Eleonora Duse was born on October 3, 1858 in Vigevano, Lombardy, Italy. She was an actress and writer, known for Cenere (1917). She was married to Tebaldo Marchetti. She died on April 21, 1924 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
She was born in a wagon at Vigevano, a small village just outside of Venice.
In 1895 she met the poet and writer Gabriele d'Annunzio, who was five years her junior, and the two became involved romantically as well as collaborating professionally. Gabriele d'Annunzio wrote four plays for her, and her association with d'Annunzio was widely recognized. When d'Annunzio gave the lead for the premiere of the play "La città morta" to Sarah Bernhardt instead of Duse, there was a furious fight, and Duse ended her affair with him.