Thérèse Elfforss
Encyclopedia
Antoinette Thérèse Elfforss, née Öberg, (born 30 November 1823 in Stockholm
, dead 16 April 1905 in Stockholm), was a Swedish actor and theatre director. She was one of the most famous country-side actors in the 19th century, and was during the 1870s and 1880s called the most successful theatre-director of her country.
Therese Öberg was born to factory-worker Anders Öberg in Stockholm and enrolled as a student of Sophie Daguin
in the Royal Swedish Ballet
at the Royal Swedish Opera
in 1837. She debuted as an actress at the theatre Nya Teatern
in at the vaudeville Mormors dagbok (The diary of Grandmother) in the 1842-43 season, were she was called "A pleasant baith to good houses" before she started touring in the Elfforss' travelling theatre company in 1846. Her way of acting was described as witty, lively and well worked through, and she was called "The Elise Hwasser
of the country-side".
She married the actor and director of the company, Lars Erik Elfforss, and after his death in 1869, she became the director of the company, which was one of the most prestigious in Sweden. The Elfforss company toured in both Sweden and Finland, and offered both Swedish and Norwegian drama, often by Ibsen
, under the leadership of Therese. In the 1870s-1880s, she was considered the most successful theatre-director in Sweden.
In 1888 she retired as a director. She continued to work as an actor within the Lindberg troup and, from 1890, at the Stora Teatern in Gothenburg
before she retired in 1893.
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...
, dead 16 April 1905 in Stockholm), was a Swedish actor and theatre director. She was one of the most famous country-side actors in the 19th century, and was during the 1870s and 1880s called the most successful theatre-director of her country.
Therese Öberg was born to factory-worker Anders Öberg in Stockholm and enrolled as a student of Sophie Daguin
Sophie Daguin
Sophie Marguerite Daguin was a French ballet dancer and choreographer who spent her career in Sweden, where she became a star and the ballet mistress of the Royal Swedish Ballet and principal of the ballet school.- Biography :...
in the Royal Swedish Ballet
Royal Swedish Ballet
The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this field; he also founded the Royal Swedish Opera and the...
at the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in 1837. She debuted as an actress at the theatre Nya Teatern
Mindre teatern
Mindre teatern , Nya teatern , Lindeberska teatern , was a Swedish theatre at Kungsgatan in Stockholm, active 1842-1863...
in at the vaudeville Mormors dagbok (The diary of Grandmother) in the 1842-43 season, were she was called "A pleasant baith to good houses" before she started touring in the Elfforss' travelling theatre company in 1846. Her way of acting was described as witty, lively and well worked through, and she was called "The Elise Hwasser
Elise Hwasser
Ebba Charlotta Elise Hwasser, née Jakobsson, , 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....
of the country-side".
She married the actor and director of the company, Lars Erik Elfforss, and after his death in 1869, she became the director of the company, which was one of the most prestigious in Sweden. The Elfforss company toured in both Sweden and Finland, and offered both Swedish and Norwegian drama, often by 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...
, under the leadership of Therese. In the 1870s-1880s, she was considered the most successful theatre-director in Sweden.
In 1888 she retired as a director. She continued to work as an actor within the Lindberg troup and, from 1890, at the Stora Teatern in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
before she retired in 1893.