Elise Hwasser
Encyclopedia
Ebba Charlotta Elise Hwasser, née
Jakobsson, (16 March 1831 – 28 January 1894), was a Swedish
actress, the leading lady on the Swedish stage for thirty years, and often described as the greatest female dramatic star in Sweden during the Victorian era.
in 1849 and had already found employment by the following year at the Royal Dramatic Theatre
in Stockholm
, where she was originally hired as a replacement for Aurora Strandberg. She was made premier-actress in 1853.
She was from the outset considered to have great promise, but it was nevertheless difficult for her to win the leading roles from more established actors such as Zelma Hedin
, Charlotta Almlöf
and Fanny Westerdahl
, the stars of the 1850s. She had a brief affair with the Crown Prince, the future Charles XV of Sweden
, who advised her to marry Daniel Hwasser, the secretary of the royal theatres direction, which oversaw the royal theatre. She took the Crown Prince's advice and married Hwasser in 1858, after which he was made director of the theatre. The fact that Elise Hwasser was suddenly awarded leading roles did not go unnoticed in the press: during her husband's short period as director of the theatre, she played all the leading female parts. Although this may very well have ben the result of nepotism, it is equally clear that she did have talent as an actor - a talent that she was now able to demonstrate. Proof of this is provided by the fact that, after her husband had been dismissed as a director and her royal lover had acquired a new mistress, she nevertheless continued to play the leading female parts. Whatever means she had employed, she had now proven herself and, for the next thirty years, she played the leading female role in well over one hundred and fifty performances.
In 1863, she was given a contract for life, and became known as an actor that followed the new trend of realism in the theatre. Her style of acting was simply described as versatile; she was an artist that, according to the critics of the time, could play most parts splendidly, and excelled both as a "spoilt young girl", and in "Mistress" and "heroine"-parts, as well as in tragedy. She played Ophelia
, Juliet
(1872), Desdemona
(1858), Mary Stuart(1868) and Cleopatra (1881) with success, but her most acclaimed roles were as characters in popular novels, such as "Jane Eyre
" (1854). She managed to play Nora
convincingly in Ibsen's "A Dollhouse" as late as 1881, when she had reached the age of fifty, and she was also considered as the perhaps most notable Ibsen-actor. She was also popular in so called breeches role
s; her voice was described as very deep and suitable for such parts.
In her private life, her habits were considered "manly", and she enjoyed smoking cigars and pipes and drinking punch.
Elise Hwasser was decorated with Litteris et Artibus
in 1865, as the first woman ever, which was considered as a sign that it was acceptable for women to be officially decoreated, and the gold medal of the Swedish Academy in 1881.
She retired in 1888, when the theatre was reorginased, and died six years later in her villa Västråt in Fiskebäckskil
. Her daughter, Anna Lisa Hwasser-Engelbrecht, also became an actor.
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Jakobsson, (16 March 1831 – 28 January 1894), was a Swedish
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....
actress, the leading lady on the Swedish stage for thirty years, and often described as the greatest female dramatic star in Sweden during the Victorian era.
Biography
Elise Jakobsson was born in Stockholm the 16 March 1831 - her father worked as a custom-caretaker - and became a student at Dramatens elevskolaDramatens 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...
in 1849 and had already found employment by the following year at the Royal Dramatic Theatre
Royal Dramatic Theatre
The Royal Dramatic Theatre is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages....
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...
, where she was originally hired as a replacement for Aurora Strandberg. She was made premier-actress in 1853.
She was from the outset considered to have great promise, but it was nevertheless difficult for her to win the leading roles from more established actors such as Zelma Hedin
Zelma Hedin
Zelma Carolina Esolinda Hedin, née Bergnéhr, also called Zelma Kinmansson and Zelma Bergmansson, , was a Swedish stage actress, regarded as one of the greatest stars on the stage of the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Stockholm during the 1840s and 1860s in the mid 19th century.- Biography and career...
, Charlotta Almlöf
Charlotta Almlöf
Anna Maria Franziska Charlotta Almlöf, née Ficker, , was a Swedish stage actress.Daughter of Christian Fredrik Ficker, a musician at Kungliga Hovkapellet, and sister of the opera singer Mathilda Gelhaar, she was enrolled in Dramatens elevskola in 1830...
and Fanny Westerdahl
Fanny Westerdahl
Fanny Amalia Westerdahl, also Fanny Hjortsberg , was a Swedish stage actress, who performed from 1829 to 1862. She also participated in some opera performances...
, the stars of the 1850s. She had a brief affair with the Crown Prince, the future Charles XV of Sweden
Charles XV of Sweden
Charles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death....
, who advised her to marry Daniel Hwasser, the secretary of the royal theatres direction, which oversaw the royal theatre. She took the Crown Prince's advice and married Hwasser in 1858, after which he was made director of the theatre. The fact that Elise Hwasser was suddenly awarded leading roles did not go unnoticed in the press: during her husband's short period as director of the theatre, she played all the leading female parts. Although this may very well have ben the result of nepotism, it is equally clear that she did have talent as an actor - a talent that she was now able to demonstrate. Proof of this is provided by the fact that, after her husband had been dismissed as a director and her royal lover had acquired a new mistress, she nevertheless continued to play the leading female parts. Whatever means she had employed, she had now proven herself and, for the next thirty years, she played the leading female role in well over one hundred and fifty performances.
In 1863, she was given a contract for life, and became known as an actor that followed the new trend of realism in the theatre. Her style of acting was simply described as versatile; she was an artist that, according to the critics of the time, could play most parts splendidly, and excelled both as a "spoilt young girl", and in "Mistress" and "heroine"-parts, as well as in tragedy. She played Ophelia
Ophelia
Ophelia is a fictional character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and potential wife of Prince Hamlet.-Plot:...
, Juliet
Juliet Capulet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
(1872), Desdemona
Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
(1858), Mary Stuart(1868) and Cleopatra (1881) with success, but her most acclaimed roles were as characters in popular novels, such as "Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the title Jane Eyre. An Autobiography under the pen name "Currer Bell." The first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York...
" (1854). She managed to play Nora
Nora
Nora or Norah may refer to:*Nora , an English and Irish feminine personal name* Nóra , a Hungarian feminine personal name-People:*Nora Aunor, a multi-awarded Filipino actress-singer-producer*Norah Baring, a British movie actress...
convincingly in Ibsen's "A Dollhouse" as late as 1881, when she had reached the age of fifty, and she was also considered as the perhaps most notable Ibsen-actor. She was also popular in so called breeches role
Breeches role
A breeches role is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing .In opera it also refers to any male character that is sung and acted by a female singer...
s; her voice was described as very deep and suitable for such parts.
In her private life, her habits were considered "manly", and she enjoyed smoking cigars and pipes and drinking punch.
Elise Hwasser was decorated with Litteris et Artibus
Litteris et Artibus
Litteris et Artibus is a Swedish royal medal established in 1853 by Charles XV of Sweden, who was then crown prince. It is awarded to people who have made important contributions to culture, especially music, dramatic art and literature....
in 1865, as the first woman ever, which was considered as a sign that it was acceptable for women to be officially decoreated, and the gold medal of the Swedish Academy in 1881.
She retired in 1888, when the theatre was reorginased, and died six years later in her villa Västråt in Fiskebäckskil
Fiskebäckskil
Fiskebäckskil is a locality in Skaftö parish of Lysekil Municipality, Sweden. Once a fishing community, it has transformed into a shipping community in the 19th century. Now it is a thriving tourist community.-Notable residents:...
. Her daughter, Anna Lisa Hwasser-Engelbrecht, also became an actor.
Repertoire
Among her parts were- Isabella of Portugal in En saga av... (A fairy tale..) by Scribe opposite Nils Almlöf, Charlotta Almlöf and Zelma Hedin the 1851-52 season,
- Isabelle in Skolan för äkta män (School for husbands) by Molière opposite Zelma Hedin and Georg Dahlquist (1855–56),
- the main parts in Ladyn av Worsley Hall' (The lady of Worsley hall) by Birch-Pfeiffer opposite Edvard SwartzEdvard SwartzEdvard Maurits Swartz, , was a Swedish actor, one of the stars at the Royal Dramatic Theatre at the mid 19th century....
and Gustav Sundberg, - Älvjungfrun (The Fairy Maiden) by J. Heiberg opposite Nils AlmlöfNils AlmlöfNils Vilhelm Almlöf, was a Swedish actor, considered as one of the most famous in the 19th century, called "The Swedish Talma".Child of a court servant, Nils Almlöf, he interrupted his medical studies to study singing under Craelius of the Royal Swedish Opera, where he was successful as Leicester...
and Zelma Hedin, - Fröken de la Segliére (Miss de la Segliere) by Sandeau (1857–58), Desdemona in OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
opposite Dahlquist, Fanchon in Syrsan (Le petite Fadette) by George Sand opposite Charlotte ForsmanHedvig Raa-WinterhjelmHedvig Charlotta Raa-Winterhjelm, née Forssman, , was a Swedish actor active in Sweden, Norway and Finland...
and Karolina BockKarolina BockKarolina Sofia Bock née Richter, , was a Swedish dancer, actor and singer. She was also the principal for the Dramatens elevskola for two periods; in 1831-1834 and 1841-1856. She was the most known female comedian in her country during her years at the stage.- Background :Karolina Richter, child of...
(1858–59), - Tekla in Wallensteins död (The death of Wallenstien) by Schiller opposite Dahlquist and Nils Almlöf 1859-60, Puck in En mindsommarnattsdröm (A midsummer night's dream) opposite Axel Elmlund and Nils Almlöf, Karin MånsdotterKarin MånsdotterKarin Månsdotter was Queen of Sweden, first a mistress and then the spouse of King Eric XIV of Sweden...
in Erik XIV by Lidner opposite Swartz, Fanny Westerdahl and Signe HebbeSigne HebbeSigne Amanda Georgina Hebbe , was a Swedish singer , actress, and theatre pedagogue.Signe Hebbe was born in Värnamo to the journalist Vendela Hebbe. In 1848, at the age of eleven, she studied music at the Lindblad pianoschool, at the school of the Royal Swedish Opera and for Karolina Bock. In...
in 1860-61, teacher in Blommor i drivbänk opposite Zelma Hedin and Karolina Bock 1862-63, Myrrha in SardanapalusSardanapalusSardanapalus was, according to the Greek writer Ctesias of Cnidus, the last king of Assyria. Ctesias' Persica is lost, but we know of its contents by later compilations and from the work of Diodorus...
by Byron opposite Edvard Swartz in 1864-65, Sigrid in Bröllopet på Ulfåsa (The wedding at Ulfåsa) by Hedberg opposite Axel Elmlund 1865-66, in Konstens vapen (The weapon of Art) opposite Nils Almlöf, Elmlund, Gustav Fredriksson, Helfrid Kinmansson, Betty AlmlöfBetty DelandBetty Deland, as married Almlöf, , was a Swedish child actor, actor and principal at Dramatens elevskola...
, Clementine Swartz and Knut AlmlöfKnut AlmlöfKnut Almlöf, , was a Swedish actor, considered to one of the most notable actors on the Swedish stage in the second half of the 19th century....
1867-68, Selma in De Ungas förbund (The union of youths) by Ibsen 1869-70, Hermione in En vintersaga (A winter story) by Shakespeare opposite E. Swartz 1871-72, main female part in Män av ära (Men of honour) by Garaud and Skådespelerskan (The actress) by Leffler, 1873–74, Mlle de Maupas in Det besegrade lejonet (The defeated Lion) by Ponsard opposite Gustav Fredriksson, Elmlund and Sundberg 1875-76, - Lona in Samhällets pelare (The pillar of society) by Ibsen opposite Ferdinand Thegerström 1877-78, in Severo Torelli by Copee opposite Georg Törnqvist and Elmlund 1885-86, Karoline opposite Ellen HartmanEllen HartmanEllen Hartman, born Helena Elisabeth Florentina Hedlund , was a Swedish actor. She was one of the greatest stars in Stockholm during the 1880s and 1890s. She was avarded with the Litteris et Artibus....
, Fredriksson and Elmlund in 1887-88. Her last part was queen Anna in Ett glas vatten (A glass of water) in the 1887-88 season.