Signe Hebbe
Encyclopedia
Signe Amanda Georgina Hebbe (30 July 1837 – 1925), was a Swedish singer (soprano
), actress, and theatre pedagogue.
Signe Hebbe was born in Värnamo
to the journalist Vendela Hebbe
. In 1848, at the age of eleven, she studied music at the Lindblad pianoschool, at the school of the Royal Swedish Opera
and for Karolina Bock
. In 1852-1854, she studied at the conservatory in Berlin
. She debuted in a dramatic part in the Royal Dramatic Theatre
in 1855, but did not succeed in spoken drama and continued to study singing.
She was accepted at the Paris
conservatory in 1856, where she became the first singer from Scandinavia to receive a medal. She instructed in plastic at the conservatory and was the teacher of Sarah Bernhardt
when she was the replacement of Élie during his absence in 1860. Francesco Lamperti
developed her singing in Milan
and studied Adelaide Ristori
and Ernesto Rossi
for her dramatic talent.
She sang in Lyon 1861-1862, debuted in Frankfurt
and was employed at the court theatre of Mannheim
, Nationaltheater Mannheim
. Between 1864 and 1879 she toured Europe and sang in Stockholm, Karlsruhe
, Köpenhamn, Théâtre Lyrique
in Paris
, Warszawa, Geneva
, Milano, Palermo
, Helsingfors and Oslo
. As an actor, she was criticized for her way of acting, as she did not like to interpret the female parts as weak, but wanted to give them a more independent interpretation than the Victorian age wanted to view women.
In 1871, her contract at the Royal Swedish Opera stipulated that she should teach, and she was from this point very active as an instructor until her death in 1925. She opened her own school in 1877, and was from 1883 active at Dramatens elevskola
and the Opera school, in 1886-1888 in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
, and in the years around 1900 on the Royal Dramatic Theatre. She preferred her own school, which paid better, and where she taught technique in speech, singing, plasticue and role analysis. She had been instructed in deep breathing by Delsartes and took this technique with her to Sweden. She had students from all Scandinavia, Europe and the USA. Two of her notable pupils were John Forsell
and Carolina Östberg
.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
), actress, and theatre pedagogue.
Signe Hebbe was born in Värnamo
Värnamo
Värnamo is a locality and the seat of Värnamo Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden, with 18,696 inhabitants in 2010.-History:Värnamo traces its history back to a village in the medieval age; the first written mention of it stems from the 13th century...
to the journalist Vendela Hebbe
Vendela Hebbe
Wendela Hebbe, née Åström, , Swedish journalist, publicist and author, is regarded as having been the first professional female journalist in Sweden.- Biography :...
. In 1848, at the age of eleven, she studied music at the Lindblad pianoschool, at the school of the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
and for Karolina Bock
Karolina Bock
Karolina Sofia Bock née Richter, , was a Swedish dancer, actor and singer. She was also the principal for the Dramatens elevskola for two periods; in 1831-1834 and 1841-1856. She was the most known female comedian in her country during her years at the stage.- Background :Karolina Richter, child of...
. In 1852-1854, she studied at the conservatory 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...
. She debuted in a dramatic part in the Royal Dramatic Theatre
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....
in 1855, but did not succeed in spoken drama and continued to study singing.
She was accepted at the 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...
conservatory in 1856, where she became the first singer from Scandinavia to receive a medal. She instructed in plastic at the conservatory and was the teacher of Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
when she was the replacement of Élie during his absence in 1860. Francesco Lamperti
Francesco Lamperti
Francesco Lamperti was an Italian singing teacher.A native of Savona, Lamperti attended the Milan Conservatory where, beginning in 1850, he taught for a quarter of a century. He was director at the Teatro Filodrammatico in Lodi. In 1875 he left the school and began to teach as a private tutor...
developed her singing in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and studied Adelaide Ristori
Adelaide Ristori
Adelaide Ristori was a distinguished Italian tragedienne, who was often referred to as the Marquise.-Biography:...
and Ernesto Rossi
Ernesto Rossi (actor)
Ernesto Rossi , was an Italian actor and playwright.He was born in Livorno to a middle class family and was intending to study at the university there, when he substituted for an actor in the Calloud theatre company who had become ill. After his successful performance, he continued performing with...
for her dramatic talent.
She sang in Lyon 1861-1862, debuted in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and was employed at the court theatre of Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Nationaltheater Mannheim
Nationaltheater Mannheim
The present National Theatre Mannheim , which dates from 1957, is a theatre and opera company in Mannheim, Germany with a variety of performance spaces...
. Between 1864 and 1879 she toured Europe and sang in Stockholm, Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Köpenhamn, Théâtre Lyrique
Théâtre Lyrique
The Théâtre Lyrique was one of four opera companies performing in Paris during the middle of the 19th century . The company was founded in 1847 as the Opéra-National by the French composer Adolphe Adam and renamed Théâtre Lyrique in 1852...
in 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...
, Warszawa, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Milano, Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Helsingfors and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. As an actor, she was criticized for her way of acting, as she did not like to interpret the female parts as weak, but wanted to give them a more independent interpretation than the Victorian age wanted to view women.
In 1871, her contract at the Royal Swedish Opera stipulated that she should teach, and she was from this point very active as an instructor until her death in 1925. She opened her own school in 1877, and was from 1883 active 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 the Opera school, in 1886-1888 in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
, and in the years around 1900 on the Royal Dramatic Theatre. She preferred her own school, which paid better, and where she taught technique in speech, singing, plasticue and role analysis. She had been instructed in deep breathing by Delsartes and took this technique with her to Sweden. She had students from all Scandinavia, Europe and the USA. Two of her notable pupils were John Forsell
John Forsell
John Forsell, born Carl Johan Jacob Forsell, , was a prominent Swedish baritone, opera administrator and teacher of voice. He was the leading baritone of the Royal Swedish Opera from 1896–1918, and thereafter sang roles periodically with the company until his last stage performance in 1938. From...
and Carolina Östberg
Carolina Östberg
Carolina Östberg was a Swedish opera singer and singing teacher. She was one of the most popular stars of her time in Sweden, and was internationally known....
.