Zelma Hedin
Encyclopedia
Zelma Carolina Esolinda Hedin, née
Bergnéhr, also called Zelma Kinmansson and Zelma Bergmansson, (Stockholm
31 May 1827- Stockholm 11 February 1874), 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.
in Copenhagen
, and her cousin Laura Bergnéhr (d.1852), was an actress at Mindre teatern
1847-52. Zelma Hedin became a student at Dramatens elevskola
in 1840, debuted in 1842 and was contracted as premier actress in 1845.
She was described as beautiful, gracious and tasteful in her costume, and made her greatest triumphs in so called French salon-comedys, a popular genre where she was seen as the successor of Emilie Högquist
, and became the female lead on the Royal Dramatic Theatre in the 1850s. She also took over the part of coquette from Charlotta Almlöf
: the critics had always critizised Almlöf for being superficial, but for Hedin : "Flirtasioness seemed to me to be a profession". She was considered perfect in false, proud, cunning and plotting parts and called : "Truly Paris
ian".
As a person, she has also ben taken as an example of the infected rivalry within her profession on the royal theatre. In 1856-57, she was "without rivals", and it was said that she played the part of a "Grande Intrigante" both on and outside of the stage and exerted an influence "which was not without opposition" from her colleagues. In 1856, Elise Hwasser
was given a salary of 6.000, and Hedin was given the same after threathening to resign. As a comparission, the lead opera singer Louise Michaeli
had 8.000, and the male dramatic star actor Nils Almlöf
ad 3.000.
Among her parts where Elisabet in "Doktor Wespe" (Doctor Wespe), Georgina in "Qväkaren och dansösen" (The Quaker and the dancer) by Scribe, Richelieu in "Richelieus första vapenbragd" (The first bravery of Richelieu) by Bayard, Sofie Arnould in "Jag äter middag hos min mor" (I will be having dinner with my mother), mrs de Nohan in "Den gifte mannen i staden och på landet" (The married man in the city and in the country), and mrs Montjoye in "Montjoye" by Dalayrac; she also performed as Rosaura in "Lifvet en dröm" (Life is a dream) by Calderon, Mossamor in "Marsk Stigs döttrar" (The daughters of Marschal Stig) by Josephsson and the "burlesuqe" part of mrs Godard in "En fattig ädling" (A poor noble) by Dumanoir.
She also performed as a singer in concert
s, as in Åbo
in in Finland
in 1857.
Hedin broke her leg in 1865, and retired after the 1867-68 season. She performed as a guest artist in the 1871-72 season. In 1873, she arranged a soaré
at the theatre Södra Teatern
in Stockholm, where she performed in public for the last time.
Zelma Hedin was married in 1845 to the actor Gustaf Kinmansson. They divorce
d after mutual agreement in 1853, and after one year, during which she called herself Mrs Bergmansson, the both remarried; him with the actress Helfrid Torsslow, child of Sara Torsslow
, and she with the accountant Gustaf Hedin, brother of the actor Anders Hedin.
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...
Bergnéhr, also called Zelma Kinmansson and Zelma Bergmansson, (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...
31 May 1827- Stockholm 11 February 1874), was a Swedish stage actress, regarded as one of the greatest stars on the stage of 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....
of Stockholm during the 1840s and 1860s in the mid 19th century.
Biography and career
Zelma Hedin was born in Stockholm to Captain Lorentz August Bergnéhr and Charlotta Wilhelmina Christina Philp. Her sister, Leocadi Bergnéhr-Fossmo, became an opera star at the Royal Danish TheatreRoyal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and her cousin Laura Bergnéhr (d.1852), was an actress at Mindre teatern
Mindre teatern
Mindre teatern , Nya teatern , Lindeberska teatern , was a Swedish theatre at Kungsgatan in Stockholm, active 1842-1863...
1847-52. Zelma Hedin became a student at 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...
in 1840, debuted in 1842 and was contracted as premier actress in 1845.
She was described as beautiful, gracious and tasteful in her costume, and made her greatest triumphs in so called French salon-comedys, a popular genre where she was seen as the successor of Emilie Högquist
Emilie Högquist
Emilie Sophie Högquist was a Swedish actress and the mistress of Oscar I of Sweden. She was a star of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, the most celebrated dramatic Swedish primadonna of her time, called the Swedish Aspasia, and also famous for her love affairs...
, and became the female lead on the Royal Dramatic Theatre in the 1850s. She also took over the part of coquette from 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...
: the critics had always critizised Almlöf for being superficial, but for Hedin : "Flirtasioness seemed to me to be a profession". She was considered perfect in false, proud, cunning and plotting parts and called : "Truly Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian".
As a person, she has also ben taken as an example of the infected rivalry within her profession on the royal theatre. In 1856-57, she was "without rivals", and it was said that she played the part of a "Grande Intrigante" both on and outside of the stage and exerted an influence "which was not without opposition" from her colleagues. In 1856, 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....
was given a salary of 6.000, and Hedin was given the same after threathening to resign. As a comparission, the lead opera singer Louise Michaeli
Louise Michaëli
Louise Charlotte Helene Michaëli, née Michal, , was a Swedish opera singer.Michaëli debuted at the Royal Swedish Opera in 1849. She studied under Julius Günther at the Opera in Stockholm and under Garcia in London. In 1852-1855 she was employed at the Opera in Stockholm. She toured Scandinavia,...
had 8.000, and the male dramatic star actor Nils Almlöf
Nils Almlöf
Nils 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...
ad 3.000.
Among her parts where Elisabet in "Doktor Wespe" (Doctor Wespe), Georgina in "Qväkaren och dansösen" (The Quaker and the dancer) by Scribe, Richelieu in "Richelieus första vapenbragd" (The first bravery of Richelieu) by Bayard, Sofie Arnould in "Jag äter middag hos min mor" (I will be having dinner with my mother), mrs de Nohan in "Den gifte mannen i staden och på landet" (The married man in the city and in the country), and mrs Montjoye in "Montjoye" by Dalayrac; she also performed as Rosaura in "Lifvet en dröm" (Life is a dream) by Calderon, Mossamor in "Marsk Stigs döttrar" (The daughters of Marschal Stig) by Josephsson and the "burlesuqe" part of mrs Godard in "En fattig ädling" (A poor noble) by Dumanoir.
She also performed as a singer in concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s, as in Åbo
Abo
Abo may refer to:* ABO blood group system, a human blood type and blood group system** ABO , enzyme encoded by the ABO gene that determines the ABO blood group of an individual* Abo of Tiflis , an Arab East Orthodox Catholic saint...
in in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1857.
Hedin broke her leg in 1865, and retired after the 1867-68 season. She performed as a guest artist in the 1871-72 season. In 1873, she arranged a soaré
Soaré
Soaré is a scout music festival done once a year in April in Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic. This festival is the only of its kind in the Slovak Republic and Czech Republic. Its aim is to introduce and log the songs played at scout events and which are popular to the youth nowadays—not only folk...
at the theatre Södra Teatern
Södra Teatern
Södra Teatern is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the popular "Söder"-district , it's one of Stockholms most appreciated private theatres. Established in 1859, it's Stockholm's oldest private theatre...
in Stockholm, where she performed in public for the last time.
Zelma Hedin was married in 1845 to the actor Gustaf Kinmansson. They divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d after mutual agreement in 1853, and after one year, during which she called herself Mrs Bergmansson, the both remarried; him with the actress Helfrid Torsslow, child of Sara Torsslow
Sara Torsslow
Sara Fredrica Torsslow, née Strömstedt was a Swedish actor at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and one of the most popular and notable actors in Swedish history.- Biography :...
, and she with the accountant Gustaf Hedin, brother of the actor Anders Hedin.