The Washington herald., 1908-03-29
Nine. ALA Nazimova.

lEe American tnedtflcal world mas 10
take cognizance OF a new star that has
arisen TO illuminate the dramatic dark
ness. and once more we have 20 acknowl-
edge the increasing debt we owe 10 Rus
sia. The performances at the Belasco
Theater during the past week were OF
such quality as to convince any one who
has the faculty OF feeling big things in
dramatic art that in Aha Nazimoya the
Eaglish-speaklng stage has gained an
actress who, IN mastery Of technique. f.
sincerity OF purpose. in loftiness of aspira-
ton, In physical attributes and clear in
telligence OF expression, is fitted TO rank
witr those actresses of great power of
the days gone by whose names have been
handed down TO US among the golden ira
ditions OF the stage.
When one thinks over the life career
of this young woman, her indefatigable
industry, her indomitable purpose, one
will find q reason for the great success
she has already won and an assurance OF
the measure Of success that she is still to
win.
Ala NazimOva pronounced Na-zee-mo-
va. with a slight accent on the second
syllable) was born at Yatta, In the
Crimea. about five hours from historic
Sebastopol. on the borders of the Black
Sea. Her natal day was May q. old
style, or June according 20 our calendar.
Until the age Of eleven she was educated
in Switzerland; indeed she spoke only
German and French until. at the age Of
eleven, her father, a well-known chemist,
-
sent TO boarding school conducted un-
der the auspices OF the New Greek
Church at Odessa until she was sixteen.
While here she took up the study OF the
viciin, in which she became proficient
Next year she went TO a dramatic school
in Moscow. where she remained. devoting
herself TO the art Of acting. and Of stage
management especially. until she was
twenty. Then she launched out on the
professional stage. playing for three years
throughout the Russian provinces-''for
practice, as she says.
In her fourth year on the stage she was
leading woman Of the dramatic theater.
Nemett, Where she had the best of her
schooling. and during her stay here she
was require1 10 take part in practically
every branca Of stage representation-she
danced in the ballet, played farce, drama.
tragedy, and comedy, and presented the
works OF Hauptmann. Ibsen, Sudermann
the most noted Russian authors. and
Moliere and Shakespeare. This was dur
ing the regular winter season; her sum
mc-s she spent touring the Russian prov
inces. After this she visited Berlin. VI
enna. and London, and finally found her
way to New York. This was in her sixth
year on the stage, and up 70 this time
she had played only in Russian With
he- small company of Russian players,
she made her debut in New York in a
little dingy hall on the East Side. but
even under these unpromising conditions
she attracted attention. and many people
interested IN the drama who could not
understand Russian went to see her
Al the end Of her sixth year. which
she closed playing in Russian, she began
feverishly studying English. and it was
only few months-so great is her facil-
ity, facility which is a distinguishing
quality of the Russians, in acquiring Ian
guages-that she made her debut IN New
York, playing in English. 1t was at the
Princess Theater. New York. under the
management Of the Shuberts that she
appeared October l, 1906, presenting
Hedda Gabler." On January following
she presented "A Dolls House, and
played Nora for the first time in English
Then she put on Countess Coquette" in
English. and closed her first English
speaking season June 15.
T.
the intervening time perfecting herself in
English. appeared in Ibsen's The Master
Builder" soon after which she produced
The Comet" thus having a repertoire Of
five plays in Englsh-a remarkable
achievement in itself for a girl who two
years before had not known a word of the
language.
Last week, at the Belasco her wonder
full presentations of A Dolls House"
and "Hedda Gabler" showed how success
fully she has mastered the language
There is scarcely trace of accent, and
the emphasis she gives Is not only cor
rect. but an indication Of great feeling
and perfect understanding.
Her greatest strength. perhaps, lies in
characterization. Her Nora YVES a mar
vel OF acting. because Nazimova was
Nora, lightsome, care-free. a happy, un-
thinking child until her sudden awaken
ing. Hedda Gabler was a tragic queen;
ruthless, unhappy. strong. The marvel
ously sustained change in the two char
acterizations had to be seen to be appre-
ciated
Here is a girl who is bound to go TO
great heights If she is allowed by ex-
terral circumstances to work out her des-
tiny. She has great ambitions, and
worthy ones. Asked II she desired TO es-
say Shakespearean roles, she replied:
No; it is not for me. The master Eng
lish dramatist requires that those who
seek TO interpret him should speak purest
Engiish-it would not be fair for me-
What she hopes is for a modern play.
based on an American theme and written
by an American, for she believes in the
promise OF this country.
'Ah," she cried. stretching forth her
arms like a bird spreading its wings.
Europe. Let US forget IL. This, this is
freedom-it is all beautiful and clean and
wholesome. II is here, in America, that
art should grow. if anywhere in the
worldr'