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Nero/Process Black Pellicola 0010.coll_front.qxp 7-09-2010 10:42 Pagina I (Nero/Process Black pellicola) 0010.coll_front.qxp 7-09-2010 10:42 Pagina II (Nero/Process Black pellicola) 0010.coll_front.qxp 7-09-2010 10:42 Pagina III (Nero/Process Black pellicola) Ma pupa, Henriette Le lettere di Eleonora Duse alla figlia a cura di Maria Ida Biggi Marsilio 0020.colophon.qxp 7-09-2010 10:49 Pagina IV (Nero/Process Black pellicola) Iniziativa Regionale realizzata in attuazione della L. R. 16.3.2006, n. 4 Questo volume deve la sua esistenza ai documenti conservati presso il Centro Studi per la Ricerca documentale sul Teatro e il Melodramma Europeo della Fondazione Giorgio Cini di Venezia e per questo esprimo il mio ringraziamento al Segretario Generale Pasquale Gagliardi che ne ha permesso la pubblicazione. La mia gratitudine va a Laura Megna per la collaborazione nella difficile fase della trascrizione dei documenti e per il costante stimolo alla discussione. Un ringraziamento a Silvia Griggio e Elisa Resegotti. (M.I.B.) © 2010 by Marsilio Editori® s.p.a. in Venezia Prima edizione: settembre 2010 ISBN 978-88-317-0598 www.marsilioeditori.it 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina V (Nero/Process Black pellicola) Le lettere che Eleonora Duse ha inviato alla figlia Enrichetta Marchetti Bul- lough, oggi conservate alla Fondazione Giorgio Cini di Venezia e qui pubblicate, costituiscono una fonte autentica ed originale per conoscere la vita e l’arte della grande attrice italiana, oltre ad illustrare una relazione complessa tra madre e figlia. Si tratta infatti di un rapporto in cui i ruoli tendono inevitabilmente a scambiarsi: alla vita avventurosa e in continuo movimento della madre si con- trappone l’esistenza pacata della figlia che vive a Cambridge con il marito Edward Bullough, professore di italiano nella prestigiosa università inglese e che sarà, a sua volta, madre di due figli, Halley Sebastian e Eleonora. Dalla lettura della copiosa corrispondenza fra Eleonora e la figlia, inoltre, risalta la vicenda umana di Eleonora Duse durante gli anni della Grande Guer- ra (1914-1918), il valore artistico della sua prima e unica esperienza nel mondo del cinema muto e le problematiche relative al suo ritorno sulle scene nel 1921, fino all’ultima tragica tournée negli Stati Uniti, durante la quale muore nell’a- prile 1924. La pubblicazione del ricco e fitto carteggio rientra nelle iniziative realizzate nell’ambito delle celebrazioni dedicate ad Eleonora Duse che la Regione del Veneto ha voluto realizzare in occasione del 150° anniversario dalla nascita del- l’attrice. Il programma celebrativo ha visto un articolato calendario di iniziative cultu- rali alla cui realizzazione ha contribuito la Fondazione Giorgio Cini, da sempre centro nevralgico della cultura nel nostro territorio, nonché autentico custode di straordinari documenti sull’attrice. Il progetto ha coinvolto anche grandi Istitu- zioni culturali a livello internazionale. Le manifestazioni celebrative sono state realizzate grazie all’azione di un Comitato regionale, appositamente costituito dalla Regione, al quale va il mio ringraziamento per il prezioso contributo nell’organizzazione e nel coordinamen- to dei tanti appuntamenti che si sono susseguiti nel territorio regionale e nazio- V 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina VI (Nero/Process Black pellicola) ma pupa, henriette nale richiamando l’attenzione di vaste platee. Un doveroso tributo d’amore per un’attrice divina. On. Marino Zorzato Vice Presidente - Assessore alla Cultura Regione del Veneto VI 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina VII (Nero/Process Black pellicola) INDICE ix Prefazione di Roberto Alonge xiii Ma pupa, Henriette di Maria Ida Biggi 1 Lettere dal 1892 al 1914 33 Lettere 1915 97 Lettere 1916 145 Lettere 1917 239 Lettere 1918 321 Lettere dal 1919 al 1924 339 Appendice 347 Indice dei nomi VII 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina VIII (Nero/Process Black pellicola) 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina IX (Nero/Process Black pellicola) PREFAZIONE Qualche volta ho parlato male del lavoro d’archivio e degli studiosi docu- mentaristi. Ma in realtà, a pensarci bene, è stato solo per inconfessate basse ragioni d’invidia. In effetti, sono incapace a intendere le grafie antiche, e anche quelle moderne. Talvolta non riesco a decifrare nemmeno la mia grafia mano- scritta, su appunti presi a mano, su qualche taccuino. Sicché – lo confesso – sono dominato da un rapporto di odio-amore per tutti coloro che sanno met- tere mano sulle carte di archivi e di biblioteche. In ogni caso, è indubbio che – a fronte di tanti libri di finta ricerca che ripetono (inutilmente) cose già det- te – le pubblicazioni che ridanno vita a tesori di documenti ignoti sono opere utilissime e meritorie. Ed è il caso di questo epistolario di Eleonora Duse alla figlia Enrichetta. Figlia amata e abbandonata, nata a Torino, 7 gennaio 1882, battezzata nella chiesa di San Carlo (p. 307); a Torino messa in collegio a sei anni, poi sistemata a Dresda, infine in Inghilterra, dove andrà sposa a un professore dell’Universi- tà di Cambridge, per diventare madre impeccabile di due creature. E il primo dato che colpisce – nell’epistolario che qui si presenta, felicemente curato da Maria Ida Biggi – è proprio l’onda di sentimento turbato che circola fra madre e figlia. Il lampo di un ricordo di vent’anni prima, sempre nella cornice della città torinese, in una lettera composta – come sempre negli scritti della Duse – in una strana lingua, mezzo italiano mezzo francese, di un francese impreciso, da autodidatta: «Donc, tout à coup dans la nuit, je me suis dit: “Turin! oui, oui, oui, la vieille boutique! au temps de ta jeunesse, quand tu voulais faire une belle pupetta, et jamais te séparer d’Elle (ah illusion!) tu étais jeune dans la Ville de Turin, que de travail! Et le soir, seule, le long des murs, tu allais, seule au théâ- tre, car tu as toujours préféré être seule ...”» (pp. 112-113). Si intuisce il deside- rio della bambina, di voler essere accanto alla madre, nel suo lavoro errabondo di attrice, ma sappiamo la scelta della madre, che ha pensato che il bene di lei fosse in un collegio. Con i sensi di colpa che ovviamente ne discendono. In una IX 0030.testo.qxp 7-09-2010 12:44 Pagina X (Nero/Process Black pellicola) ma pupa, henriette lettera del 1916, quando Eleonora si è accostata al cinematografo: «Je travaille- rai à ma film avec la souvenance de notre amour, ma fille, et de notre (depuis ton enfance!) si longue séparation ah. Mon Dieu!» (p. 105). Qualche volte la confessione delle proprie colpe è più esplicita, più dolorosa: «tu as souffert quand tu étais petite, et tu ne savais pas – et ta maman travaillait lointaine – oui, tu as souffert, il n’y a rien à dire, cela est vrai, mais j’en ai souffert aussi» (p. 188). Ma Enrichetta è buona, comprensiva, scrive anche in italiano (per ritrovare la lingua materna): «Tu es fidèle m’écrivant in Italiano, et je suis surprise, tellement je vois que tu possède la langue, malgré que la manière de la dire est un peu timi- de ... tu apprendras la scioltezza in pochi mesi» (p. 247). Enrichetta è una brava ragazza, una figlia che ha perdonato: «Ma fille, ma fille, honnête et bonne et loyale! J’ai le cœur gros chaque fois que je te quitte! A l’instant m’arrive ton bil- let de la gare, et je te remercie d’avoir senti ma peine de te quitter» (p. 19). Una figlia che diventa madre della propria madre, come riconosce la stessa Eleonora: «Mais Dieu merci, tu es amie et sœur (et maman et fille) de la pauvre mère, et j’espère que tu vois une vérité loyale au fond de mon cœur» (p. 193). Il filo rosso del legame con la figlia sembra spiegare anche qualche scelta professionale della nostra attrice. Che a un certo punto si avvicina al cinema – come si avvicinano tanti intellettuali italiani, da Verga a D’Annunzio a Piran- dello – per fare soldi, ovviamente, per guadagnare. «Figlia! pupa pupetta Mamma ha preso il suo coraggio in mano, e ha firmato un contratto per un film! [...] Il faut travailler. Le travail a été le pain, et le sel de ma Vie – repre- nons!» (p. 111). Denaro, ma non solo denaro, se è vero che nel film – l’unico film della Duse – Cenere, dal libro di Grazia Deledda, Eleonora ripropone un suo tormento segreto: «Le livre, est basé, sur la nécessité (n’importe la quelle) d’une séparation entre mère et fils» (p. 108). Lavorare al film è un modo – per- sino esplicitato – di ricollegarsi alla figlia: «Je travaillerai à ma film avec la sou- venance de notre amour, ma fille, et de notre (depuis ton enfance!) si longue séparation ah. Mon Dieu!» (p. 105). Ma comunque – sia detto en passant – c’è nella Duse una intelligenza dello specifico filmico che non sempre è degli altri tre grandi nostri autori sopra citati. Basti questa notazione fulminea: «Je devrais t’écrire des volumes sur le mystère du filmer, qui a ses raisons, ses secrets, ses charmes» (p. 191). Ma sono tanti gli spunti suggestivi che promanano da queste pagine. Persi- no alcuni ricordi antichi, sul modo di lavorare dell’attore di fine Ottocento, come quando rievoca il suo debutto con Casa di bambola, e ci conferma in un nostro sospetto, che il grande attore era anche, già, un piccolo regista, il quale, dopo essersi preoccupato di costruire il proprio ruolo, si occupava anche di «faire peu à peu aussi les autres» (p. 13), cioè il ruolo degli altri interpreti, per dare coerenza allo spettacolo, concepito come un ensemble.
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