Utilia Lenkiewitz (née Utilia van Mander) (1711 â€" September 23,
1770) was a Danish actress, one of the first of her profession from
Denmark, and a member of the pioneer-troupe of the Royal Danish
Theatre.Born the child of the painter Karel van Mander, she was a part
of one of the two native theatre troupes created when public
theatrical activity became legal in Denmark in 1746, following a ban.
The organist Carl August Thielo was the first to be given a theatre
privilege, and he opened a theatre at Store Kongensgade in 1747; the
same year, Julius Henrik von Qvoten opened one which played in both
Danish and German, and Lenkiewitz is believed to have been a part of
the Qvoten-troupe. The actors from the troupes of these temporary
theatres were then employed as staff when the Royal Danish Theatre was
opened in 1748, with Thielo as director.Together with the other
members of these troupes, Lenkiewitz belonged to Denmark's first wave
of 'native' actors, and together with her female colleagues of 1747,
such as Anna Dorothea Lund and Caroline Thielo she was also her
country's first professional actress; during the 18th century, the
theatre of Copenhagen was short of actresses because of the bad
reputation of the profession; in 1753, there were only five in
employment in Denmark.She was a very versatile actor; because of the
shortage, she was given all sorts of parts and was very well used up
until her death. As she was the eldest of the actresses, she was also
given many supporting parts as elder females in plays, which were
numerous; in 1752, she was recognized for her great professionalism
and usefulness. Her colleagues admired her versatility and
concentration, and the audience loved her comical talent. She was
highly recommended for her way of identifying herself with the part,
and it was said that she became the part she played from the moment
she entered the stage until she left it.
1770) was a Danish actress, one of the first of her profession from
Denmark, and a member of the pioneer-troupe of the Royal Danish
Theatre.Born the child of the painter Karel van Mander, she was a part
of one of the two native theatre troupes created when public
theatrical activity became legal in Denmark in 1746, following a ban.
The organist Carl August Thielo was the first to be given a theatre
privilege, and he opened a theatre at Store Kongensgade in 1747; the
same year, Julius Henrik von Qvoten opened one which played in both
Danish and German, and Lenkiewitz is believed to have been a part of
the Qvoten-troupe. The actors from the troupes of these temporary
theatres were then employed as staff when the Royal Danish Theatre was
opened in 1748, with Thielo as director.Together with the other
members of these troupes, Lenkiewitz belonged to Denmark's first wave
of 'native' actors, and together with her female colleagues of 1747,
such as Anna Dorothea Lund and Caroline Thielo she was also her
country's first professional actress; during the 18th century, the
theatre of Copenhagen was short of actresses because of the bad
reputation of the profession; in 1753, there were only five in
employment in Denmark.She was a very versatile actor; because of the
shortage, she was given all sorts of parts and was very well used up
until her death. As she was the eldest of the actresses, she was also
given many supporting parts as elder females in plays, which were
numerous; in 1752, she was recognized for her great professionalism
and usefulness. Her colleagues admired her versatility and
concentration, and the audience loved her comical talent. She was
highly recommended for her way of identifying herself with the part,
and it was said that she became the part she played from the moment
she entered the stage until she left it.
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