Johanne Luise Heiberg (Danish pronunciation: [joˈhænˀə luˈiË sÉ™
ˈhÉ'jËŒpÉ›É Ì¯Ë€]; née Pätges; 22 November 1812 â€" 21 December
1890) was a Danish actress of the 19th century. She is most famous for
her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, where she achieved great
success. Though she was closely connected to the romantic tradition,
Heiberg is still regarded as a key figure of Danish drama. She
contributed to the growing public social and moral perception of
Danish actors as artists and cultural personalities rather than simply
performers. Heiberg was second youngest of nine children born to
German emigrants. Her father Christian Heinrich Pätges was Roman
Catholic, her mother Henriette (née Hartwig or Hirschborn) was
Jewish. She showed artistic gifts very early and entered ballet school
in 1820. With the help of patrons she was promoted to the rank of an
actress and made a successful debut in 1827. From then on she was
considered a leading actress of Danish theatre.In 1831 she married the
much older critic and dramatist Johan Ludvig Heiberg (1791â€"1860).
The marriage raised her position. The Heibergs became a Copenhagen
concept and their home was a cultural centre. In return the dual
position of Heiberg as the leading lady of the theatre married to its
main playwright also aroused much jealousy and accusations of
favouritism. Her husband's time as the director of the Royal Theatre
1849-56 ended in an open conflict with her colleagues, and for a short
period she even left the theatre. The death of her husband in 1860 and
her age caused her retirement as an actress 1864 though she worked as
a stage director until 1874.Heiberg played about 275 roles. Her exotic
beauty combined with culture and elegance secured her position. Among
her roles were Shakespeare characters including Viola in Twelfth Night
and especially in French comedies and dramas. In Danish dramas she
appeared in Holberg's and Oehlenschläger's plays, and especially in
her husband's dramas; notably in Elves' Hill (Elverhøi) was a
classic. Her strength was intelligence, controlled passion and wit,
but she did not show the same talent for tragedy. She especially
inspired Henrik Hertz (1797â€"1870) to write many of his main female
roles for her. She also wrote some few vaudeville acts herself; the
most popular being “A Sunday at Amager†(En Søndag paa Amager).
ˈhÉ'jËŒpÉ›É Ì¯Ë€]; née Pätges; 22 November 1812 â€" 21 December
1890) was a Danish actress of the 19th century. She is most famous for
her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, where she achieved great
success. Though she was closely connected to the romantic tradition,
Heiberg is still regarded as a key figure of Danish drama. She
contributed to the growing public social and moral perception of
Danish actors as artists and cultural personalities rather than simply
performers. Heiberg was second youngest of nine children born to
German emigrants. Her father Christian Heinrich Pätges was Roman
Catholic, her mother Henriette (née Hartwig or Hirschborn) was
Jewish. She showed artistic gifts very early and entered ballet school
in 1820. With the help of patrons she was promoted to the rank of an
actress and made a successful debut in 1827. From then on she was
considered a leading actress of Danish theatre.In 1831 she married the
much older critic and dramatist Johan Ludvig Heiberg (1791â€"1860).
The marriage raised her position. The Heibergs became a Copenhagen
concept and their home was a cultural centre. In return the dual
position of Heiberg as the leading lady of the theatre married to its
main playwright also aroused much jealousy and accusations of
favouritism. Her husband's time as the director of the Royal Theatre
1849-56 ended in an open conflict with her colleagues, and for a short
period she even left the theatre. The death of her husband in 1860 and
her age caused her retirement as an actress 1864 though she worked as
a stage director until 1874.Heiberg played about 275 roles. Her exotic
beauty combined with culture and elegance secured her position. Among
her roles were Shakespeare characters including Viola in Twelfth Night
and especially in French comedies and dramas. In Danish dramas she
appeared in Holberg's and Oehlenschläger's plays, and especially in
her husband's dramas; notably in Elves' Hill (Elverhøi) was a
classic. Her strength was intelligence, controlled passion and wit,
but she did not show the same talent for tragedy. She especially
inspired Henrik Hertz (1797â€"1870) to write many of his main female
roles for her. She also wrote some few vaudeville acts herself; the
most popular being “A Sunday at Amager†(En Søndag paa Amager).
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