Eleonora Duse

Eleonora Duse
Duse in 1901
Born
Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse

(1858-10-03)3 October 1858
Vigevano, Pavia, Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire
Died21 April 1924(1924-04-21) (aged 65)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse
Tebaldo Checchi
(m. 1881; div. 1885)
Partner(s)Gabriele D'Annunzio (1898–1901)
Lina Poletti (1910s)
Children1

Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse (/ˈdjz/ DEW-zay, Italian: [eleoˈnɔːra ˈduːze]; 3 October 1858 – 21 April 1924), often known simply as Duse, was an Italian actress, rated by many as the greatest of her time. She performed in many countries, notably in the plays of Gabriele D'Annunzio and Henrik Ibsen. Duse achieved a unique power of conviction and verity on the stage through intense absorption in the character, "eliminating the self" as she put it, and letting the qualities emerge from within, not imposed through artifice.