Madeleine Béjart (8 January 1618 - 17 February 1672), was a French
actress and theatre director, one of the most famous French stage
actors of the 17th-century. She was the co-founder of the Illustre
Théâtre.She belonged to the Béjart family, a famous theatre family
in 17th-century France. Madeleine was the second child of Joseph and
Marie-Herve Bejart. She debuted with her elder brother Joseph at the
Theatre du Marais and in the provinces in the late 1630s.In 1643 she
co-founded, with Molière, the Illustre Théâtre, of which she was
co-director. She was described as a skillful administrator with the
ability to avoid conflicts among the staff. She could freely choose to
perform any of the roles in the plays by Molière. She became famous
from her performances in his plays. Gradually, she chose smaller parts
and left the main parts to Mademoiselle Du Parc and her daughter
Armande Béjart. She had a relationship with Molière. In 1662
Molière married her daughter Armande. This marriage does not seem to
have ended her relationship with Molière.A contemporary, Georges de
Scudery, described her:
actress and theatre director, one of the most famous French stage
actors of the 17th-century. She was the co-founder of the Illustre
Théâtre.She belonged to the Béjart family, a famous theatre family
in 17th-century France. Madeleine was the second child of Joseph and
Marie-Herve Bejart. She debuted with her elder brother Joseph at the
Theatre du Marais and in the provinces in the late 1630s.In 1643 she
co-founded, with Molière, the Illustre Théâtre, of which she was
co-director. She was described as a skillful administrator with the
ability to avoid conflicts among the staff. She could freely choose to
perform any of the roles in the plays by Molière. She became famous
from her performances in his plays. Gradually, she chose smaller parts
and left the main parts to Mademoiselle Du Parc and her daughter
Armande Béjart. She had a relationship with Molière. In 1662
Molière married her daughter Armande. This marriage does not seem to
have ended her relationship with Molière.A contemporary, Georges de
Scudery, described her:
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