Inga Åberg
Encyclopedia
Inga Åberg was a Swedish actress and opera singer, one of the most popular and well known actors of her time in Sweden. She was active both as an actress at the Royal Dramatic Theater, and as an opera singer at the Royal Swedish Opera
between 1787 and 1810.
, the first professional native actress in Sweden to perform on a public stage in 1737; Straas, at the time of her marriage to Anders Åberg, had been a chambermaid at the royal court before she joined the stage, and after a short career returned to the royal court with her husband, where they were both to remain employed on the royal staff to their death. This is not confirmed, however.
She and her younger brother Gustav was enrolled as students at the theatre of Bollhuset
in 1781 as children; Both Inga and her brother Gustav are described as beautiful, which was to have a great importance to both their careers. Just like many other Swedish actors of her generation, such as Maria Franck
and Lars Hjortsberg
, she trained as an actor in the troupe of the French Theatre in Bollhuset under Monvel, and performed as a student in the French troupe until 1787. She debuted at the Opera at the age of fourteen. After her performance in "Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe" (Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe), a play written by Gustav III, in verse by Kellgren and composed by Vogler the following year, she was admired by the theatrically interested king (he was also the author of the play) as having great promise. In 1787, she was also employed at the Swedish Ristell Theatre in Bollhuset, which was the year after made the Royal Dramatic Theatre.
, which is said to have been the reason to why her younger brother, the popular actor Gustav Åbergsson
, who were himself used mostly in lover-parts because of his good looks, changed his last name from Åberg to Åbergsson to avoid being connected to his notorious sister's name.
Nevertheless, she had a successful career, was recommended for "fully taking on the character of the person she plays", and was one of the few actors of her generation that was not considered to be too old by the harsh critic Livijin at the end of the first decade of the 19th century. In the capacity of a singer, she was later given the recognition of being the only native female opera singer in her generation of any note between Elisabeth Olin
, of and Jeanette Wässelius
; between the retirement of Olin in 1784 and the debut of the later in 1800, the female stars of the Swedish Opera was mainly foreigners, such as Caroline Müller (opera singer), Franziska Stading
and Sophie Stebnowska
.
were among the first named Swedish actresses to play breeches role
s when they had the two leading male parts in August and Theodor eller De bägge kammarpagerna (August and Theodor or The Two Valets), by Kexel inspired by a French theatre comedy, in the 1794-95 season. She made a success in Olof Åhlström
's Tanddoktorn (The Dentist) with Lars Hjortsberg
in 1800, and played the leading part in the opera Le calife de Bagdad by Boieldieu
with her brother Gustav Åbergsson and Jeanette Wässelius
in 1806.
In 1796, she played opposite famous singers such as Christoffer Christian Karsten
, Caroline Halle-Müller, Louis Deland
and Carl Stenborg
in the opera La caravane du Caire by Grétry, which was held to celebrate that the young king had been declared of legal majority. In 1810, she launched the opera buffa Markis Tulipano (Marquess Tulipano) by Gourbillon translated by Carl Magnus Envallsson with music by Giovanni Paisiello
, in her benefit performance at the Opera.
Among her other parts were "a spirit" in Armide by Gluck and Yngve in Frigga by Gustav III composed by Olof Åhlström (season 1786-87), Carl in Folke Birgersson till Ringstad (Folke Birgersson of Ringstad) by Kexel after a work by Monvel (1792–93), Carl Sjöcrona in Det farliga förtroendet (The dangerous trust) by Grétry (1793–94), Gustafva in De gamla friarna (The old/two suitors) by Dalayrac (1795–96), Agarenne in Panurge dans l'île des lanternes by Grétry (1799–1800), and Madame de Brillon in Monsieur Des Chalumeaux by Pierre Gaveaux
(1807–08).
in travelling theatre companies; she was a part of J.A. Lindqvists troup in 1816–1817, a troup that counted also her daughter Vendla and Henriette Widerberg
as members, and where she performed male roles in Le petit matelot by Gaveaux translated by C. Nordforss, and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (play)
, acted as a tragedienne
and always showed "a fresh and cheerful temper". In 1825, she played the part of Elizabeth Tudor in Friedrich Schiller
's Mary Stuart in the company of K.G. Bonuvier's theater in Åbo
in Finland against Finland's then prima donna Maria Silfvan
.
, one of the richest men in Sweden, placed his young teenage son Johan under her care; he found his son out of control and, for some reason, he thought Inga Åberg capable of disciplining him and making him understand the ways of the world and virtuous customs. Inga Åberg accepted the offer; she gave him large bills to pay during the time when his son was in her care, which Hall, far from opposing, instead considered as proof of the high quality care she gave his son. Exactly what Inga taught this teenager is not so much spoken of, only that "he did not learn delicacy".
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
between 1787 and 1810.
Background
Inga Åberg was born to Jonas Åberg, footman and later economy master at the royal court, and Fredrika Maria Svahn. Her father is thought to have been the son of Beata Sabina StraasBeata Sabina Straas
Beata Sabina Straas , known also as Madame Åberg following her marriage, was the first professional native actress in Sweden and a member of the first pioneer troupe in the first Swedish national theatre of 1737.-Life and career:When the first national theatre was founded in the old premises at...
, the first professional native actress in Sweden to perform on a public stage in 1737; Straas, at the time of her marriage to Anders Åberg, had been a chambermaid at the royal court before she joined the stage, and after a short career returned to the royal court with her husband, where they were both to remain employed on the royal staff to their death. This is not confirmed, however.
She and her younger brother Gustav was enrolled as students at the theatre of Bollhuset
Bollhuset
Bollhuset, also called ', ', and ' at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater building in the whole of Scandinavia. The name "" means "The Ball House", and it was built in 1627 for ball sports and used in...
in 1781 as children; Both Inga and her brother Gustav are described as beautiful, which was to have a great importance to both their careers. Just like many other Swedish actors of her generation, such as Maria Franck
Maria Franck
Maria Kristina Franck, later Ruckman, , was a Swedish actor, also known as Kristina Ruckman, who later also became principal of the theatre school Dramatens elevskola...
and Lars Hjortsberg
Lars Hjortsberg
Lars Hjortsberg was a Swedish actor. He is often called the greatest male actor in his country in the 19th century; he and Emilie Högquist are the best known Swedish actors from the first half of that century.- Biography :...
, she trained as an actor in the troupe of the French Theatre in Bollhuset under Monvel, and performed as a student in the French troupe until 1787. She debuted at the Opera at the age of fourteen. After her performance in "Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe" (Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe), a play written by Gustav III, in verse by Kellgren and composed by Vogler the following year, she was admired by the theatrically interested king (he was also the author of the play) as having great promise. In 1787, she was also employed at the Swedish Ristell Theatre in Bollhuset, which was the year after made the Royal Dramatic Theatre.
Estimation
She performed a variety of parts in both theatre and opera and was famed for her grace, her voice and her "seductive pleasantness"; many critics also mentions her "livelyness and finess". Her beauty attracted a lot of attention, but was also considered to have a negative effect on her career; it was estimated that, although she did have natural talent, she neglected to develop it because she had been told that her beauty was enough, and that it was not necessary to develop herself, and her talent therefore remained undeveloped and "raw"; a contemporary judgement of her ability was that she "would have been a great singer and an excellent actress, if her unusual beauty had not been an obstacle for her education as an artist and she had been led to see this as a source for income, richer but in the long term not more secure than Art". She was used much as an ornament on stage, and was later made out to be a bad example for aspiring female actors. She was widely regarded as a courtesanCourtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
, which is said to have been the reason to why her younger brother, the popular 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 :...
, who were himself used mostly in lover-parts because of his good looks, changed his last name from Åberg to Åbergsson to avoid being connected to his notorious sister's name.
Nevertheless, she had a successful career, was recommended for "fully taking on the character of the person she plays", and was one of the few actors of her generation that was not considered to be too old by the harsh critic Livijin at the end of the first decade of the 19th century. In the capacity of a singer, she was later given the recognition of being the only native female opera singer in her generation of any note between Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin was a Swedish opera singer and a music composer. She is referred to as the first Swedish Opera prima donna. She was a court-singer . She was the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music...
, of and Jeanette Wässelius
Jeanette Wässelius
Marie Jeanette Wässelius, commonly known as Wässelia or Mamsell Wässelia, , was a Swedish opera singer, court singer and actress, the leading prima donna of the Swedish Opera during the Napoleonic age in the first decades of the 19th century and sister of the international opera star Justina Casagli...
; between the retirement of Olin in 1784 and the debut of the later in 1800, the female stars of the Swedish Opera was mainly foreigners, such as Caroline Müller (opera singer), Franziska Stading
Franziska Stading
Sofia "Franziska" Stading was a opera singer and actor; originally from Germany, she became one of the most popular stars in Sweden in the 18th century...
and Sophie Stebnowska
Sophie Stebnowska
Mariane Theresia Sophie Stebnowska , was a Polish opera singer, actor and harpist. She was among the great talents of the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden...
.
Repertoire
She and Euphrosyne LöfEuphrosyne Löf
Euphrosyne Löf was a Swedish ballet dancer and stage actress, best known for her affair with Prince Frederick Adolf of Sweden from 1797 to 1801, after his relationship with Sophie Hagman - Euphrosyne acted as his hostess at Tullgarn....
were among the first named Swedish actresses to play breeches role
Breeches role
A breeches role is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing .In opera it also refers to any male character that is sung and acted by a female singer...
s when they had the two leading male parts in August and Theodor eller De bägge kammarpagerna (August and Theodor or The Two Valets), by Kexel inspired by a French theatre comedy, in the 1794-95 season. She made a success in Olof Åhlström
Olof Åhlström
Olof Åhlström was a Swedish civil servant, composer and music publisher.Åhlström was born in a peasant family in Vårdinge parish in Södermanland. He received early musical lessons from the parish organist but left his home at the age of sixteen to enroll in the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm...
's Tanddoktorn (The Dentist) with Lars Hjortsberg
Lars Hjortsberg
Lars Hjortsberg was a Swedish actor. He is often called the greatest male actor in his country in the 19th century; he and Emilie Högquist are the best known Swedish actors from the first half of that century.- Biography :...
in 1800, and played the leading part in the opera Le calife de Bagdad by Boieldieu
François-Adrien Boïeldieu
François-Adrien Boieldieu was a French composer, mainly of operas, often called "the French Mozart".-Biography:...
with her brother Gustav Åbergsson and Jeanette Wässelius
Jeanette Wässelius
Marie Jeanette Wässelius, commonly known as Wässelia or Mamsell Wässelia, , was a Swedish opera singer, court singer and actress, the leading prima donna of the Swedish Opera during the Napoleonic age in the first decades of the 19th century and sister of the international opera star Justina Casagli...
in 1806.
In 1796, she played opposite famous singers such as Christoffer Christian Karsten
Christoffer Christian Karsten
Christoffer Christian Karsten was a Swedish opera singer, sometimes called the greatest male opera singer in Swedish history...
, Caroline Halle-Müller, Louis Deland
Louis Deland
Louis Joseph Marie Deland was a Swedish ballet dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and ballet master in the Royal Swedish Ballet...
and Carl Stenborg
Carl Stenborg
Carl Stenborg was a Swedish opera singer, actor, composer and theatre director. He is considered the first great male opera singer in Sweden and one of the pioneers of the Royal Swedish Opera.- Biography :...
in the opera La caravane du Caire by Grétry, which was held to celebrate that the young king had been declared of legal majority. In 1810, she launched the opera buffa Markis Tulipano (Marquess Tulipano) by Gourbillon translated by Carl Magnus Envallsson with music by Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello was an Italian composer of the Classical era.-Life:Paisiello was born at Taranto and educated by the Jesuits there. He became known for his beautiful singing voice and in 1754 was sent to the Conservatorio di S. Onofrio at Naples, where he studied under Francesco Durante, and...
, in her benefit performance at the Opera.
Among her other parts were "a spirit" in Armide by Gluck and Yngve in Frigga by Gustav III composed by Olof Åhlström (season 1786-87), Carl in Folke Birgersson till Ringstad (Folke Birgersson of Ringstad) by Kexel after a work by Monvel (1792–93), Carl Sjöcrona in Det farliga förtroendet (The dangerous trust) by Grétry (1793–94), Gustafva in De gamla friarna (The old/two suitors) by Dalayrac (1795–96), Agarenne in Panurge dans l'île des lanternes by Grétry (1799–1800), and Madame de Brillon in Monsieur Des Chalumeaux by Pierre Gaveaux
Pierre Gaveaux
Pierre Gaveaux was a French operatic tenor and composer, notable for creating the role of Jason in Cherubini's Médée and for composing the first operatic version of the story that later found fame as Fidelio....
(1807–08).
Later life
She resigned from the Royal Dramatic Theater and the Royal Swedish Opera in 1810, and then toured both Sweden and FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in travelling theatre companies; she was a part of J.A. Lindqvists troup in 1816–1817, a troup that counted also her daughter Vendla and Henriette Widerberg
Henriette Widerberg
Henriette Sophie Widerberg was a Swedish opera singer , actor and memoirist. The most famed singer on the Swedish stage of her time, she was counted as the most popular singer in Sweden during the 1810s and 1830s...
as members, and where she performed male roles in Le petit matelot by Gaveaux translated by C. Nordforss, and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (play)
The Marriage of Figaro (play)
The Marriage of Figaro ) is a comedy in five acts, written in 1778 by Pierre Beaumarchais. This play is the second installment in the Figaro Trilogy, preceded by The Barber of Seville and followed by The Guilty Mother. The Barber begins the story with a simple love triangle in which the Count has...
, acted as a tragedienne
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
and always showed "a fresh and cheerful temper". In 1825, she played the part of Elizabeth Tudor in Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
's Mary Stuart in the company of K.G. Bonuvier's theater in Åbo
Abo
Abo may refer to:* ABO blood group system, a human blood type and blood group system** ABO , enzyme encoded by the ABO gene that determines the ABO blood group of an individual* Abo of Tiflis , an Arab East Orthodox Catholic saint...
in Finland against Finland's then prima donna Maria Silfvan
Maria Silfvan
Maria Elisabeth Silfvan, as married Lempke and then Westerlund, in Swedish called Maria Sylvan, , was a Finnish actor, among the first professional native actors in Finland.- Biography :...
.
Anecdote
A well-known incident in her life was when the millionaire Hall from GothenburgGothenburg
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...
, one of the richest men in Sweden, placed his young teenage son Johan under her care; he found his son out of control and, for some reason, he thought Inga Åberg capable of disciplining him and making him understand the ways of the world and virtuous customs. Inga Åberg accepted the offer; she gave him large bills to pay during the time when his son was in her care, which Hall, far from opposing, instead considered as proof of the high quality care she gave his son. Exactly what Inga taught this teenager is not so much spoken of, only that "he did not learn delicacy".