Elisabeth Trissenaar (13 April 1944 – 14 January 2024) was an Austrian actress.

Life and career

Trissenaar's father was the Dutchman Frans Trijssenaar. After studying at the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna, she was cast in her first role at the Bern Theatre in 1964. Between 1972 and 1981, she had great success at the

Schauspiel Frankfurt The Schauspiel Frankfurt is the municipal theatre company for plays in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. It is part of Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt. History In the late 1770s the theatre principal Abel Seyler was based in Frankfurt, and established ...

, especially in the roles of

Nora Helmer Nora Helmer is a fictional character of Henrik Ibsen's 1879 play ''A Doll's House''. She is introduced as a seemingly devoted wife and mother, living in a comfortable middle-class home with her husband Torvald, a recently promoted bank manager, ...

in ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...

'' and in the title role of ''

Hedda Gabler ''Hedda Gabler'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage.Meyer, Michael Lever ...

'' (both plays by

Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

), as well as ''

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; ; ) is the daughter of Aeëtes, King Aeëtes of Colchis. Medea is known in most stories as a sorceress, an accomplished "wiktionary:φαρμακεία, pharmakeía" (medicinal magic), and is often depicted as a high- ...

'' by

Euripides Euripides () was a Greek tragedy, tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to ...

. During this time, Trissenaar began her collaboration with

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema moveme ...

, under his direction she was in works such as '' The Stationmaster's Wife'' (''Bolwieser'', 1977), ''

In a Year of 13 Moons ''In a Year of 13 Moons'' () is a 1978 West German drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and starring Volker Spengler. The film was made in response to the suicide of Fassbinder's lover at the time, Armin Meier. In a "Top 10" list of ...

'' (1978), ''

The Marriage of Maria Braun ''The Marriage of Maria Braun'' () is a 1979 West German drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film stars Hanna Schygulla as Maria, who marries German soldier Hermann Braun during World War II. The couple spend over a decade apart ...

'' (1979), and in the television series of

Alfred Döblin Bruno Alfred Döblin (; 10 August 1878 – 26 June 1957) was a German novelist, essayist, and doctor, best known for his novel '' Berlin Alexanderplatz'' (1929). A prolific writer whose œuvre spans more than half a century and a wide variety of ...

's ''

Berlin Alexanderplatz ''Berlin Alexanderplatz'' () is a 1929 novel by Alfred Döblin. It is considered one of the most important and innovative works of the Weimar culture, Weimar Republic. In a 2002 poll of 100 noted writers, the book was named among the top 100 bo ...

'' (1980). Also, she played leading roles in Robert van Ackeren's films ' (1978) and ' (''Die Reinheit des Herzens'', 1980), in the

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

-nominated film ''

Angry Harvest ''Angry Harvest'' () is a 1985 West German film directed by Agnieszka Holland, based on a novel written by Hermann Field and Stanislaw Mierzenski while they were imprisoned by the Polish government in the early 1950s. The circumstances surroundin ...

'' (''Bittere Ernte'', 1985), and in

Xaver Schwarzenberger Xaver Schwarzenberger (born 21 April 1946) is an Austrian cinematographer and film director. He has worked on more than 100 films since 1970. His 1983 film '' Der Stille Ozean'' was entered into the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival, wher ...

's ''Franza'' (1987). Trissenaar was married to the director

Hans Neuenfels Hans Neuenfels (; 31 May 1941 – 6 February 2022) was a German writer, poet, film producer, librettist, theatre director, opera director and theatre manager. As a director, he first focused on drama, staged at prominent houses such as the Vien ...

until his death in 2022; they had a son, the film director Benedict Neuenfels. Trissenaar died in Berlin on 14 January 2024, at the age of 79.Ex-Buhlschaft Elisabeth Trissenaar gestorben

Awards

* 1981: German critics' award (

Deutscher Kritikerpreis Deutscher Kritikerpreis was a cultural prize awarded annually by the Association of German Critics (Verband der Deutschen Kritiker e.V.) from 1951 to 2009. This award was given for outstanding contributions in the fields of architecture, the fi ...

)

Selected filmography

*''Miss Julie'' (1971, TV film, based on the play ''

Miss Julie ''Miss Julie'' () is a naturalistic play written in 1888 by August Strindberg. It is set on Midsummer's Eve and the following morning, which is Midsummer and the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist. The setting is an estate of a count in Sweden. ...

''), as Miss Julie *''A Doll's House'' (1973, TV film, based on the play ''

''), as

*''Hedda Gabler'' (1974, TV film, based on the play ''

''), as Hedda Gabler *''Dorothea Merz'' (1976, TV film, based on a novel by

Tankred Dorst Tankred Dorst (19 December 1925 – 1 June 2017) was a German playwright and storyteller. Dorst lived and worked in Munich. His farces, parables, one-act-plays and adaptations were inspired by the theatre of the absurd and the works of Ionesco ...

), as Bella Schedewy *''Und Rosa und Marilyn und ...'' (1977, TV film, based on the play ''Étoiles rouges'' by Pierre Bourgeade), as Marilyn *'' The Stationmaster's Wife'' (1977 TV film and 1983 theatrical release, based on a novel by

Oskar Maria Graf Oskar Maria Graf (22 July 1894 – 28 June 1967) was a German-American writer who wrote several narratives about life in Bavaria, mostly autobiographical. In the beginning, Graf wrote under his real name Oskar Graf. After 1918, his works for ne ...

), as Hanni Bolwieser *''Das Ende einer Karriere'' (1978, TV film), as Karla *' (1978, TV film), as Ellen *''

'' (1978), as Irene Weishaupt *'' When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit'' (1978, TV film, based on the novel '' When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit''), as Anna's Mother *''

'' (1979), as Betti *' (1980), as Lisa *''Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'' (1980, TV film, based on the play ''

Das Käthchen von Heilbronn ' (''Katie of Heilbronn or The Trial by Fire'') (1807–1808) is a "great historical knightly play" (German: ') in five acts by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. The action of the drama takes place in Swabia during the Middle Ages. Per ...

''), as Kunigunde von Thurneck *''

'' (1980, TV miniseries, based on the novel ''

''), as Lina Przybilla *'' Charlotte'' (1981), as Paulinka *''Heinrich Penthesilea von Kleist'' (1983, based on the play ''

Penthesilea Penthesilea () was an Amazonian queen in Greek mythology, the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope, and Melanippe. She assisted Troy in the Trojan War, during which she was killed by Achilles or Neoptolemus. The ...

''), as

*''

A Love in Germany ''Eine Liebe in Deutschland'' (''A Love in Germany'') is a 1983 feature film directed by Andrzej Wajda. The film is based on the novel by Rolf Hochhuth about a woman who commits adultery with a prisoner of war while her husband serves as a soldie ...

'' (1983, based on a novel by

Rolf Hochhuth Rolf Hochhuth (; 1 April 1931 – 13 May 2020) was a German author and playwright, best known for his 1963 drama ''The Deputy'', which insinuates Pope Pius XII's indifference to Hitler's extermination of the Jews, and he remained a controversial ...

), as Elsbeth Schnittgens *' (1984, TV film, based on the novel ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" ( ) is a French Folklore, folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in . The tale is about a wealthy man in the habit of murdering his wives an ...

''), as Andrea *''

'' (1985, based on a novel by Hermann Field and Stanislaw Mierzenski), as Rosa Eckart *'' Franza'' (1986, TV film, based on a novel by

Ingeborg Bachmann Ingeborg Bachmann (; 25 June 1926 – 17 October 1973) was an Austrian poet and author. She is regarded as one of the major voices of German-language literature in the 20th century. In 1963, she was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature b ...

), as Franza *''The Winner Takes All'' (1987, TV film, based on a novel by ), as Elisabeth Vogtmann *' (1987, TV film), as

Alma Mahler Alma Mahler-Werfel (born Alma Margaretha Maria Schindler; 31 August 1879 – 11 December 1964) was an Austrian composer, author, editor, and socialite. Musically active from her early years, she was the composer of nearly fifty songs for voice ...

*''

Mario and the Magician ''Mario and the Magician'' () is a novella written by German author Thomas Mann in 1929. It was published by Martin Secker in 1930 in an English translation by Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter, and her translation was included in Thomas Mann's ''Stories ...

'' (1994, based on the novella ''

''), as Sofronia Angiolieri *'' Nobody Loves Me'' (1994), as Madeleine *'' Der Hauptmann von Köpenick'' (1997, TV film, based on the play '' The Captain of Köpenick''), as Mathilde Obermüller *' (1998, TV film), as Renate *''Cold Is the Evening Breeze'' (2000, based on a novel by

Ingrid Noll Ingrid Noll (married name Ingrid Gullatz, born 29 September 1935 in Shanghai) is a German thriller writer. She has written several novels, including ''Head Count'' (''Die Häupter meiner Lieben''), ''Hell Hath No Fury'' (''Der Hahn ist tot'') ...

), as Charlotte's Mother *''

SOKO Kitzbühel ''SOKO Kitzbühel '' is an Austrian television series produced by ORF (broadcaster), ORF in collaboration with the German network ZDF. It is the third spin-off of the German crime series ''SOKO 5113'' (''SOKO München'' since 2015), launched i ...

- Der Ring der Toten'' (2004, TV series based on a book by Martin Ambrosch), as Sofia von Schöll *' (2005, TV film), as Ingrid, Catherine's Mother *'' I've Never Been Happier'' (2009), as Fritzi *' (2012, TV film), as Maman

References

External links

Trissenaar's Agent

Her page
at the

Deutsche Filmakademie The Deutsche Filmakademie is a German independently run organization with a focus on filmmaking. History The academy was founded in 2003 in Berlin, on the initiative of Helmut Dietl, Bernd Eichinger, and Ulrich Felsberg. It initially compris ...

*
Audio recordings with Elisabeth Trissenaar
in the Online Archive of the

Österreichische Mediathek The Österreichische Mediathek ("Austrian Mediatheque") is the Austrian archive for sound recordings and videos on cultural and contemporary history. It was founded in 1960 as Österreichische Phonothek (Austrian Phonothek) by the Ministry of Educ ...

(Interviews in German). Retrieved 2 September 2019 {{DEFAULTSORT:Trissenaar, Elisabeth 1944 births 2024 deaths Austrian expatriates in Germany Austrian people of Dutch descent Austrian film actresses Austrian stage actresses Austrian television actresses 20th-century Austrian actresses 21st-century Austrian actresses German film actresses German stage actresses German television actresses 20th-century German actresses 21st-century German actresses Actresses from Berlin Actresses from Vienna