Magdeleine-Marie Desgarcins (1769 at
Mont-Dauphin
Mont-Dauphin (; ) is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
At the confluence of Durance and Guil rivers, overlooking the impressive canyon of the latter flowing down from Queyras valleys, Mont-Dauphin is one of t ...
(
Hautes Alpes
Hautes-Alpes (; ; ) is a department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. It is located in the heart of the French Alps, after which it is named. Hautes-Alpes had a population of 141,220 as of 2019, )27 October 1797 in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
) was a French actress. Her stage name was Louise Desgarcins or Madame Desgarcins.
In her short career she became one of the greatest of French ''tragédiennes'', the associate of
Talma, with whom she nearly always played. Her debut at the
Comédie-Française
The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...
occurred on 24 May 1788, in ''
Bajazet'', with such success that she was made
''sociétaire'' the following year. She was one of the actresses who left the Comédie-Française in 1791 for the house in the rue Richelieu, soon to become the
Théâtre de la République, and there her triumphs were no less in ''
King Lear
''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
'', ''
Othello
''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...
'',
La Harpe's ''Mélanie et Virginie'', etc. Her health, however, failed, and she died insane, in Paris, on 27 October 1797.
See also
*
Troupe of the Comédie-Française in 1790 Composition of the troupe of the Comédie-Française in 1790
The theatrical year began 12 April 1790 and ended 16 April 1791.
Sources
* '' Almanach général de tous les spectacles de Paris et des provinces, pour l'année 1791'', Paris 1791. ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desgarcins, Magdeleine-Marie
French stage actresses
1769 births
1797 deaths
Troupe of the Comédie-Française
18th-century French actresses