Mimi Aguglia

Mimi Aguglia was born in Palermo, Sicily, on a theater stage in 1884, when her mother, Giuseppina Aguglia, a famous Sicilian actress, was playing Desdimona in William Shakespeare's "Othello". The newborn was named Giroloma in honor of her grandfather, but everyone called her by her nick name: Mimi. Before she was four years old, Mimi was singing and dancing as a warm-up act before her mother's dramatic performances. By age 16 she was given supporting roles and soon became a major leading lady. At 18 she met Baron Vincenzo Ferrau, a Sicilian nobleman, and soon, against her parents' wishes, Mimi and Vincenzo eloped. Together with her theatrical colleagues, Angelo Musco and Giovanni Grasso, the first Sicilian Theatrical Company was born, with Vincenzo as the producer. The company began touring Italy, performing plays in the Sicilian dialect and became so successful that they expanded their tour throughout Europe and played command performances before heads of state, including the Kings of