Samuel Ahlgren
Encyclopedia
Johan Samuel Ahlgren was a Swedish actor. He belonged to the first pioneer troupe of the Royal Dramatic Theatre
.
Ahlgren worked as a clerk when he was employed by Fredric Ristell in the Swedish theatre in Bollhuset
in 1787. He was described as a beauty with a pure and clear voice, was recommended for his clear pronunciation and for his posture and played both hero and villain, though he was criticised for overacting because of his hot temperament; because of his good looks, he was often given the parts of lover.
His most acclaimed part was Axel Oxenstierna
in Drottning Kristina by Gustav III (1790). Among his other parts was Soliman in Soliman II eller de tre sultaninnorna by Kraus in the 1789-90 season, Appius in Virginia by Paykull and Johan Gyllenstjerna in Siri Brahe och Johan Gyllenstierna by Gustav III the 1790-91 season.
When the theatre of Ristell went bankrupt in 1788, the Royal Dramatic Theatre was founded, which was to be ruled by a board of directors made by the actors themselves under the supervision of the Swedish Academy of Arts. The first supervisor from the academy was the nobleman Gustav Mauritz Armfelt, and the cooperation between him and the actors was stormy; Armfelt felt a great contempt for the acting profession, often made use of disciplinarian punishments and lacked patience for the conflict which often affected the board meetings, and Ahlgren and Abraham de Broen were the actors who were often in conflict with Armfelt; Armfelt wrote to a friend; " It is only with the utmost severity I am able to govern this rabble, and as soon as they tried to defy me, I beat de Broen at the stage with a cane and slapt Ahlgren, and I was so determined to continue with this way of rule, that I would have cut of their ears, if any of these gentlemen dare talk to me about rights." To the king, however, Armfelt reported his great success in his rule over the theatre. King Gustav III of Sweden
was aware of the common contempt of the profession of acting, and therefore often gave the actors formal titles to rise their status; Samuel Ahlgren was given the title royal quarter master of the court. Armfelt was quickly replaced as the representative from the Academy and "director" of the theatre, but the conflicts between the director and the actors continued, represented by Ahlgren and de Broen. In 1794, Ahlgren challenged the Academys representative, a nobleman, to a duel
and was taken to the regent, Duke Charles
, who wanted to but him in jail. Ahlgren was fired from the Royal Dramatic Theatre, it did not help that he and then his wife kneeled to the regent. He was then employed at the Stenborg theatre
, where he was enthusiastically welcomed- many actors from the Royal Dramatic Theatre left for the Stenborg Theatre during periods of conflicts with the management, such as Marie Louise Marcadet
also did in 1795. Samuel Ahlgren returned to the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1796.
Royal Dramatic Theatre
The Royal Dramatic Theatre is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages....
.
Ahlgren worked as a clerk when he was employed by Fredric Ristell in the Swedish theatre in 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 1787. He was described as a beauty with a pure and clear voice, was recommended for his clear pronunciation and for his posture and played both hero and villain, though he was criticised for overacting because of his hot temperament; because of his good looks, he was often given the parts of lover.
His most acclaimed part was Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Oxenstierna
Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre , Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a confidant of first Gustavus Adolphus and then Queen Christina.Oxenstierna...
in Drottning Kristina by Gustav III (1790). Among his other parts was Soliman in Soliman II eller de tre sultaninnorna by Kraus in the 1789-90 season, Appius in Virginia by Paykull and Johan Gyllenstjerna in Siri Brahe och Johan Gyllenstierna by Gustav III the 1790-91 season.
When the theatre of Ristell went bankrupt in 1788, the Royal Dramatic Theatre was founded, which was to be ruled by a board of directors made by the actors themselves under the supervision of the Swedish Academy of Arts. The first supervisor from the academy was the nobleman Gustav Mauritz Armfelt, and the cooperation between him and the actors was stormy; Armfelt felt a great contempt for the acting profession, often made use of disciplinarian punishments and lacked patience for the conflict which often affected the board meetings, and Ahlgren and Abraham de Broen were the actors who were often in conflict with Armfelt; Armfelt wrote to a friend; " It is only with the utmost severity I am able to govern this rabble, and as soon as they tried to defy me, I beat de Broen at the stage with a cane and slapt Ahlgren, and I was so determined to continue with this way of rule, that I would have cut of their ears, if any of these gentlemen dare talk to me about rights." To the king, however, Armfelt reported his great success in his rule over the theatre. King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
was aware of the common contempt of the profession of acting, and therefore often gave the actors formal titles to rise their status; Samuel Ahlgren was given the title royal quarter master of the court. Armfelt was quickly replaced as the representative from the Academy and "director" of the theatre, but the conflicts between the director and the actors continued, represented by Ahlgren and de Broen. In 1794, Ahlgren challenged the Academys representative, a nobleman, to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
and was taken to the regent, Duke Charles
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
, who wanted to but him in jail. Ahlgren was fired from the Royal Dramatic Theatre, it did not help that he and then his wife kneeled to the regent. He was then employed at the Stenborg theatre
Stenborg Theatre
The Stenborg theatre, also called Svenska Komiska Teatern, Komiska Teatern and Munkbroteatern, was a historical Swedish 18th century theatre, active between 1784 and 1799 in Gamla stan in Stockholm. It was the second theatre of Stockholm during the Gustavian age...
, where he was enthusiastically welcomed- many actors from the Royal Dramatic Theatre left for the Stenborg Theatre during periods of conflicts with the management, such as Marie Louise Marcadet
Marie Louise Marcadet
Marie Louise Marcadet was a Swedish opera singer and a dramatic stage actor. She was active in both the Royal Swedish Opera, and at the Royal Dramatic Theatre. She is regarded as the greatest tragedienne in Sweden during the 1780s decade, before the first noted native tragedienne, Maria Franck...
also did in 1795. Samuel Ahlgren returned to the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1796.