Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
Encyclopedia
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons (1753–1829) was a French stage actress, active in Sweden
. She was also active as an instructor and director of the theatre school Dramatens elevskola
jointly with her spouse, and as such had a great influence over the development of the Swedish theatre.
1773, and was active in in Lille
1774-75. She arrived in Sweden from France
as a member of the French theatre troupe of Jacques Marie Boutet de Monvel in 1781, which had been invited by king Gustav III of Sweden
. The French Theatre performed at the court theatres Drottningholm Palace Theatre
and Confidencen
at Ulriksdal Palace
in the summers, and, from 1783 onwards, for the public at Bollhuset
in Stockholm
in winters.
In 1789, she married her colleague Joseph Sauze Desguillons, and thus required the name Desguillons. Anne Marie Milan Desguillons was described as heavily overweight and not a beauty to her appearance. She was foremost a tragedienne and performed in tragedies and mére noble-roles. Among her parts was Merope
, Semiramis
and Athalie
. She did occasionally perform comedies, such as Madame Turcaret
. She enjoyed great respect as a stage artist and was popular especially within the court.
After the death of Gustav III in 1792, the French Theatre in Stockholm was dissolved and the actors fired. Desguillons retired as an actor but preferred to remain in Sweden. In 1793, she and her husband were appointed joint principals for the acting school Dramatens elevskola
. The school was founded in 1787, but the Desguillons couple was responsible for giving it a proper organisation. Their organization was kept by the later principal Sofia Lovisa Gråå
.
The two Desguillons were also instructors at the school; they instructed the students in drama, while the lessons of music was undertaken by Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
and L. Piccini and the lessons of dance were given by Julie Alix de la Fay
and Jean-Rémy Marcadet.
She was responsible for the female students, and her husband for the male students. Together, they developed many great talents of the contemporary Swedish theatre. The students was accepted at the age of nine or ten and performed as child-actors in student-plays. Among her students was Jeanette Wässelius
, Sofia Frodelius, Ulrika Wennerholm and Carolina Kuhlman
. Anne Marie Milan Desguillons retired as a principal in 1798.
In 1803, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
hired a French theatre company to perform, and the Desguillons couple where made responsible directors of the company during its stay in Sweden until it was fired in 1806.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She was also active as an instructor and director of the theatre school Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
jointly with her spouse, and as such had a great influence over the development of the Swedish theatre.
Biography and career
Anne Marie Milan debuted in Le HavreLe Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
1773, and was active in in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
1774-75. She arrived in Sweden from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as a member of the French theatre troupe of Jacques Marie Boutet de Monvel in 1781, which had been invited by king Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. The French Theatre performed at the court theatres Drottningholm Palace Theatre
Drottningholm Palace Theatre
The Drottningholm Palace Theatre is an opera house located at Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden, which has been described by Per-Erik Öhrn, the theatre’s former artistic director, as "the Swedish jewel in our European cultural heritage crown of centuries-old theatres".Currently the...
and Confidencen
Confidencen
Confidencen, or Ulriksdals slottsteater ; is a Swedish opera stage.Confidencen is Sweden's oldest rococo theatre situated in the National City Park, on the ground of the Ulriksdal Palace outside Stockholm. The building's original structure was built in 1671...
at Ulriksdal Palace
Ulriksdal Palace
Ulriksdal Palace is a royal palace situated on the banks of the Edsviken in the National City Park in Solna, 6 km north of Stockholm. It was originally called Jakobsdal after its owner Jacob De la Gardie, who had it built by architect Hans Jacob Kristler in 1643-1645 as a country retreat...
in the summers, and, from 1783 onwards, for the public at Bollhuset
Bollhuset
Bollhuset, also called ', ', and ' at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater building in the whole of Scandinavia. The name "" means "The Ball House", and it was built in 1627 for ball sports and used in...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in winters.
In 1789, she married her colleague Joseph Sauze Desguillons, and thus required the name Desguillons. Anne Marie Milan Desguillons was described as heavily overweight and not a beauty to her appearance. She was foremost a tragedienne and performed in tragedies and mére noble-roles. Among her parts was Merope
Merope
Merope was originally the name of several, probably unrelated, characters in Greek mythology. The name may refer to:-Greek mythology:* Merope , one of the Heliades, daughter of Helios and Clymene...
, Semiramis
Semiramis
The real and historical Shammuramat , was the Assyrian queen of Shamshi-Adad V , King of Assyria and ruler of the Neo Assyrian Empire, and its regent for four years until her son Adad-nirari III came of age....
and Athalie
Athalie
Athalie is the final tragedy of Jean Racine, and has been described as the masterpiece of 'one of the greatest literary artists known' and the 'ripest work' of Racine's genius...
. She did occasionally perform comedies, such as Madame Turcaret
Turcaret
Turcaret is a comedy by Alain-René Lesage, first produced on 14 February 1709 at the Comédie-Française. It is considered one of Lesage's most important works....
. She enjoyed great respect as a stage artist and was popular especially within the court.
After the death of Gustav III in 1792, the French Theatre in Stockholm was dissolved and the actors fired. Desguillons retired as an actor but preferred to remain in Sweden. In 1793, she and her husband were appointed joint principals for the acting school Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
. The school was founded in 1787, but the Desguillons couple was responsible for giving it a proper organisation. Their organization was kept by the later principal Sofia Lovisa Gråå
Sofia Lovisa Gråå
Sofia Lovisa Gråå née Palm, was a Swedish educator of actors, and noted for innovations that in modern times would be described as feminist.- Biography :...
.
The two Desguillons were also instructors at the school; they instructed the students in drama, while the lessons of music was undertaken by Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner was a German-born Swedish composer.Hæffner received his first musical education with the Schmalkalden organist Johann Gottfried Vierling. He studied in Leipzig from 1776, and then worked as a music conductor in theatres in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg 1778-1780...
and L. Piccini and the lessons of dance were given by Julie Alix de la Fay
Julie Alix de la Fay
Léonne-Julie Alix de la Fay, also known as Julianne Bournonville and Madame Alix , was a Belgian ballet dancer and dance pedagogue, who was to play an important part in the development of the Royal Swedish Ballet...
and Jean-Rémy Marcadet.
She was responsible for the female students, and her husband for the male students. Together, they developed many great talents of the contemporary Swedish theatre. The students was accepted at the age of nine or ten and performed as child-actors in student-plays. Among her students was Jeanette Wässelius
Jeanette Wässelius
Marie Jeanette Wässelius, commonly known as Wässelia or Mamsell Wässelia, , was a Swedish opera singer, court singer and actress, the leading prima donna of the Swedish Opera during the Napoleonic age in the first decades of the 19th century and sister of the international opera star Justina Casagli...
, Sofia Frodelius, Ulrika Wennerholm and Carolina Kuhlman
Carolina Kuhlman
Ottilia Carolina Kuhlman, also Carolina Deland and Carolina Åbergsson, , was a Swedish actor, the leading lady on the Swedish stage during the Napoleon era in the first two decades of the 19th century.- Biography :...
. Anne Marie Milan Desguillons retired as a principal in 1798.
In 1803, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
hired a French theatre company to perform, and the Desguillons couple where made responsible directors of the company during its stay in Sweden until it was fired in 1806.