Rossi, Ernesto

Born Mar. 27, 1827, in Livorno; died June 4, 1896, in Pescara. Italian actor.

Rossi began his career in 1846, joining a company of traveling actors in Livorno. His artistic development was greatly influenced by the actor G. Modena. He acted in plays by romantic dramatists that were imbued with ideas of patriotism and freedom, playing the roles of Paolo in Pellico’s Francesca da Rimini and the title roles in Niccolini’s Antonio Foscarini and Giovanni da Procida.

Rossi was outstanding in plays by Shakespeare. One of his best roles was Hamlet, which he performed many times from 1856 until the end of his life. He also acted the title roles in Othello and Macbeth and the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. His acting was marked by simplicity, fidelity to life, and sensitivity.

Beginning in 1855, Rossi made frequent tours through Europe and America as well as to Egypt and Turkey. His tours to Russia in 1877, 1878, 1890, 1895, and 1896 were particularly meaningful to him. He was highly esteemed by Russian critics. Rossi wrote Essays on Dramatic Art (1885) and his memoirs, Forty Years as an Actor (vols. 1–3, 1887–89).