Eva Allen Alberti

{{Infobox person

| name = Eva Allen Alberti

| image = Eva Allen Alberti (1895).png

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Evangel Eva Allen

| birth_date = April 4, 1856

| birth_place = Alfred, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|March 6, 1938|April 4, 1856}}

| death_place = New York City

| alma_mater = Alfred University

| employer = Teachers College, Columbia University

| organization = {{hlist|New York College of Expression|Young People's Theater, Carnegie Hall}}

| occupation = dramatics teacher

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

| spouse = {{marriage|William Maxson Alberti|1879}}

| relatives = Alfred Allen (brother)

}}

Eva Allen Alberti (April 4, 1856 – March 6, 1938) was an American dramatics teacher who specialized in the American meaning of pantomime i.e. mime. Her students were actors, teachers, directors and producers including, Prof. Gertrude Colby, Jane Cowl, Cecil B. DeMille, William C. deMille, Ann Harding, Fredric March, Douglas MacLean, Guthrie McClintic, William Powell, Edward G. Robinson, Anita Stewart, Stuart Walker, and Chester M. Wallace.

Early life and education

Evangel Eva Allen was born in Alfred, New York, April 4, 1856.{{cite web |title=Evangel Eva Allen 4 April 1856 – 1938 • KZP9-WBW |url=https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KZP9-WBW |website=www.familysearch.org |access-date=5 November 2022}} Her father was Jonathan Macomber Allen (1823-1892), president of Alfred University. Abigail Ann (Maxson) Allen (1824-1894). Her siblings were William (b. 1853), May (b. 1860), and Alfred (b. 1866).{{cite book |author1=Seventh Day Baptist General Conference |title=Seventh-day Baptist Anniversaries |date=1901 |publisher=Seventh Day Baptist General Conference. |page=55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TDpQAQAAMAAJ&q=Eva+Alberti |access-date=5 November 2022 |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}}

She was educated at Alfred University (A. B., 1877; A. M., 1879).

Career

File:Eva Alberti (Musical Courier, 1923).png

For thirteen years, Alberti was a lecturer at Teachers College, Columbia University. She was the president of the New York College of Expression,{{cite book |last1=Willard |first1=Frances Elizabeth |last2=Winslow |first2=Helen Maria |last3=White |first3=Sallie Joy |title=Occupations for Women: A Book of Practical Suggestions for the Material Advancement, the Mental and Physical Development, and the Moral and Spiritual Uplift of Women |date=1897 |publisher=Success Company |page=279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SGQuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA279 |access-date=5 November 2022 |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}} and the director of the Young People's Theater in Carnegie Hall, New York City. The greatest novelty of the plans for the Young People's Theater carried out by Alberti was the presentation of complete grand opera in mime with appropriate instrumental music. The Alberti Pantomimes, it was claimed, used a more universal code of gesticulation than the French, Italian, or German. American pantomime, such as that developed under the hand of Alberti, became a finer art than that represented by the garish musical Christmas pantomimes of Britain,Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline. "Pantomime", The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Jack Zipes (ed.), Oxford University Press (2006), {{ISBN|9780195146561}} the distinction includes less cross-dressing, risque jokes and greater individual quality, in daintiness of movement, and delicacy of facial expression.{{cite news |title=Obituary, Evangel Eva Allen Alberti. Died, March 6, 1938. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112588997/obituary-evangel-eva-allen-alberti/ |access-date=5 November 2022 |work=The Courier-News |date=8 March 1938 |pages=4}}{{cite journal |title=GRAND OPERA IN PANTOMIME |journal=Musical Courier|date=27 December 1923 |volume=87 |page=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0lBEuukKHRYC&pg=RA25-PA16 |access-date=5 November 2022 |publisher=Musical Courier Company |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}} She made a speciality of Greek sacred dances.{{cite journal |title=Women in the Lyceum |journal=The Peterson Magazine |date=June 1895 |volume=106 |page=634 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CNQ2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA634 |access-date=5 November 2022 |publisher=C.J. Peterson |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}}

Personal life

In 1879, she married Prof. William Maxson Alberti, the son of Thomas Shipley Alberti, who became clerk of the Seventh Day Baptist Church.

Eva Allen Alberti died in New York City, March 6, 1938, at the age of 82.{{cite news |title=MRS. W. M. ALBERTI; Educator Was Daughter of Alfred University Founder |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1938/03/08/98108529.html?pageNumber=19 |access-date=5 November 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=8 March 1938 |language=en}}

Selected works

=Books=

  • A handbook of acting (1932){{cite book |author1=Library of Congress Copyright Office |title=Catalog of Copyright Entries. New Series: 1933 |date=February 1933 |publisher=Copyright Office, Library of Congress |page=7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cqIhAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA1 |access-date=5 November 2022 |language=en}}

=Dramatic compositions=

  • A Midsummer night's dream (1925){{cite book |author1=Library of Congress Copyright Office |title=Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. [B] Group 2. Pamphlets, Etc. New Series |date=1926 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l1EcAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA615 |access-date=5 November 2022 |language=en |chapter=Dramatic compositions}}

References