Carolina Kuhlman
Encyclopedia
Ottilia Carolina Kuhlman, also Carolina Deland and Carolina Åbergsson, (1778-12 April 1866), was a Swedish actor, the leading lady on the Swedish stage during the Napoleon era in the first two decades of the 19th century.
under the care of Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
; as such, she was from this year forward active as a student-actor at the Royal Dramatic Theater, and was in 1800 made premier actress, a position she kept until 1833, only temporary interrupted in 1820-1823, when she was active in Gothenburg
, were her husband was then director. In 1829-1833, she was vice principal and instructor in declamation in Dramatens elevskola.
She played mistress- and heroine parts and later mother-parts, and was admired for her realism, her grace and her well-balansed mimic. The papers generally gave her very good critic.
Carolina Kuhlman married the dancer Louis Deland
in 1799, but they divorced in 1802, and her divorce seems to have had a certain social effect; though divorces was formally allowed in Sweden, they had been very unusual. After this celebrated actress divorced, however, they became quite common, and accepted, among actors, and her way of handling her private status after the divorce also became a trend; they were some unceirtanty which name a woman should use after a divorce, and if she should call herself "miss" or "Mrs". Carolina took her original name Kuhlman back after her divorce, but continued to call herself Mrs, and used the name "Mrs Kuhlman". This set an example followed by divorced women, and several of her female colleagues in the 19th century, such as Charlotta Eriksson
and Elisabeth Frösslind
, did the same after their divorces.
She remarried the celebrated actor Gustav Åbergsson
, "The Hamlet of Stockholm", (brother of Inga Åberg
) in 1815, also a popular actor, leading interpretator of hero- and lover-parts and famed for his beauty. Carolina and Gustav had a relationship for years before they were married. In 1811, Skjöldenbland reported, that Gustav Åbergsson had gone on a study trip to Paris
with her; "An actor of the higher comedy, mr Åbergsson, had in the company of his mistress, an excellent actress in her own right, who were later to become his wife, went to Paris to develop himself in his profession." At his return, he brought the play Cendrillon
, and demanded that the main part be given to her.
In 1819, she and her husband played the leading parts in Romeo and Juliet
, the first time this play was performed in Stockholm, though it had ben performed in Norrköping
already in 1776. The year after, Gustav Åbergsson was made director of the theater of Gothenburg
, were they remained for three years. When they returned to Stockholm and the Royal Dramatic Theater in 1823, she retook a respected place in this theatre, no in mother-parts; she was made instructor at Dramatens elevskola
, and when Åbergsson was appointed principal of this school, she was made vice principal. The both retired in 1833-1834.
in The marriage of Figaro
, the deaf and mute boy Jules in Abbe del'Épée by Bouilly, Mrs Dorsan in Den ondsinta hustrun, (The Evil Wife) Elvira in Tartuffe
. She played Ophelia
in Hamlet
with her own husband in 1819; this was the first time this play had ben performed in Stockholm. She played "a French woman " in Karavanen (The Caravane) by Gretry and Wilhelm in Musikvurmen (Music Craze) by Grenier (season 1796-97), Isabella in Den talande tavlan (The speaking painting) by Gretry (1798–99), Zemire in Panurge på lanterneön (Panurge on the lantern island) by Gretry and Cecile in Hemligheten (The Secret) by Solié
(1799–1800), Alexandrine in En fjärdedels timmes tystnad (A quarter of an hour's silence) (1809–10), Regina in De löjliga möterna (Redicoulous encounters) by Isouard (1813–14), Madame Durandiére in Världshuset i Bagniéres (The Inn at Bagnieres) (1817–18) and Barbara in Oxmenuetten (The Ox-menuette) by Haydn (1825–26).
Biography
Carolina Kuhlman was educated in singing at the royal theaters from 1791, and was 1793 accepted at Dramatens elevskolaDramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
under the care of Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons was a French stage actress, active in Sweden. She was also active as an instructor and director of the theatre school Dramatens elevskola jointly with her spouse, and as such had a great influence over the development of the Swedish theatre.-Biography and career:Anne...
; as such, she was from this year forward active as a student-actor at the Royal Dramatic Theater, and was in 1800 made premier actress, a position she kept until 1833, only temporary interrupted in 1820-1823, when she was active in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, were her husband was then director. In 1829-1833, she was vice principal and instructor in declamation in Dramatens elevskola.
She played mistress- and heroine parts and later mother-parts, and was admired for her realism, her grace and her well-balansed mimic. The papers generally gave her very good critic.
Carolina Kuhlman married the dancer Louis Deland
Louis Deland
Louis Joseph Marie Deland was a Swedish ballet dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and ballet master in the Royal Swedish Ballet...
in 1799, but they divorced in 1802, and her divorce seems to have had a certain social effect; though divorces was formally allowed in Sweden, they had been very unusual. After this celebrated actress divorced, however, they became quite common, and accepted, among actors, and her way of handling her private status after the divorce also became a trend; they were some unceirtanty which name a woman should use after a divorce, and if she should call herself "miss" or "Mrs". Carolina took her original name Kuhlman back after her divorce, but continued to call herself Mrs, and used the name "Mrs Kuhlman". This set an example followed by divorced women, and several of her female colleagues in the 19th century, such as Charlotta Eriksson
Charlotta Eriksson
Charlotta Maria Eriksson was a Swedish actress, one of the most popular and notable actors in Sweden in the first half of the 19th century. She was also a translator, an actor-instructor, a vice principal, and a painter....
and Elisabeth Frösslind
Elisabeth Frösslind
Kristina Elisabet Frösslind, also called Elise Frösslind, Kristina Elisabet Frösslind, also called Elise Frösslind, Kristina Elisabet Frösslind, also called Elise Frösslind, (27 February 1793 - 24 October 1861, was a Swedish opera singer and actor at the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Dramatic...
, did the same after their divorces.
She remarried the celebrated actor Gustav Åbergsson
Gustav Åbergsson
Gustav Fredrik Åbergsson was a Swedish stage actor, theatre director and principal of Dramatens elevskola. He belonged to the leading actors in the Swedish theatre history, called The Hamlet of Stockholm.- Biography :...
, "The Hamlet of Stockholm", (brother of Inga Åberg
Inga Åberg
Inga Åberg was a Swedish actress and opera singer, one of the most popular and well known actors of her time in Sweden...
) in 1815, also a popular actor, leading interpretator of hero- and lover-parts and famed for his beauty. Carolina and Gustav had a relationship for years before they were married. In 1811, Skjöldenbland reported, that Gustav Åbergsson had gone on a study trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with her; "An actor of the higher comedy, mr Åbergsson, had in the company of his mistress, an excellent actress in her own right, who were later to become his wife, went to Paris to develop himself in his profession." At his return, he brought the play Cendrillon
Cendrillon
Cendrillon is an opera—described as a "fairy tale"—in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Cain based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale. The scenario was conceived by Massenet and Cain at the Cavendish Hotel while they were in London for the...
, and demanded that the main part be given to her.
In 1819, she and her husband played the leading parts in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, the first time this play was performed in Stockholm, though it had ben performed in Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
already in 1776. The year after, Gustav Åbergsson was made director of the theater of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, were they remained for three years. When they returned to Stockholm and the Royal Dramatic Theater in 1823, she retook a respected place in this theatre, no in mother-parts; she was made instructor at Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
, and when Åbergsson was appointed principal of this school, she was made vice principal. The both retired in 1833-1834.
Roles
Her most known parts was Emma in Korsfararne (The Crusaders) by Koetzebue, Hildegard in Joahnna av Montfaucon by Kotzebue, CherubinChérubin
Chérubin is an opera in three acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Francis de Croisset and Henri Cain after de Croisset's play of the same name...
in The marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
, the deaf and mute boy Jules in Abbe del'Épée by Bouilly, Mrs Dorsan in Den ondsinta hustrun, (The Evil Wife) Elvira in Tartuffe
Tartuffe
Tartuffe is a comedy by Molière. It is one of his most famous plays.-History:Molière wrote Tartuffe in 1664...
. She played Ophelia
Ophelia
Ophelia is a fictional character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and potential wife of Prince Hamlet.-Plot:...
in Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
with her own husband in 1819; this was the first time this play had ben performed in Stockholm. She played "a French woman " in Karavanen (The Caravane) by Gretry and Wilhelm in Musikvurmen (Music Craze) by Grenier (season 1796-97), Isabella in Den talande tavlan (The speaking painting) by Gretry (1798–99), Zemire in Panurge på lanterneön (Panurge on the lantern island) by Gretry and Cecile in Hemligheten (The Secret) by Solié
Jean-Pierre Solié
Jean-Pierre Solié was a French cellist and operatic singer. He began as a tenor, but switched and became well-known as a baritone. He sang most often at the Paris Opéra-Comique...
(1799–1800), Alexandrine in En fjärdedels timmes tystnad (A quarter of an hour's silence) (1809–10), Regina in De löjliga möterna (Redicoulous encounters) by Isouard (1813–14), Madame Durandiére in Världshuset i Bagniéres (The Inn at Bagnieres) (1817–18) and Barbara in Oxmenuetten (The Ox-menuette) by Haydn (1825–26).