Gerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈjÃ¦Ì‚Ë É–a
ˈlɵ̂nË dɛˌkvɪst] (listen); 14 February 1871 â€" 23 October 1959)
was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in
her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah
Bernhardt".Lundequist was considered one of Scandinavia's leading
tragediennes and dramatic stage actresses, and she originated many
leading female parts in plays by Ibsen and Strindberg. She had a
60-year-long career as a professional actress (with debut 1889) before
she made her last performance in 1949 as Julia Hylténius in the
successful staging of the comedy The Barons Will by Hjalmar Bergman.
She studied at The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school 1886-1889
and in 1891 appeared as Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, a performance that
established Lundequist's reputation. In 1890, she originated the role
of Anne-Marie in Ibsen's A Doll's House and in 1897 the role of Ella
Rentheim in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman.Notable performances by
Lundequist include the title role in Schiller's Maria Stuart (1910),
Goneril in Shakespeare's King Lear (1908), Béline in Molière's The
Imaginary Invalid (1897), the title role in Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna
(at the Swedish Theatre 1912), the title role in Hjalmar Söderberg's
Gertrud (1907; original staging), Tora in Paul Lange and Tora Parsberg
by Bjørnson (1922), Mrs Alving in Ibsen's Ghosts (1938) and Mrs.
Dowey in The Old Lady Shows Her Medals by J.M. Barrie (1940). In 1923,
she also staged and directed Eugene O'Neill's play Anna Christie at
Helsingborg City Theatre, as one of Sweden's first female stage
directors.Lundequist was an outspoken feminist and fighter for women's
emancipation in her field, and was a regular lecturer as well as an
elected member of the school council at Fogelstad School for Women (a
school run by the influential Fogelstad-group that included feminist
writer Elin Wägner).
ˈlɵ̂nË dɛˌkvɪst] (listen); 14 February 1871 â€" 23 October 1959)
was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in
her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah
Bernhardt".Lundequist was considered one of Scandinavia's leading
tragediennes and dramatic stage actresses, and she originated many
leading female parts in plays by Ibsen and Strindberg. She had a
60-year-long career as a professional actress (with debut 1889) before
she made her last performance in 1949 as Julia Hylténius in the
successful staging of the comedy The Barons Will by Hjalmar Bergman.
She studied at The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school 1886-1889
and in 1891 appeared as Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, a performance that
established Lundequist's reputation. In 1890, she originated the role
of Anne-Marie in Ibsen's A Doll's House and in 1897 the role of Ella
Rentheim in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman.Notable performances by
Lundequist include the title role in Schiller's Maria Stuart (1910),
Goneril in Shakespeare's King Lear (1908), Béline in Molière's The
Imaginary Invalid (1897), the title role in Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna
(at the Swedish Theatre 1912), the title role in Hjalmar Söderberg's
Gertrud (1907; original staging), Tora in Paul Lange and Tora Parsberg
by Bjørnson (1922), Mrs Alving in Ibsen's Ghosts (1938) and Mrs.
Dowey in The Old Lady Shows Her Medals by J.M. Barrie (1940). In 1923,
she also staged and directed Eugene O'Neill's play Anna Christie at
Helsingborg City Theatre, as one of Sweden's first female stage
directors.Lundequist was an outspoken feminist and fighter for women's
emancipation in her field, and was a regular lecturer as well as an
elected member of the school council at Fogelstad School for Women (a
school run by the influential Fogelstad-group that included feminist
writer Elin Wägner).
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