Josephine Wessely
Encyclopedia
Josephine Wessely was an Austrian theatre
actress.
Born in Vienna
the daughter of a shoemaker, talented Wessely from about 1874 attended the drama school at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
conservatory. She gave her debut in 1876, performing as Luise in Schiller's Intrigue and Love
at the Leipzig city theatre
. She promoted her career by guest appearances in Berlin
and Vienna, and in 1879 became a member of the Burgtheater
ensemble receiving the honorific title of a "k.k. court actress" in 1884.
She was the aunt of acclaimed Austrian actress Paula Wessely
(1907–2000). Although there was an approximate forty-seven-year-age difference, they have been frequently been mistakenly considered sisters. Josephine Wessely's career was short but it had sufficient impact to make her an idol for her niece and other stage actors. Josephine Wessely was known for playing juvenile tragic roles. She gained recognition for playing Gretchen in Goethe's Faust
, Klärchen in Egmont
and Marie Beaumarchais in Clavigo
, as well as for her performance as Lessing's Emilia Galotti
.
Wessely died aged 27, probably from leukaemia
taking a cure at Carlsbad
, never knowing her niece. She is buried at the Hütteldorf
cemetery in Vienna. A portrait of her by Eduard Charlemont
is on display at the gallery in the Burgtheater foyer. In 1931 a street was named in her honor in Vienna-Meidling
.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actress.
Born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
the daughter of a shoemaker, talented Wessely from about 1874 attended the drama school at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien , was founded in 1812 by Joseph von Sonnleithner, general secretary of the Court Theatre, Vienna, Austria. Its official charter, drafted in 1814, states that the purpose of the Society was to promote music in all its facets...
conservatory. She gave her debut in 1876, performing as Luise in Schiller's Intrigue and Love
Intrigue and Love
Intrigue and Love , , is a five-act play, written by the German dramatist and writer Friedrich Schiller...
at the Leipzig city theatre
Altes Theater (Leipzig)
The Altes Theater was the first theatre building in the German city of Leipzig. It was sited on Richard-Wagner-Platz.-History:Commissioned by the businessman Benedikt Zehmisch in 1766 from the architect Georg Rudolph Fäsch , it was at first called the Theater auf der Rannischen Bastei and sited on...
. She promoted her career by guest appearances in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Vienna, and in 1879 became a member of the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
ensemble receiving the honorific title of a "k.k. court actress" in 1884.
She was the aunt of acclaimed Austrian actress Paula Wessely
Paula Wessely
Paula Anna Maria Wessely was an Austrian theatre and film actress. Die Wessely , as she was affectionately called by her admirers and fans, was Austria's foremost popular postwar actress....
(1907–2000). Although there was an approximate forty-seven-year-age difference, they have been frequently been mistakenly considered sisters. Josephine Wessely's career was short but it had sufficient impact to make her an idol for her niece and other stage actors. Josephine Wessely was known for playing juvenile tragic roles. She gained recognition for playing Gretchen in Goethe's Faust
Goethe's Faust
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts: and . Although written as a closet drama, it is the play with the largest audience numbers on German-language stages...
, Klärchen in Egmont
Egmont (play)
Egmont is a play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which he completed in 1788. Its dramaturgical structure, like that of his earlier 'Storm and Stress' play Götz von Berlichingen , is heavily influenced by Shakespearean tragedy; in contrast, however, to the earlier work, the portrait in Egmont of the...
and Marie Beaumarchais in Clavigo
Clavigo (play)
Clavigo is a five-act tragedy written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1774. The lead role is taken by Beaumarchais. The play was written in just eight days in May 1774. It was published by July 1774 and is the first printed work to which Goethe put his own name, although the play was received...
, as well as for her performance as Lessing's Emilia Galotti
Emilia Galotti
Emilia Galotti is a play in five acts by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing , which premiered on 8 March 1772 in Brunswick . The work is a classic example of German bürgerliches Trauerspiel . Other works in this category include Schiller's Kabale und Liebe and Hebbel's Maria Magdalene...
.
Wessely died aged 27, probably from leukaemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
taking a cure at Carlsbad
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
, never knowing her niece. She is buried at the Hütteldorf
Hütteldorf
Hütteldorf is a part of Vienna's 14th district, Penzing. It is located in the west of Vienna, but roughly in the geographical center of the district, stretching roughly from Deutschordenstraße in the east to Wolf in der Au in the west, where Hütteldorf borders Hadersdorf-Weidlingau.Hütteldorf is...
cemetery in Vienna. A portrait of her by Eduard Charlemont
Eduard Charlemont
Eduard Charlemont was an Austrian painter.-Early life:Eduard Charlemont was born in Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire in 1848. His father, Matthias Adolf Charlemont, was also a painter, specializing in painting miniature portraits. His younger brother Hugo Charlemont was an equally famous...
is on display at the gallery in the Burgtheater foyer. In 1931 a street was named in her honor in Vienna-Meidling
Meidling
Meidling is the 12th district of Vienna . It is located just southwest of the central districts, south of the Wienfluss, west of the Gürtel belt, and east and southeast of Schönbrunn palace...
.
External links
- Entry on Aeiou EncyclopediaAeiou EncyclopediaAEIOU is a free online collection of reference works in both German and English about Austria-related topics.-Background:...
Further reading
- Felix Czeike: Historisches Lexikon Wien; Bd. 5. Kremayr & Scheriau, Wien 1997