Description

Adelaide Ristori (29 January 1822 – 9 October 1906) was a distinguished Italian tragedienne, who was often referred to as the Marquise. a celebrated Italian tragic actress, the daughter of strolling players. As a child she appeared upon the stage, and at fourteen was playing important parts. After her marriage in 1846 to the Marchese del Grillo (died 1861), she retired for a short time, but soon returned to the stage. In 1855 she took Paris by storm in the title role of Alferi’s Myrrha. Furious partisanship was aroused by the appearance of a rival to the great Rachel. Paris was divided into two camps of opinion. Humble play-goers fought at gallery-doors over the merits of their respective favorites. The two famous women never actually met, but the French actress seems to have been convinced that Ristori had no feelings towards her but those of admiration and respect. After appearing successfully in Madrid and London, she paid the first of four visits to the United States, where she won much applause, particularly in Giacometti’s Elizabeth, Queen of England. She finally retired from professional life in 1885, and died in Rome at the age of eighty-four. Information from Infinite-women.com