Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-21
DUSE RETURNS TO FLORENCE
Famous Actress Now Occupies Wills
After Long Absence.
HAD QUARREL WITH D'ANNUNz1O
Her Present Home n a. Far from
His nv she was Able 90 Get
VIII Revisit United
states.

June
nora Duse and her daughter have just
moved TO the beautiful seventeenth cen
tury villa Capponi," situated in the en-
virons Of this city, and purpose hence
forth to make It their home. For more
than four years the great Italian actress
has been a stranger to the city hat first
recognized her talents. except for occa-
sional appearances at the Theater Della
Pergola, owing, as it has been generally
assumed in Florence, to her quarrel with
her former close friend. Gabrielle dan
nunzio, the author. D'Annunzio has Tor
some time been living in the picturesque
village OF Settignano, in his villa La
Capponcina." next to which la Duse, as
she is called in Italy. rented a temporary
dwelling. After the break between the
two celebrities, which occurred a little
previous to the actress last United States
tour, Duse gave up her Settinano home'
presumably because of its embarrassing
proximity to that of the man whose lit
erary fame she spread throughout the
world by exclusively presenting his plays
to her financial detriment. Now that she
has returned 70 her much-loved Florence,
she has chosen a suburban abode-the
villa Capponi," being at least two miles
from settignano, on the opposite side Of
the city Of the Lilies on the hill known
as Arcetri. The return of la Duse to
Florence is welcome news to people here,
for In the Duse-d'Annunzio ~imbroglio,
which had for Florentines its keen local
interest, sympathy was all on the side of
the actress as the injured party, while the
poet received much newspaper and private
censure
Daughter in Poor Health.
It is understood that the purchase Of
the splendid and historic property has been
made by Duse principally for maternal
reasons. Her only daughter, who has Just
finished her education at the old-time
Medlcci villa famous as the alleged place
where Isabella Orslni was strangled by
her Jealous spouse) and now converted into
the Institute Della S. S. Annunziata." is
unfortunately afflicted with delicate lungs.
The villa Capponi," enjoying an elevation
Of perhaps $50 feet above the sea level,
provides pure air, and there is a charming
garden. laid out in the formal Italian
style. where the invalid can indulge her
enthusiasm for Horticulture. The villa
Capponi'' is, indeed, in all respects cal
culated to satisfy the taste of both mother
and daughter, from its situation-it COM
mands a superb view of Florence-and by
comfortable arrangements. The property,
besides the house and grounds, has a
farming dependency, and the whole Is
valued at something like $4,000. 1t was
originally owned by the Capponi, one Of
the wealthiest and most powerful of the
old patrician families Of Florence. The
villa consists of about forty rooms, haying
a private chapel, a large ball room, and
spacious halls ornamented with great stone
canopied c-himneypieces. and contains
beautiful frescoed ceilings and other details
Of seventeenth. century date that make 1t
of particular interest.
An Interesting tudent.
Nine. Duse, who has been staying in
Florence at the Grand hotel for some time
to see to the business of installing her
self in the villa, consented TO SPEAK a lit
tie of herself and her plans, despite her
much-heralded repugnance for even casual
interviews. Duse eff the stage is very
much like Duse behind the footlignts. Her
face Of suffering" expressed in the
weary lines about her mouth and the deep
melancholy Of her eyes, which has SO
stamped her as a great stage personality,
loses nothing from being seen in closer
contact. The private woman is as iater-
esting as the actress, and in every move
ment, by every play of feature, emanates
the indefinable atmosphere of the genius
Inspired. OF a delicate and highly nerv-
Gus organization, Duse, perhaps a woman
of AS, Nigh be younger or older, time
itself being less responsible for the eX-
preston she wears than the tax that
em~otionalism of art and life has laid upon
| her. Her unwillingi1ess to be 2ourted by
the world at large and be made the VIC
tim of undue public curiosity springs from
no arrogance of nature, but is simply an
instinct Of sensitive and retiring refine
ment, a shrinking from world contacts in
her leisure moments Of one who, by neces-
sity of art, experiences too much the less
agreeable side of reputation's glare. Sim
pie in her tastes as in her dress, Duse off
the stage lives on the broad and beautiful
lines of an artist whose character is DOM
mated by the dreams Of art.
my main reason for establishing my
self again in Flor Zee" she said, us to
provide a suitable home for my daughter.
The healthful and beautiful site of the
Villa Capponi is just what Is desired by
us. l have always preferred country
homes to the restraint OF cities. Florence
is full of the repose and charm l enjoy.
Besides, 1 have many old friends and ae-
quaintances here that make IL particularly
agreeable to me-"
Particular About Stage.
Among Buses Florentine friends, Il may
be remarked. is Gordon Craig, son OF
Ellen Terry, between whom and Duse has
existed a warm friendship of many years
standing. Mr.. Craig, who occupies a
house near Gallileo's Tower. not far from
the Vila Capponi, has, as is general y
known, made a special study of artistic
stage mounting; and IL was under his di-
~rections that D'Annunzio's Francesca
and other plays in which Duse has been
playing were given their highly effective
setting, for Duse. like the late Mr.. Mans
field. Beerbohm Tree and Antoine OF
Paris, is fastidiously exacting about all
details of scenery.
THAT my taking a villa expresses ar
intention on my part of abandoning the
stage" Duse continued, lis without founda.
ton. l expect to carry on my work as
heretofore. l have always had some plac,
in Italy where 1 can retire for purposes
OF rest ard the study necessary to the pres.
entation of new roles"