentleman.
Though he is born italian, hard study
has succeeded in reducing his accent to
a mere intonation. He dresses well and
not too stylishly.
A JOURNAL. reporter called on him at
his hotel on Saturday afternoon.
To be the great Tomaso's son would
seem to be the thing that would have
given the young Alexander a passport
to the best companies Immediately
Alexander himself denies it.
'tIf l ever had that notion myself" he
said. Il have been we'll cured of it. 1t
may have weight with the public, but it
has none whatever with the shrewd
manager who is looking for talent and
experience, not pedigrees A name
might last d season, but talent and knowl-
edge last while health does.
E 81 was born in Rome on December 81,
1861. During my youth l studied civil
engineering. My father did not relish
She idea of having any of his children on
the stage. He feared failure, l think.
/ have two brothers and a sister. None
ST them are actors. One of my brothers
Ia a sculptor The other is in the army.
During my school life / frequently took
bart in amateur plays.
Z 81 came to America il the fall of 1881
with Charles Chizzola who was then
managing the American tour of ErnestO
Rossi. l had in my pocket letter from
Father to a Mr.. Robinson of Buffalo who
had influence in railroad circles that it
was thought would get me a position as
civil engineer. The voyage with the
actors was too much for me, and Mr..
Robinson never got his letter. I trav-
sled all over America with Rossi. Rossl
was superstitious that my presence in
some way interfered with his success in
America as a rival of my father, and
when found that out left his company
and ent to New York to master the
English language.
'1When l thought l had mastered it
sufficiently l applied to A. NJ. Palmer for
position. l recited for him Hanlet's
soliloquy. Mr.. Palmer was convulsed
with laug liter and frankly said it was the
worst he had ever heard.
81 finally got on with Mr.. Palmer and
was with him for nearly two years in the
support of Clara Morris
"Then 1 became Romeo to Margaret
Nather's Juliet and was with her almost
two years, after which l put in season
in modern drama playing in "Jim the
Penman," ''Lights of London" "The Two
Orphans" "Storm Beaten" etc.
"In 1856 my father came to America
and l joined his company. In that win
ter 1 played in Topeka appearing as
Flavius to my fathers Gladiator in the
same house in which appear tonight.
81 afterwards went back to Palmer's
stock company and in 1890 concluded l
would star Mr.. Palmer wanted to take
the management but insisted / should
play my fathers parts. l was afraid to
do il and told him l should play romantic
roles till l had a name for myself.
''The desire to play Hamlet was too
great and last year at Philadelphia 1
tried it in very quiet way and received
SO much encouragement that have been
playing it ever since. Next year 1 think
| shall add Othello, Richelieu and Romeo
to my repertoire.
sit is the dream of my life to estab-
lish a stock company ia New York city"
Salvini is conscientious in his work.
Although he says he knows the entire
play backwards" he put in Saturday
afternoon reading every word of the
players edition of "Hamlet' again, in
preparation for the evening performance.
81 always do it," he said, so get into
the part. 1t is my way of soaking my
self in the part so that by evening I feel
that am really Hamlet
last night we played The Three
Guardsmen' in Ottawa's new opera
house. 1t is a very pretty house indeed
Topeka would be proud of it. There
were several speeches. Your Governor
Anthony made a speech and I made a
lott lrSr
only do it when it is next to impossible to
escape it. 1t is silly. Sol Smith Russell
can do it because he is funny man.
How would il look for me to step out of
the picture of Hamlet and make a speech
to the audience?"
Mr. Salvini said that Miss Mather is
we'll of her recent serious illness brought
on by her domestic troubles aud w IL soon
star again.
1t will ease great many minds to
know that Mr.. Salvini himself pro-
nounces his name as though he spelled
it Salveeny, accent on the second sylIa-
bic, and says, too, that the French
woman, Yvette Guilbert, who is singing
songs SO broad that they shock even
Paris and Chicago and getting rich at it,
prOnounces her name as though it were
spelled Eevet G'lbare with the accent on
the last syllable of each word
81 saw her last summer in Paris" Sal
vini said, land she is undoubtedly an
artist. Her songs are very broad of
course, but every one of her own teaches
a moral and a strong one. Her acting is
superb, wonderful The song she sings
of the drunken woman on the Paris
boulevard is a whole drama in ITSELF"
A compliment was paid to Salvini aud
his company Saturday night The audience
that greeted them was one of the larg-
est of the season, and after nearly every
one of the five acts of Hamlet" one or
two curtain calls were given the star.