It was a sensational event! At the start of his stint as managing director in Lublin, Anastazy Trapszo invited an extraordinary actor as a guest star. Ira Aldridge, considered the first Black Shakespearean actor in the history of theatre, showed the audience in Jezuicka his star turn as Othello. Aldridge was reported to have come from central Africa and claimed to be a descendant of a royal family. He was raised in America, but made his career in British theatre, playing alongside none other than Charles Kean, and then embarked on an unceasing tour of Europe.
Aldridge and Trapszo met in Warsaw’s Teatr Rozmaitości [Variety Theatre], where they both starred in Othello. Trapszo took advantage of the fact that Aldridge was on his way back from performing in Moscow and invited him to Lublin. After the performance, Kurier Lubelski reported as follows:
Despite the double-price tickets, the theatre was packed, and the roar of unceasing applause attested to the satisfaction of the audience.
