Centenary of the death of Eleonora Duse, a day of tribute in Asolo

ASOLO (TREVISO) – The crowd, the authorities, the people crowded along the narrow streets and up to the cemetery. One hundred years later on that hill there will be Mario Brunello’s cello playing for her. Divine and absolute, luminous and tormented, Eleonora forever. Eleonora Duse dies as she had lived, on the tables of a stage. She does it suddenly, in a distant place. The echo of his disappearance shakes Italian society. But in the Asolo refuge there remains a vague sense of regret. Together with the suitcases never unpacked, the furniture never placed, that move only hinted at that he should have prepared her for her first and last permanent home. She’ll get there on that hill, but with her eyes closed. One hundred years after her death, which occurred in Pittsburgh on April 21, 1924the city of Asolo remembers the great actress with “One hundred years without Eleonora”, an entire day dedicated to the memory of Duse.

IN THE CATHEDRAL

The celebration will begin at 11.15 in the Cathedral for the Holy Mass and then move to the Sant’Anna cemetery where Mario Brunello will pay homage to her with a musical dedication. The event continues in the afternoon at the Civic Museum, open for free for the occasion from 9.30am to 6pm, with the Reading of a portrait of Eleonora Duse by the painter Vincenzo De Stefani, curated by Elena Casotto (at 4pm). The portrait, dated 1891, after a single appearance at the Venice Biennale in 1912, will be exhibited for the first time at the Civic Museum, until 13 October, and will enrich the room “A home for Eleonora”, open to the public on 7 October 2023, with the aim of reviving the objects of the Dusiana collection. Through her personal objects, portraits, furniture, books, photographs and family memories, with a more complex and accessible narrative thanks to the use of new methodologies and technologies, the new museum exhibition tells the story of the great actress.

THE AFTERNOON APPOINTMENT

Also in the afternoon, at the Loggia della Ragione, from 2pm to 6pm, “The character of Eleonora” will be held, an event dedicated to graphics and design enthusiasts curated by Luca Lattuga of Anonima Impressori, in collaboration with Italian typothequemuseum of graphics and typography in Crocetta del Montello, and Otium, the studio that designed the Duse 2024 graphic design. The public will be able to see the limited edition printing of a poster celebrating the Dusian centenary created during the event with the original wooden typeface and an early 20th century printing press. For the little ones, in the Cathedral’s loggia, the Library of Asolo organizes two workshops with Michela Gasparini – TAM Tipi in hand to introduce children and teenagers to the value, usefulness and magic of typography.

AT THE THEATRE

Finally, at 6pm, at Eleonora Duse Municipal Theatre, within “What will become of the Theater after me?”, a season of professional contemporary theater with shows inspired by Eleonora Duse, the regional premiere of “Risate di Gioia – stories of theater people” will be held (Reservations info @echidnacultura.it or at 371.1926476. Pre-sales www.mailticket.it). Elena Bucci and Marco Sgrosso will bring to the stage works, biographies, letters and memoirs that tell the story of the many professions linked to the theater of the past. And they begin a journey, more dreamed than real, together with famous and forgotten people, leading actors, leading ladies, servants, generics, basket holders, prompters.

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