Hans Wiers-Jenssen
Encyclopedia
Hans Wiers-Jenssen was a Norwegian novelist, playwright, stage producer and theatre historian. Wiers-Jenssen was employed at the theatres Christiania Theatre
, Nationaltheatret
and Den Nationale Scene
.
as the son of colorist Johan Jenssen and his wife Elisa Magdalena Wiers. He married Rigmor Nicolowna Danielsen in 1894. He was the father of Johan Henrik Wiers-Jenssen
.
at the Bergen Cathedral School in 1885, Wiers-Jenssen studied language and cultural history, graduating as Cand.mag.
in 1892. He worked as a journalist for the newspaper Dagbladet
, and wrote the revue Tutti Frutti, staged at Eldorado in 1893 where it became quite popular, with 101 performances. He was a stage instructor at the Christiania Theatre
from 1895, and also actor. From 1899 he worked as a secretary at Nationaltheatret
, and from 1900 to 1905 he worked for Den Nationale Scene
in Bergen, both as actor, stage producer and literary consultant. He worked for Nationaltheatret from 1905 to 1909.
He wrote the novel Presten paa Korshavn og hans hustru in 1907. As a playwright he is best known for his play Anne Pedersdotter
from 1908, staged by Halfdan Christensen
on Nationaltheatret, with Johanne Dybwad
playing the role character "Anne". The play is based on Anne Pedersdotter
, who was burned as a witch in Bergen
in 1590. It was later performed on several Norwegian stages, in other European countries (English translation, The Witch), in America and in Asia. Anne Pedersdotter was also the basis for the Danish film Day of Wrath
from 1943, and two adaptations for opera: La fiamma (libretto by Claudio Guastalla, music by Ottorino Respighi
, 1934), and Anne Pedersdotter; libretto by Hans Kristiansen, music by Edvard Fliflet Bræin
from 1971. His comedy Jan Herwitz premiered at Nationaltheatret in 1913, and has later been very popular at the Bergen theatre Den Nationale Scene
, with hundreds of performances over the years, visited by nearly 90,000 spectators.
Wiers-Jenssen wrote books on the theatre history of Oslo and Bergen, covering the first 25 years of Nationaltheatret
, and also the first 25 years of Den Nationale Scene
.
Christiania Theatre
Christiania Theatre, or Kristiania Theatre, was Norway's finest stage for the spoken drama between October 4, 1836 - September 1, 1899. It was located at Bankplassen by the Akershus Fortress in central Christiania, in Norway...
, Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
and Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
.
Personal life
Wiers-Jenssen was born in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
as the son of colorist Johan Jenssen and his wife Elisa Magdalena Wiers. He married Rigmor Nicolowna Danielsen in 1894. He was the father of Johan Henrik Wiers-Jenssen
Johan Henrik Wiers-Jenssen
Johan Henrik "Johe" Wiers-Jenssen was a Norwegian newspaper columnist and theatre director.He was born in Kristiania as the son of Hans Wiers-Jenssen. Wiers-Jenssen was columnist for Aftenposten from 1917 to 1925, signing with the pseudonymes Johe and Gamin...
.
Career
After his examen artiumExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
at the Bergen Cathedral School in 1885, Wiers-Jenssen studied language and cultural history, graduating as Cand.mag.
Cand.mag.
Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...
in 1892. He worked as a journalist for the newspaper Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
, and wrote the revue Tutti Frutti, staged at Eldorado in 1893 where it became quite popular, with 101 performances. He was a stage instructor at the Christiania Theatre
Christiania Theatre
Christiania Theatre, or Kristiania Theatre, was Norway's finest stage for the spoken drama between October 4, 1836 - September 1, 1899. It was located at Bankplassen by the Akershus Fortress in central Christiania, in Norway...
from 1895, and also actor. From 1899 he worked as a secretary at Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
, and from 1900 to 1905 he worked for Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
in Bergen, both as actor, stage producer and literary consultant. He worked for Nationaltheatret from 1905 to 1909.
He wrote the novel Presten paa Korshavn og hans hustru in 1907. As a playwright he is best known for his play Anne Pedersdotter
Anne Pedersdotter (play)
Anne Pedersdotter is a play written in 1908 by Norwegian playwright Hans Wiers-Jenssen...
from 1908, staged by Halfdan Christensen
Halfdan Christensen
Halfdan Christensen was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director. He was married twice, first to actress Gyda Christensen, and later to actress Gerda Ring. He had his stage début at Den Nationale Scene in 1896...
on Nationaltheatret, with Johanne Dybwad
Johanne Dybwad
Johanne Dybwad was a Norwegian alpine skier who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics.She was born in Oslo.In 1936 she finished seventh in the alpine skiing combined event.-External links:* * *...
playing the role character "Anne". The play is based on Anne Pedersdotter
Anne Pedersdotter
Anne Pedersdotter was an alleged Norwegian witch. Her case was one of the most documented of the many witch trials in Norway in the 16th and 17th centuries...
, who was burned as a witch in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
in 1590. It was later performed on several Norwegian stages, in other European countries (English translation, The Witch), in America and in Asia. Anne Pedersdotter was also the basis for the Danish film Day of Wrath
Day of Wrath
Day of Wrath is a black-and-white film, made in 1943, by Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. The film is an adaptation of Anne Pedersdotter by the Norwegian playwright Hans Wiers-Jenssen, based on an actual Norwegian case in the sixteenth century.-Plot:Day of Wrath is set in a Danish village in...
from 1943, and two adaptations for opera: La fiamma (libretto by Claudio Guastalla, music by Ottorino Respighi
Ottorino Respighi
Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer, musicologist and conductor. He is best known for his orchestral "Roman trilogy": Fountains of Rome ; Pines of Rome ; and Roman Festivals...
, 1934), and Anne Pedersdotter; libretto by Hans Kristiansen, music by Edvard Fliflet Bræin
Edvard Fliflet Bræin
Edvard Fliflet Bræin was a Norwegian composer and conductor. He is best remembered for the composition Ut mot havet and the opera Anne Pedersdotter.-Personal life:...
from 1971. His comedy Jan Herwitz premiered at Nationaltheatret in 1913, and has later been very popular at the Bergen theatre Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
, with hundreds of performances over the years, visited by nearly 90,000 spectators.
Wiers-Jenssen wrote books on the theatre history of Oslo and Bergen, covering the first 25 years of Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
, and also the first 25 years of Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
.
Selected works
- Tutti-Frutti (revue, staged in 1893)
- Anne Pedersdotter (play, staged in 1908)
- Jan Herwitz. Gamle Bergensbilleder (comedy, first staged in 1913)