Gertrude Barrison, birth name Gertrud Bareisen, (1880â€"1946) was a
Danish-born singer, dancer and risqué cabaret performer who emigrated
to the United States with her family as a child. In the late 1890s,
she gained considerable success performing with her four older sisters
Lona, Sophia, Inger and Olga, initially in the United States, but
later in European cities including Paris, Berlin and Budapest.
Together they were known as the Five Sisters Barrison. After they
separated, Gertrude continued her career as a dancer and dance teacher
based in Vienna. She married the Austrian singer and artist Carl
Hollitzer with whom she performed at the city's Nachtlicht and
Fledermaus cabarets. They divorced without children in 1910. Barrison
continued teaching and presenting solo performances in Europe,
eventually moving to Copenhagen in later life.Born on 5 February 1880
in the Valby district of Copenhagen, Gertrud Bareisen was the daughter
of Erika Vilhelmine Petrea Bareisen née Corvinius (1851â€"1905) and
Niels Adolph Hansenius Bareisen (born 1849). In 1886, she emigrated
with her parents and sisters to the United States where she was raised
in New York. While still a child, she appeared with her sisters on the
stage, in particular dancing a gavotte at the German-language Amberg
Theatre, a performance which received wide acclaim. When she was nine,
she played Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Daly's Theatre.She first
appeared as one of "The Five Sisters Barrison" in Chicago in
connection with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Over the next
four years, she appeared with her sisters in the cabarets and music
halls of Europe and North America, including the Casino de Paris and
the Folies Bergère. They also toured the French provinces and
appeared in Brussels at the Palais d'Éte immediately before the fire
of 11 June 1894. Their next destination was Berlin where they
entertained full houses at the Wintergarten for the next eight months.
After performing in Lübeck, they appeared in London and again in
Paris and Berlin as well as in Budapest before returning to New York.
The group finally broke up in 1997.For a time, she then appeared
together with her sister Inger, performing for the first time in
Moscow. When the two decided to go their own ways, Gertrude settled in
Dresden where she studied painting at the art academy. Two years
later, she moved to Vienna where she once again returned to the stage,
this time as "Miss Gertrude" at the Nachtlicht night club as a solo
dancer. Her dances included the gavotte she had learnt as a child at
the Amberg in New York. In the Nachtlicht, she met the Swedish singer
Anna Norrie (1860â€"1957) who invited her to join her in performances
at the Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen. She had hoped to appear
incognito but was recognized by a journalist as a former member of the
Five Sisters Barrison. As a result, she then appeared simply as
Gertrude Barrison. Now dancing Mozart minuets or Strauss's Kathinka
polka, she toured Germany's major variety theatres in Berlin, Hamburg,
Düsseldorf and Hanover. Thereafter she established a dance school in
Vienna. She continued to teach and contribute to modern dance in
Vienna until the 1920s.
Danish-born singer, dancer and risqué cabaret performer who emigrated
to the United States with her family as a child. In the late 1890s,
she gained considerable success performing with her four older sisters
Lona, Sophia, Inger and Olga, initially in the United States, but
later in European cities including Paris, Berlin and Budapest.
Together they were known as the Five Sisters Barrison. After they
separated, Gertrude continued her career as a dancer and dance teacher
based in Vienna. She married the Austrian singer and artist Carl
Hollitzer with whom she performed at the city's Nachtlicht and
Fledermaus cabarets. They divorced without children in 1910. Barrison
continued teaching and presenting solo performances in Europe,
eventually moving to Copenhagen in later life.Born on 5 February 1880
in the Valby district of Copenhagen, Gertrud Bareisen was the daughter
of Erika Vilhelmine Petrea Bareisen née Corvinius (1851â€"1905) and
Niels Adolph Hansenius Bareisen (born 1849). In 1886, she emigrated
with her parents and sisters to the United States where she was raised
in New York. While still a child, she appeared with her sisters on the
stage, in particular dancing a gavotte at the German-language Amberg
Theatre, a performance which received wide acclaim. When she was nine,
she played Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Daly's Theatre.She first
appeared as one of "The Five Sisters Barrison" in Chicago in
connection with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Over the next
four years, she appeared with her sisters in the cabarets and music
halls of Europe and North America, including the Casino de Paris and
the Folies Bergère. They also toured the French provinces and
appeared in Brussels at the Palais d'Éte immediately before the fire
of 11 June 1894. Their next destination was Berlin where they
entertained full houses at the Wintergarten for the next eight months.
After performing in Lübeck, they appeared in London and again in
Paris and Berlin as well as in Budapest before returning to New York.
The group finally broke up in 1997.For a time, she then appeared
together with her sister Inger, performing for the first time in
Moscow. When the two decided to go their own ways, Gertrude settled in
Dresden where she studied painting at the art academy. Two years
later, she moved to Vienna where she once again returned to the stage,
this time as "Miss Gertrude" at the Nachtlicht night club as a solo
dancer. Her dances included the gavotte she had learnt as a child at
the Amberg in New York. In the Nachtlicht, she met the Swedish singer
Anna Norrie (1860â€"1957) who invited her to join her in performances
at the Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen. She had hoped to appear
incognito but was recognized by a journalist as a former member of the
Five Sisters Barrison. As a result, she then appeared simply as
Gertrude Barrison. Now dancing Mozart minuets or Strauss's Kathinka
polka, she toured Germany's major variety theatres in Berlin, Hamburg,
Düsseldorf and Hanover. Thereafter she established a dance school in
Vienna. She continued to teach and contribute to modern dance in
Vienna until the 1920s.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.