OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 59, 4 December 1918, Page 5

OBITUARY

EDMOND ROSTAND. Paris, December 2. Edmond Bostand las died of pneumonia.—Renter. [Edmond Rostand, probably the greatest French playwright and / poet, was born in Marseilles on April I,' 18C8. His mother was Rosemonde Gerard, granddaughter of Marshal (and at one time brigadier) Gerard, of Napoleon's Grand Aimy. His poems include "Les Musardises," which when published were hailed as the production of a budding genius, and this he proved to be, for his blank verso plays have charmed half the universe Toy the force of their imagery, power, and ultra-originality. We have never been privileged to see "Cyrano de Bergerac," but such is its poetic beauty, \U romantic fervour, awl passionate appeal in glory of language and effectiveness of situation fhat it has been declared by some critics to approach the lihatepearoan standard. Coquelin, the great French actor, who died some two years ago, was iit his best as tho loiignoseJ Cyrano, n grotesque-looking Sir Galahad, with the heart and tongue of ii poet. The play was produced in Sydney many years ago, with Mr. Henry Lee n$ Cyrano, but, alas, tho gorgeously beautiful language was too niSch for the gallery, who "guyed" the performance in a shameful manner. "L'Aiglon," with Miss Tittel Bruno in the nnme-part,- was quite successful, and is still considered to be ono of tho finest plays singed in the Inst quarter of a century in Australia. It w;is recently revived in Australia by the Kathleen MacDonoll-Charles Waldron combination. Another quaint but extremely beautiful play by Rostand which gave ri3e. to many new fashions was "Chantecler," in which the characters were the feathered inhabitants of a, barnyard. It was played in English in England and America with fair success. Although difficult in representation the plays of Bostand will always find an honoured place in any library, and his elevated and refined thoughts, wedded to extremely beautiful and arresting language always repays the student of letter!). Rostand, who was n staunch patriot, married a talented actress, and it was her pleasure to give elaborate performances in private in their lovely homo in the nortli of France.