Bernhardt, ROSINE

Bernhardt, ROSINE, called SARAH, a French actress, born of Jewish parents in Paris, October 22, 1844, was baptised into the Christian faith by her father's desire, and brought up in a convent at Versailles. Entering the Paris Conservatoire in 1858, she gained second prizes for both tragedy and comedy, and in 1862 made her début as 'Iphigenie' at the Théâtre Français, but attracted so little notice that she soon left the theatre, only to meet with still less success in burlesque at the Gymnase and Porte St Martin. In 1867 she played minor parts at the Odéon, and became famous by her impersonation of the 'Queen of Spain' in Ruy Blas, and of 'Zanetto' in Coppée's Passant. She was recalled to the Théâtre Français in 1872, and after 1879 made annual appearances, with marked success, in London. Her tours in North and South America, in Italy, Russia, &c., were also pecuniarily successful; but her essay at the management of a Paris theatre involved her in heavy debt. In 1882 she was married to M. Jacques Daria or d'Amala, a Greek actor, from whom she was divorced shortly afterwards. Madame Bernhardt is probably the greatest tragédienne since Rachel, and in comedy also she ranks as a finished actress. Her talent as an artist is considerable, and both paintings and statues from her studio have appeared in the Salon.