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Charlotta Maria Eriksson (née Lambert; 11 February 1794 – 21 April 1862) was a
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
stage actress. She was also an instructor and deputy principal of the
Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy (, also known as ''Dramatens elevskola''), was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years (1787–1964) seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education ...
. She belonged to the elite actors of the
Royal Dramatic Theatre The Royal Dramatic Theatre (, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages. The theatre has been at its present lo ...
.Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Förra delen, 1772-1842, Bonnier, Stockholm, 1917
Swedish theatre and Swedish actors from Gustav III to our days. First Book 1772–1842' Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...


Life

Charlotta Eriksson was the natural daughter of Christina Halling. Her original surname was Lambert, and is traditionally claimed to be the daughter of an innkeeper with the surname Lambert, but her father is likely to have been P. J. Lambert, concert master of the theater, to whom her mother worked as a maid by the time of her birth.Maria Charlotta Erikson, urn:sbl:15420, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av Stig Torsslow.), hämtad 2018-06-14. In 1797 her mother married Emanuel Ericsson, a servant of the royal household and later a pad maker, and Charlotta took the name of her stepfather. She was enrolled as a student in the
Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy (, also known as ''Dramatens elevskola''), was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years (1787–1964) seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education ...
in 1805.


Career at the Royal Dramatic Theatre

Charlotta Eriksson was engaged as a premier actress at the
Royal Dramatic Theatre The Royal Dramatic Theatre (, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages. The theatre has been at its present lo ...
1 April 1812. The same year, she married Johan Fredrik Wikström (1779-1865), master of the choir of the Royal Swedish Opera, and was known as Charlotta Wikström until her divorce in 1821 when she, in accordance with the custom of divorced women at the time, took the name and title of Mrs Eriksson. The cause of her divorce was her wish to marry her lover, the actor Edvard du Puy, whose death in 1822 caused her to temporary retire from the stage in the spring and summer that year. Charlotta Eriksson was foremost a dramatic actress. However, as was the custom at the time of the royal theatres (the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Dramatic Theatre), an actor could participate in lyric performances if they were able, and Eriksson is known to have participated in some opera performances, notably as a Papagena in ''Trollflöjten'' by
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
(30 maj 1812). One of her first successes was in 1820, when she played
Ophelia Ophelia () is a character in William Shakespeare's drama ''Hamlet'' (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. Due to Hamlet's actions, Ophelia ultima ...
instead of
Carolina Kuhlman Ottilia Carolina Kuhlman (15 November 1778 – 12 April 1866) was a Swedish stage actress. She was an elite member of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, where she was considered the leading lady in the early 19th-century.Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk tea ...
and praised for her realistic interpretation of insanity. In May 1821, Charlotta Eriksson had one of her greatest successes when she played the title role in the Swedish premier of Mary Stuart by
Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, philosopher and historian. Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright. He was born i ...
, and are referred to as one of the greatest stars of the Royal Dramatic Theatre of her generation alongside
Nils Almlöf Nils Vilhelm Almlöf (1799–1875) was a Swedish stage actor. He was one of the most famous Swedish actors of his time and referred to as "The Swedish Talma". He was born to Nils Almlöf, a servant of the royal household, and Maria Lovisa Herbe ...
,
Ulrik Torsslow Olof Ulrik Torsslow (18 December 1801 in Stockholm – 1 September 1881 in Stockholm), was a Sweden, Swedish actor and theatre director. He was an elite actor in the Royal Dramatic Theatre. He is known for leading two big strikes at the roya ...
and
Sara Torsslow Sara Fredrica Torsslow née ''Strömstedt'' (11 June 1795 - 18 June 1859) was a Swedish stage actress. She was one of the most famed actresses in Sweden during the first half of the 19th century, and an elite member of the Royal Dramatic Theatr ...
. Among her more noted roles were Beata Trolle in P. A. Granbergs ''Svante Sture och Märta Lejonhufvud'' (1812), Sally in ''Hartford och Sally'' by Zschokke (1814), Sofia in A. F. Skjöldebrands ''Herman von Unna'' (1817) and one of the
norns The Norns ( , plural: ) are a group of deities in Norse mythology responsible for shaping the course of human destinies.''Nordisk familjebok'' (1907) The Norns are often represented as three goddesses known as Urd ( Urðr), Verðandi, and S ...
in ''Balder'' by J. D. Valerius (1819), the title role of ''Preciosa'' by Weber-Wolffs (1824) and Ophelia in ''Hamlet'' (1824), Luise in Schillers ''Kabal och kärlek'' (1833), title role of ''Thérése eller den fader- och moderlösa flickan från Geneve'' by V. Ducange (1820), Berta örindur in
Adolf Müllner Amandus Gottfried Adolf Müllner (18 October 177411 June 1829) was a German critic and dramatic poet. Müllner was a nephew of Gottfried August Burger, and was born at Langendorf near Weissenfels. After studying law at Leipzig he established ...
s ''Skulden'' (1830). A role often mentioned in connection to her, and which made a great impression in the audience, was her role in ''Sömngångaren'' ('Sleepwalker') by Piccini, in which she walked, talked and finally danced without showing any feelings whatsoever, in an interpretation of a sleepwalker. Charlotta Eriksson was foremost appreciated within the genre of French salon comedies, a very popular genre at the time in which she was often given the main women roles and performed them with success, becoming a star of the genre. A typical role of that kind was her role of Amelie in''Trettio år af en spelares lefnad'' ('Thirty years of a gamlers life') by Ducange and Dinaux (1833), in which she was reviewed in ''
Aftonbladet (, lit. "The evening paper") is a Swedish language, Swedish daily tabloid newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden. It is one of the largest daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. History and profile The newspaper was founded by Lar ...
'': »Mrs E. developed more warmth, intensity and nuance as Amelie than normally found in her in roles of pathetic nature, and was as interesting in every aspect of it without being alike in one." As an actor, Eriksson was described as a follower of the by then newly introduced realistic way of acting: because she lacked the ability to perform with the old fashioned melodramatic way in which such roles were still depicted, she was not considered to be of use within tragedy, but her natural way of acting was seen as perfect for the modern acting method, which was then very much appreciated within comic drama. She made several trips to study drama in France and Italy, where she reportedly regarded
Mademoiselle Mars Mademoiselle Mars (pseudonym of Anne Françoise Hyppolyte Boutet Salvetat; 9 February 1779 – 20 March 1847), French actress, was born in Paris, the natural daughter of the actor-author named Monvel (Jacques Marie Boutet) (1745–1812) and Jean ...
as a role model, and she is alongside Sara Torsslow,
Ulrik Torsslow Olof Ulrik Torsslow (18 December 1801 in Stockholm – 1 September 1881 in Stockholm), was a Sweden, Swedish actor and theatre director. He was an elite actor in the Royal Dramatic Theatre. He is known for leading two big strikes at the roya ...
and
Nils Almlöf Nils Vilhelm Almlöf (1799–1875) was a Swedish stage actor. He was one of the most famous Swedish actors of his time and referred to as "The Swedish Talma". He was born to Nils Almlöf, a servant of the royal household, and Maria Lovisa Herbe ...
credited with being one of the role models of the realistic acting method which replaced the old 18th-century stylistic acting method in 19th-century Sweden. Described as "a clear and above all vivid intellect, an uncommon general knowledge and a by then unusually natural way of acting, which in combination with an appearance very much to her advantage and high quality sense of costume made her much appreciated by the audience as a cultivated lady within salon comedy." She was generally given good reviews by critics, which were fairly consistent with each other her entire career. A typical review was that given in '' Dagligt Allehanda'' of her performance in the title role of ''Louise de Lignerolles'' by av Dinaux and Légouvé (1839), she was seen as typifying the modern style and as a role model for it: "As for the acting, we do full justice to the admirable way in which Mrs E performed the title role. In it she displayed all the qualities which typifies the French or more correctly the Marsian school which even in the most intense moments never neglect confidence and elegance in posture, and an acting, studied and skillfully performed in the finest nuances but still so natural that hardly even a trace was visible of any conscious effort. In these parts of the art Mrs E deserve to be hold out as a role model." Private critics review her in a similar way.
Marianne Ehrenström Mariana Maximiliana Christiana Carolina Lovisa "Marianne" Ehrenström (; 9 December 1773 – 4 January 1867), was a Swedish writer, singer, painter, pianist, culture personality, memoir writer and lady-in-waiting. She was a member of the Ac ...
described Charlotta Eriksson as a woman with natural grace who was much loved as an actress, and M. J. Crusenstolpe said of her: "Mrs E. can be photographically painted with one word: elegance. It passed through her entire being, expressed itself in her every gesture, was evident in her dress, always new but never overloaded with ostentation and gewgaw." In contemporary press, the star actresses
Sara Torsslow Sara Fredrica Torsslow née ''Strömstedt'' (11 June 1795 - 18 June 1859) was a Swedish stage actress. She was one of the most famed actresses in Sweden during the first half of the 19th century, and an elite member of the Royal Dramatic Theatr ...
, Charlotta Eriksson and
Elise Frösslind Kristina Elisabet "Elise" Frösslind (27 February 1793 – 24 October 1861) was a Swedish opera singer and stage actress at the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of M ...
were compared to a
rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...
or a
tulip Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the ''Tulipa'' genus. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly coloured, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different colour ...
, a
jasmine Jasmine (botanical name: ''Jasminum'', pronounced ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family of Oleaceae. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are wid ...
or a daisy, and a
lily ''Lilium'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large and often prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are ...
or a
forget-me-not ''Myosotis'' ( ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. The name comes from the Ancient Greek "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are colloquially known as forget-me-no ...
, by which Torsslow was claimed to represent "The Deeply Moving", Eriksson "The Sensitive Grace and Feminine Gracefulness" and Frösslind "The Timid Sweetness, Wit and Naivety". Her position was illustrated by her income: in 1834, she was given a salary of 1.600 in comparison to the average actress salary of 200, a salary equal to the prima donna of the Royal Opera
Henriette Widerberg Henriette Sophie Widerberg (3 September 1796 – 3 April 1872) was a Swedish opera singer Opera is a form of Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal tran ...
, and not much lower than the highest paid male colleague, which was 1.800.


Later career

Charlotta Eriksson participated in the great strike known as the First Torsslow Argument, and signed an article of protest along with several other of the most influential actors 4 July 1828 against initiated financial reforms which caused great attention in the press, but returned to her position when the demands of the strike was met and the reforms stopped. When the same reforms was introduced in 1834, she joined the second strike known as the Second Torsslow Argument, but this time the strike failed and several of the participants were fired. Charlotta Eriksson lost her position at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, officially because the theater management claimed they could no longer afford her. She was for a time active at the ''
Djurgårdsteatern Djurgårdsteatern ( Swedish for "Djurgården Theatre"), was an historical Swedish theatre, active at Djurgården in Stockholm between 1801 and 1929 (from 1863 in a new building). It was the only theatre in Stockholm outside the royal theatres ...
''. She was however missed by the audience at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, the decision to fire her was considered to be hasty and there were demands that she should be engaged there again. The theater monopoly of the royal theaters inside the city borders of the capital made it difficult to secure employment, and in 1836, she asked to be taken back by the management of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, which immediately accepted, but lowered her salary from 1600 to 825. Her acceptance of a re engagement at the Royal Dramatic Theatre was reportedly med with "a common satisfaction". Upon her return, Eriksson was initially forced to replace
Sara Torsslow Sara Fredrica Torsslow née ''Strömstedt'' (11 June 1795 - 18 June 1859) was a Swedish stage actress. She was one of the most famed actresses in Sweden during the first half of the 19th century, and an elite member of the Royal Dramatic Theatr ...
in the women main roles of tragedies, which exposed her to bad reviews for a while as the genre was not considered suited for her, until these roles were taken over by Emilie Högqvist, who became the new star within Torsslow's former repertoire. Eriksson could now return to her own repertoire, and the remainder of her career was successful. During this period, she was gradually replaced by Emilie Högqvist in the heroine roles of the French salon comedies. When Högqvist was given the role of Victorine by Dumersan, Gabriel and Dupeuty (1836), a review in ''Teater och Musik'' wrote: :»Mrs E. and
Mamsell (from the French ) was a historical Swedish honorific used for unmarried middle class women from about the mid 18th-century until 1866. The title was primarily used for women in the burgher and the clergy classes. The word was replaced after the ...
Högqvist were both considered for the part of Victorine, which was finally given to Mamsell Högqvist, and we believe that this choice :was a better one in some aspects. Mrs E:s talents are, as commonly known, most splendid in the higher comedy, notwithstanding her success in dramas such as :''Trettio år af en spelares lefnad''. Mamsell Högqvist do not possess the polite tone, that feeling of '' comme il faut'' which belongs to Mrs E in so high :regard, but she does have more of a vivid, quixotic feeling, and in the more sentimental roles she are often capable to move the audience to tears." However, she belonged to the theaters' elite actors until her retirement and her late successes was Catherine II in Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffers' ''Favorite'' (1841) and Duchess of Marlborough in Scribes ''A Glass of Water'' (1841). In 1838, the paper ''Freja'' praised her as "far superior to all the other actresses" of the Royal Dramatic Theatre. Aside from her activity as an actress, Charlotta Eriksson was also active as a translator, and translated several plays from the French language to Swedish, which was then staged at the Royal Dramatic Theatre. She was also active as a deputy principal and an instructor of declamation at the Royal Dramatic Training Academy in 1837-1841. Charlotta Eriksson retired from the Royal Dramatic Theatre after the 1841-42 season with a full pension.


Later life

Also after he retirement, Charlotta Eriksson was active onstage because of her interest of acting, though she no longer had financial reasons to work. She occasionally made sporadic guest performances in smaller theaters as well as at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, such as the travelling theaters of A. G. Wallins and W. T. Gilles, and at the ''
Mindre teatern Mindre teatern (''The Smaller Theatre''), Nya teatern (''The New Theatre''), Lindeberska teatern (''The Lindeberg Theatre''), was a Swedish theatre at Kungsgatan in Stockholm, active 1842–1863. The building was used as localities for the Royal ...
'' in the season of 1847-48, where she "continued to be what she has always been – an example for every younger actress." She made another season at the Mindre Teatern in 1849-50 and finally made her last performance at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1855, when she reportedly retained all the popularity of her audience. Aside from her stage activity she traveled during her retirement, and witnessed the siege of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
during the
Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states The 1848 Revolutions in the Italian states, part of the wider Revolutions of 1848 in Europe, were organized revolts in the states of the Italian peninsula and Sicily, led by intellectuals and agitators who desired a liberal government. As Italian ...
. She spent several years in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, and finally settled in
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, where her son studied art. She studied art with him and died there in 1862.


References

* Wilhelmina Stålberg,
Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor
', * Österberg, Carin, Lewenhaupt, Inga & Wahlberg, Anna Greta, Svenska kvinnor: föregångare nyskapare, Signum, Lund, 1990 1990 (Swedish) * Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Förra delen, 1772-1842, Bonnier, Stockholm, 1917
Swedish theatre and Swedish actors from Gustav III to our days. First book 1772–1842' Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
(Swedish) * Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Andra delen, 1842-1918, Bonnier, Stockholm, 1918 Swedish theatre and Swedish actors from Gustav III to our days. Second Book 1822–1918'(Swedish)


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Eriksson, Charlotta 1794 births 1862 deaths 19th-century Swedish actresses Swedish stage actresses Drama teachers Swedish translators Translators from French 19th-century translators 19th-century Swedish educators Actresses from Stockholm