The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-09
MADAME MonIESKES DEBUT.
4 VETERAN JOURNALIST DE-
sCRIBEs HER FIRST APPEAR
ANCE IN AMERICA.

tiste in which She Had the En-
couragement of Edwin Booth and
other Warm Friends.
New York. Feb. S-The serious reports
OF Helene ModJeska's Illness brings into
vivid relief, the associations OF her first
appearance on the stage Of the old Cal
ifornia theater. in San Francisco. now
over eighteen years since. / was then
chief editor OF the Evening Post OF that
city Several months before the persist
ent appeals OF the dramatic writer Of
that paper. Mr.. c. A. Mahany. a brilliant
young Irishman, had fastened upon my
consciousness the fact that a very gifted
actress OF Polish birth and antecedents
was desirious of studying English and
making an entry upon an English-speak-
ing stage. Mr.. Mahany secured from her
copies of letters from Alexandra Dumas.
Jr. of criticisms relating TO her work
from German and Polish periodicals.
The letters and critiques were done into
English by Mr.. Mahany and published
in the Post for the purpose OF inhuenc-
ing not only the public but the manage
ment OF the old California theater in IA
vor of Madame Bozenter Chlaposki. But
that which first and most closely attrac-
ted me to this dramatic personality was
the accounts given me of the lady by
friends of European birth; army COM
rades and republican societies of Polish
and German antecedents There was also
a very handsome, intellectual young man
to whom we We're all attracted VINO has
since won for himself. as a poet and nov
cliSt the foremost place IN modern 20
lish literature. Several of his novels. one
or two dealing with American emigrant
life have been translated into English
nv II here. Il1a
brilliant man was the close friend Of
the already famous actress and her tai
ented husband who was himself leading
journalist of Gracou, and has been n cor
respondent from the United states or
! leading European journals Among the
resident Polish citizens was capt
Bielau, who lived in the mission" sec
ton of this city. It was at his home that
/ first met Madame Modjeska.
Some time before, in the latter part OF
1876, Edwin Booth was playing his IA
nous engagement at the California.
Helena Modieska Chlapolski had met the
great Shakespearian actor, and read TO
him the part of Ohpelia from French
translation. 1t was reported then that
she wished to play that part during the
Booth enga cement to his Hamlet in En-
glish OF this statement l am personally
assured, but madame was certainly ad-
Vised by him to study English | was
present one evening early in 1877 at Capt.
Boelau's residence. with John McCul-
| Tough, Mr.. Blaine and Mr.. Mahany, both
editorial writers and dramatic critics.
with two or three DINER gentlemen, Wnen
Madame Modjeska recited several parts
in Polish and French; think in German
also. The one which impressed me most
was Polish poem on 'Haagar; The IN
duced has never faded, and | can still
| feel the thrills and see the hushed and
white, almost awed faces OF that nttle
| group. OF the dramatic power and pro-
| fessional capability of this artistic, none
who were present had thereafter the
slightest shadow OF a doubt. For myself,
ut uuf % commenced
has been gracefully acknowledged as OF
value. But l confess, also, that besides
! the controlling admiration of her genius
which had been aroused, my interest was
personally intensified by the sympathy l
/ felt on account of the associations be-
longing TO her race life, Madame Mod
| has been fortunate for her in the past,
/ that she was native of Gallacia, not
I Warsaw, and born under the Austrian,
not the Russian government. OF course
the artist life always predominates, but
those fortunate enough to have the con-
fidence of this brilliant couple know how
deeply inwrought are the associations and
aspirations of their birth and race. Mr..
Chlapolski is especially earnest, but no
more sincere or imprisoned even than
madame herself in this direction. At the
time they and their group of friends came
to California, Modjeska was a member of
the staff of the Imperial (Russian) thea
ter at Warsaw, and procured, II is said
a two years leave of absence.
The decision to study English was final
~ made in February, 1877, and in the lat
ter part of August Helena Modjeska made
her debut at San Francisco. She has her
self told the facts Of that debut in a
! charming simple paper published by a
! Boston magazine, so ! shall not touch up
on that ground only Illustrating the feel
/ ing which had been aroused before hand
and the effect on that first night. The
men of the press were all friendly; some
| of them already enthusiastic. Madame
| had chosen "Adrienne Leconveur" for her
/ opening part. She has shown a great in
1 fereSt in dramas which turn upon the
struggles of the woman and artist, and II
| was doubtless that which made her first
! present "Magda" to the American stage
as well as Mistress Betty in her recent
| season.
For the eight months proceeding that de-
/ but, Madame Modjeska, lived in pleasant
! but modest quarters on Geary street, San
Francisco studying with an intensity OF
application that was most remarkable. OF
course in the time consumed, the effort
was only to so master the new tongue as
| to enable the actress to both understand
/ and deliver the lines when the theater was
| secured for an "off week. for her debut
/ her command of her own parts, was per
/ feet, the only noticeable thing being the
/ peculiar but musical intonation and the
| inability to master the "r's"-a point which
1 still marks, in a slight degree, Madame
/ which aided her, and that was the constant
/ study she had previously given to Shake
/ speare during her career at Warsaw. Her
! Shakespeare she had TO learn from Ger
/ man and French editions. The French
| stage and drama has had much influence
on Madame's art, but she has made it all
over with her own individuality. In those
months of severe study she was fortunate
/ in having as a most competent instructor
| a lady of Slavic birth and American edu-
cation with some dramatic faculty also.
| She possessed just the linguistic and
elocutionary capacity that was needed TO
point the way to this most enthusiastic
student. On the night of the debut mad
anne was letter perfect in her notable
part, yet she could not carry on an Eng
/ lish conversation Of any extent. The Cal
ifornia theater was then the house for
tunately for the artist and the public, of
/ one of the best and most notable stock
! companies to be found in America 1t
/ was under lease to John Mccullough who,
! though absent from the city at the time
/ of the debut had met Madame Modieska
| and her husband in October, 1876, when
/ she first passed through San Francisco
en- route to Anaheim Barton Hill was
! manager, a most accomplished actor;
/ Thomas Keene the leading man, and in
| the supporting company was Harry Ed
/ wards, famous as a scholar and nat
/ uralist, well as a fine actor; Charles
Bishop, the Shakespearean comedian; Me-
/ slayer Walter Lennon, Harrison and his
sister, Alice, Effie Wilton, a Miss Daven-
I port, with others whose names escape
me. Mrs. Judith, a once famous actress.