Johanne Luise Heiberg
Encyclopedia
Johanne Luise Heiberg (22 November 1812 – 21 December 1890) was one of the greatest Danish
actresses
of the 19th century. She is most famous for her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen
, where she achieved great success.
she originally belonged to a poor milieu. She was the daughter of a stallholder and innkeeper and of his Jewish wife, very early she showed artistic gifts and entered the ballet school 1820. By the help of patrons she was promoted to the rank of an actress and made a successful debut 1827. From then she for more than thirty years appeared the absolutely leading actress of Danish theatre.
, a marriage that raised her position even further and just made her known as “Mrs. Heiberg”. “The Heibergs” became a Copenhagen concept and their home was a cultural centre. In return the dual position of the Heibergs as the leading lady of the theatre married to its main playwright also aroused much jealousy
and accusations of favouring. Her great popularity within the public did not prevent her of getting opponents and her sometimes aggressive and arrogant one-sidedness (revealed in her autobiography) must be blamed for some of this. 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 1860 and her age caused her retirement as an actress 1864 — still at her height — though she worked as a stage director until 1874.
Mrs. Heiberg played about 275 roles. Her exotic beauty combined with culture and elegance secured her position though she was not the only talented Danish actress of her age. Among her roles must be mentioned some Shakespeare characters (Viola in Twelfth Night) and especially in French comedies and dramas. In Danish dramas she shined in Holberg
’s and Oehlenschlägers plays and especially in her husband’s dramas, her performance in Elves' Hill
was a classic. Her strength was intelligence, controlled passion and wit but she did not show the same talent for the tragedy. To a whole generation of Danish dramatists she was the muse and especially she inspired Henrik Hertz
to write many of his main female roles for her. She also wrote some few (not especially important) vaudeville acts herself; the most popular is En Søndag paa Amager (“A Sunday at Amager”, 1845).
. Her autobiography
, Et Liv gjenoplevet i Erindringen ("A Life Relived in Memory", ed. 1891-92) is a major literary work from the Danish Golden Age. It has often been criticised for its subjective descriptions but is still regarded a pioneering work because of its interest of the process of acting.
Though she was closely connected to the romantic tradition Mrs. Heiberg is still regarded a key figure of Danish drama, like for instance Sarah Siddons
in England. Beyond any doubt she contributed to the rise of the public social and moral opinion of Danish actors as play-actors to artists and cultural personalities.
Her image is currently featured on the front of the Danish 200-krone banknote
.
The drama Rain Snakes (Från regnormarnas liv, 1981) by the Swedish author Per-Olov Enquist fictitiously deals with the relationship between Mrs. Heiberg and Hans Christian Andersen.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
actresses
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
of the 19th century. She is most famous for her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, where she achieved great success.
Early life
Like Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
she originally belonged to a poor milieu. She was the daughter of a stallholder and innkeeper and of his Jewish wife, very early she showed artistic gifts and entered the ballet school 1820. By the help of patrons she was promoted to the rank of an actress and made a successful debut 1827. From then she for more than thirty years appeared the absolutely leading actress of Danish theatre.
Career
In 1831 she married the famous and much older critic and dramatist Johan Ludvig HeibergJohan Ludvig Heiberg (poet)
Johan Ludvig Heiberg , Danish poet and critic, son of the political writer Peter Andreas Heiberg , and of the novelist, afterwards the Baroness Gyllembourg-Ehrensvärd, was born in Copenhagen....
, a marriage that raised her position even further and just made her known as “Mrs. Heiberg”. “The Heibergs” became a Copenhagen concept and their home was a cultural centre. In return the dual position of the Heibergs as the leading lady of the theatre married to its main playwright also aroused much jealousy
Jealousy
Jealousy is a second emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions...
and accusations of favouring. Her great popularity within the public did not prevent her of getting opponents and her sometimes aggressive and arrogant one-sidedness (revealed in her autobiography) must be blamed for some of this. 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 1860 and her age caused her retirement as an actress 1864 — still at her height — though she worked as a stage director until 1874.
Mrs. Heiberg played about 275 roles. Her exotic beauty combined with culture and elegance secured her position though she was not the only talented Danish actress of her age. Among her roles must be mentioned some Shakespeare characters (Viola in Twelfth Night) and especially in French comedies and dramas. In Danish dramas she shined in Holberg
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
’s and Oehlenschlägers plays and especially in her husband’s dramas, her performance in Elves' Hill
Elves' Hill
Elves' Hill is a comedy by Johan Ludvig Heiberg, with overture and incidental music by Friedrich Kuhlau , which is considered the first Danish national play....
was a classic. Her strength was intelligence, controlled passion and wit but she did not show the same talent for the tragedy. To a whole generation of Danish dramatists she was the muse and especially she inspired Henrik Hertz
Henrik Hertz
Henrik Hertz , Danish poet, was born of Jewish parents in Copenhagen.In 1817 he was sent to the university. His father died in his infancy, and the family property was destroyed in the bombardment of 1807. The boy was brought up by his relative, ML Nathanson, a well-known newspaper editor.Young...
to write many of his main female roles for her. She also wrote some few (not especially important) vaudeville acts herself; the most popular is En Søndag paa Amager (“A Sunday at Amager”, 1845).
Legacy
Soren Kierkegaard wrote a tribute to her in 1847, The Crisis and a Crisis in the Life of an ActressThe Crisis and a Crisis in the Life of an Actress
The Crisis and a Crisis in the Life of an Actress was a series of articles written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard in 1847 and published in the Danish newspaper Fædrelandet in 1848 under the pseudonym Inter et Inter....
. Her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Et Liv gjenoplevet i Erindringen ("A Life Relived in Memory", ed. 1891-92) is a major literary work from the Danish Golden Age. It has often been criticised for its subjective descriptions but is still regarded a pioneering work because of its interest of the process of acting.
Though she was closely connected to the romantic tradition Mrs. Heiberg is still regarded a key figure of Danish drama, like for instance Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character,...
in England. Beyond any doubt she contributed to the rise of the public social and moral opinion of Danish actors as play-actors to artists and cultural personalities.
Her image is currently featured on the front of the Danish 200-krone banknote
Banknotes of Denmark, 1997 series
Danmarks Nationalbank is issuing banknotes of the Danish Krone and is in the transition of replacing the 1997 banknote series. As of September 2010 the 200kr, 500kr and 1000kr from the 1997 series are the currently circulating notes....
.
The drama Rain Snakes (Från regnormarnas liv, 1981) by the Swedish author Per-Olov Enquist fictitiously deals with the relationship between Mrs. Heiberg and Hans Christian Andersen.
Literature
- Henning Fenger: The Heibergs. Edited and translated by Frederick J. Marker. 1971.