Johanne Dybwad (actor)
Encyclopedia
Johanne Dybwad was a Norwegian stage actress and stage producer. She was the leading actress in Norwegian theatre for half a century.
as the daughter of actor Mathias Juell (1835–1894) and actress Johanne Regine Elvig (1847–1882). Both her parents were acting for the Christiania Theatre
. Her mother was the first Norwegian to play "Nora" in Ibsen
's A Doll's House
, in 1880. Her mother died in 1882, only 34 years old, and Johanne grew up with her aunt in Bergen
. Her foster parents wanted to keep her away from the theatre, but she wanted to become an actress.
She was married to barrister and song writer Vilhelm Dybwad
from 1891 to 1916.
in Bergen 7 November 1887, in the comedy play Gertrude eller den lille skat. Her next role was "Nora" in A Doll's House. She had her breakthrough as "Fanchon" in Birch-Pfeiffer
's play En liden Hex, first in Bergen, and later at Christiania Theatre
in 1888. The scene when she danced in the moonshine, with her own shadow, fascinated the public, and theatre director and critic Gunnar Heiberg
described the scene as "a big artist was born". She continued to play at Christiania Theatre
, from 1888 to 1899. She joined theatre director Bjørn Bjørnson
at the National Theatre
from its opening in 1899, and played here most of her career. During her time at Christiania Theatre she played 76 roles, including "Hedvig" in The Wild Duck
(1889), "Nora" in A Doll's House (1890), and "Juliet" in Romeo and Juliet
(1899). At Nationaltheatret she played roles such as "Klara Sang" in Over Ævne I (1899), "Maja" in When We Dead Awaken
and "Gerd" in Brand
. She also toured with the theatre, to Copenhagen in 1903, to Berlin in 1907, and to Paris in 1937.
's Pelléas and Mélisande
. She would later produce more than forty plays, often playing the leading role herself. Among her productions were Euripides
' classical tragedy Medea
(1918), Nordahl Grieg's Barabbas (1927), and Schiller
's Mary Stuart (1929).
, and she was honoured with the Grand Cross
of St. Olav. Her last stage appearance was one month later, 8 December 1947. She died 4 March 1950 in Oslo, 82 years old. In 1962 a bronze statue of her was revealed at the front of the National Theatre in Oslo, sculpured by Per Ung
. She was the first Norwegian actor to be portrayed on a stamp, in 1967. The area in front of the National Theatre, Johanne Dybwads plass, is named after her, and the theatre's address is "Johanne Dybwads plass 1".
Early and personal life
Johanne was born in ChristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
as the daughter of actor Mathias Juell (1835–1894) and actress Johanne Regine Elvig (1847–1882). Both her parents were acting for 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...
. Her mother was the first Norwegian to play "Nora" in Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
, in 1880. Her mother died in 1882, only 34 years old, and Johanne grew up with her aunt 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 , ....
. Her foster parents wanted to keep her away from the theatre, but she wanted to become an actress.
She was married to barrister and song writer Vilhelm Dybwad
Vilhelm Dybwad
Vilhelm Dybwad was a Norwegian barrister and writer. He wrote comedies, revues and songs. In his later years he wrote several memoir books from his life as a lawyer. Dybwad was born in Christiania as the son of bookseller Jacob Dybwad and Anne Margrethe Grøntvedt Aabel. He was married to actress...
from 1891 to 1916.
Career
Actress
Johanne made her debut at Den Nationale SceneDen 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 7 November 1887, in the comedy play Gertrude eller den lille skat. Her next role was "Nora" in A Doll's House. She had her breakthrough as "Fanchon" in Birch-Pfeiffer
Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer
Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer was a German actress and writer.She was the daughter of an estate agent named Pfeiffer. She received her early training at the Munich court theatre, and in 1818 began to play leading tragic roles at various theatres...
's play En liden Hex, first in Bergen, and later at 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...
in 1888. The scene when she danced in the moonshine, with her own shadow, fascinated the public, and theatre director and critic Gunnar Heiberg
Gunnar Heiberg
Gunnar Edvard Rode Heiberg was a Norwegian poet, playwright, journalist and theatre critic.-Personal life:...
described the scene as "a big artist was born". She continued to play at 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 1888 to 1899. She joined theatre director Bjørn Bjørnson
Bjørn Bjørnson
Bjørn Bjørnson was a Norwegian stage actor and theatre director.-Biography:He was born in Kristiania, the son of author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife Karoline Bjørnson. In 1876, he was admitted as a student at the Stern Conservatory operated by Julius Stern in Berlin, Germany...
at the National Theatre
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...
from its opening in 1899, and played here most of her career. During her time at Christiania Theatre she played 76 roles, including "Hedvig" in The Wild Duck
The Wild Duck
The Wild Duck is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.-Plot:The first act opens with a dinner party hosted by Håkon Werle, a wealthy merchant and industrialist. The gathering is attended by his son, Gregers Werle, who has just returned to his father's home following a self-imposed...
(1889), "Nora" in A Doll's House (1890), and "Juliet" in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
(1899). At Nationaltheatret she played roles such as "Klara Sang" in Over Ævne I (1899), "Maja" in When We Dead Awaken
When We Dead Awaken
When We Dead Awaken is the last play written by Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Published in December 1899, Ibsen wrote the play between February and November of that year. The first performance was at the Haymarket Theatre in London, a day or two before publication.-Plot summary:The first act...
and "Gerd" in Brand
Brand (play)
Brand is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is a verse tragedy, written in 1865 and first performed in Stockholm on 24 March 1867. Brand was an intellectual play that provoked much original thought....
. She also toured with the theatre, to Copenhagen in 1903, to Berlin in 1907, and to Paris in 1937.
Stage producer
In 1906 she produced her first play, MaeterlinckMaurice Maeterlinck
Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck, also called Comte Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who wrote in French. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911. The main themes in his work are death and the meaning of life...
's Pelléas and Mélisande
Pelléas and Mélisande
Pelléas and Mélisande is a Symbolist play by Maurice Maeterlinck about the forbidden, doomed love of the title characters. It was first performed in 1893....
. She would later produce more than forty plays, often playing the leading role herself. Among her productions were Euripides
Euripides
Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
' classical tragedy Medea
Medea (play)
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the barbarian protagonist as she finds her position in the Greek world threatened, and the revenge she takes against her husband Jason who has betrayed...
(1918), Nordahl Grieg's Barabbas (1927), and Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
's Mary Stuart (1929).
Honours
Johanne Dybwad was awarded Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1924. At her 60 years' anniversary as actress, 7 November 1947, she played "Mor Aase" in Ibsen's Peer GyntPeer Gynt
Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
, and she was honoured with the Grand Cross
Grand Cross
The phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of St. Olav. Her last stage appearance was one month later, 8 December 1947. She died 4 March 1950 in Oslo, 82 years old. In 1962 a bronze statue of her was revealed at the front of the National Theatre in Oslo, sculpured by Per Ung
Per Ung
Per Ung is a Norwegian sculptor. His first large public commission was the bronze statue of actress Johanne Dybwad, located on Johanne Dybwads plass outside the National Theatre in Oslo. His monument of figure skater Sonja Henie is located at Frogner stadion. His statue of Fridtjof Nansen is...
. She was the first Norwegian actor to be portrayed on a stamp, in 1967. The area in front of the National Theatre, Johanne Dybwads plass, is named after her, and the theatre's address is "Johanne Dybwads plass 1".
Biography
- Kristian Elster, Jr.: Skuespillerinden Johanne Dybwad. Til belysning av realismen i skuespillkunsten (1931)
- Axel Otto NormannAxel Otto NormannAxel Otto Normann was a Norwegian journalist, newspaper editor, theatre critic and theatre director.He was born in Fredrikstad as the son of a wholesaler. He finished his secondary education in 1901, and studied philology at the University of Kristiania and for half a year at Sorbonne University,...
: Johanne Dybwad. Liv og kunst (1937) - C. R. Waal: Johanne Dybwad. Norwegian Actress (1967)