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Marie Louise Marcadet née ''Baptiste'' (3 December 1758 – 28 February 1804) 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 ...
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 translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a lib ...
and a dramatic stage actress of French origin. She was active in the
Royal Swedish Opera Royal Swedish Opera () is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Location and environment The building is located in the centre of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, in the borough of Norrmalm (borough), Norrmalm, on the eastern si ...
as a singer, and in 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 ...
and the French Theater of Gustav III as an actress. She was a member of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Music The Royal Swedish Academy of Music (), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in ...
from 1795.


Life

Marie Louise Marcadet was born in Sweden as the daughter of the French actors Marie Baptiste and Jacques Anselme Baptiste. Her parents where both engaged at the
French theater An overview of the history of theatre of France. Middle Ages Discussions about the origins of non-religious theatre ("théâtre profane") — both drama and farce — in the Middle Ages remain controversial, but the idea of a continuous popular ...
in Stockholm, and she was trained as a stage artists by them. The Baptiste family left Sweden in 1771, when the French theater was dissolved by
Gustav III of Sweden Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden. Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he s ...
upon his succession to the throne. She returned to Sweden with her parents in 1776, and performed with some of the French actors of the old theater, which entertained the Swedish royal court in a smaller scale, until a new
French theater An overview of the history of theatre of France. Middle Ages Discussions about the origins of non-religious theatre ("théâtre profane") — both drama and farce — in the Middle Ages remain controversial, but the idea of a continuous popular ...
was established in 1781. In 1780, she married a French dancer at the
Royal Swedish Ballet The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Gustav III of Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian ...
, Jean-Rémy Marcadet, and was thereafter known under the name Marcadet.


Career

Marie Louise Marcadet was engaged as an opera singer at the Royal Swedish Opera in 1778-95, and as a dramatic stage actress at the French theater in 1781-92, and at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1788-95. She made her debut at the Royal Swedish Opera in ''
Bollhuset Bollhuset, also called (The Big Ball House), (Ball House Theater), and Gamla Bollhuset (Old Ball House) at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater buildin ...
'' in the
opéra bouffon ''Opéra bouffon'' () is the French term for the Italian genre of opera buffa (comic opera) performed in 18th-century France, either in the original language or in French translation. It was also applied to original French opéras comiques having ...
'' Les deux avares'' by Grétry in the 1777–78 season, and was later the same year acclaimed in '' Lucile'' by the same composer. She was also active as a stage actress. When a new French theater was founded in 1781, directed by Monvel, she became a part of their company until their dissolution in 1792. She had an influential position at the opera. On the occasion of her marriage, she was given the opportunity to stage her own production as a benefit performance, which was somewhat controversial and criticized by
Gustaf Johan Ehrensvärd Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...
, who noted as criticism toward the opera manager Barnekow, that she: "acted as a director of the performance, which he should have done, disposed of the loges, auctioned them off, so that prime minister ''
riksråd Riksrådet (in Norwegian and Swedish) or Rigsrådet (in Danish or English: the Council of the Realm and the Council of the State – sometimes translated as the "Privy Council") is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ...
'' Ulric Scheffer lost his loge for not being the highest bidder... it was given to a cook and a chancellor. Such indecency could not be allowed by anyone but this opera management." She belonged to the pioneer generation of the Royal Dramatic Theatre. When the first Swedish language Ristell theater (1787–88) went bankrupt and transformed by the king to the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1788, Marie Louise Marcadet and the other actors formed a board of directors and managed the new theater themselves. This management has been described as stormy, but Marcadet was praised for her judgement in the voting about which plays to stage in the theater. The financial arrangements and employment conditions at the royal theater illustrate that Marie Louise Marcadet and
Fredrica Löf Fredrica Löf, also known as Fredrique Löwen (née ''Johanna Fredrika Löf''; Stockholm, October 1760 – 17 July 1813), was a Swedish stage actress. She was the first female star at the newly founded national stage Royal Dramatic Theatre, whic ...
was given the highest position of all women actors there.


Estimation

Marie Louise Marcadet performed both as an opera singer and a stage actress and was regarded as one of the most noted stage artists in Sweden during her twenty years long career. Marie Louise Marcadet, alongside Jaques Marie Boutet de Monvel, Joseph Sauze Desguillons and
Anne Marie Milan Desguillons Anne Marie Milan Desguillons née ''Milan'' (8 May 1753–28 July 1829) was a French stage actress. She was active in the French Theater of Gustav III in Sweden in 1781-92, and principal of the Royal Dramatic Training Academy jointly with Josep ...
, has been credited with influence over the development which directed the newly established Swedish national theater to follow a French pattern. She was highly respected as a professional artist, and was referred to as an example of the importance of education by Carl von Fersen in his work ''Operans och svenska spektaklets förbättrande'' (1780). Marcadet was not regarded to be beautiful and described as a very thin woman with a protruding chin to her appearance, but regarded as an competent singer and a marvelous actor. As an opera singer, she was estimated to have a moderately good voice, but handled with such skill that she functioned very well in opera, though she was never counted as belonging to the absolute elite. It was her dramatic talent as a stage actress she was given the highest praise. The critics appreciated that her hard French accent gave her speech power and energy, and she was admired for the impression of passionate strength she eluded.
Johan Henric Kellgren Johan Henric Kellgren (1 December 1751 – 20 April 1795) was a Swedish poet and critic. Biography He was born at Floby in Västergötland (now part of Falköping Municipality, Västra Götaland County). He studied at the Royal Academy of Turku ...
called her acting divine, and considered her acting divine,
Carl Christoffer Gjörwell Carl Christoffer Gjörwell (the younger; 19 January 1766 – 14 November 1837) was a Swedish architect. He was a city architect in Stockholm, Sweden, between 1804 and 1837. Biography Gjörwell was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the son of ar ...
wrote of her dramatic ability in the
opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...
'' Zémire et Azor'' by Grétry that "her entire soul was created for the Theater."


Roles

Among her parts was Clytaimnestra, ''Merope'' by
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...
, Jocasta in ''Oedipe'' by Adlerbeth, Statira in ''Olympie'' by
Johan Henric Kellgren Johan Henric Kellgren (1 December 1751 – 20 April 1795) was a Swedish poet and critic. Biography He was born at Floby in Västergötland (now part of Falköping Municipality, Västra Götaland County). He studied at the Royal Academy of Turku ...
, ''Athalie'' by Racine and countess Walltron in '' Der Graf von Walltron'' by Heinrich Ferdinand Möller. She played Henriette in ''Les deux avares'' (season 1777–78), Arséne in the opera ''La belle Arsène'' by Monsigny (with
Elisabeth Olin Elisabeth Olin née ''Lillström'' (December 1740 – 26 March 1828) was a Swedish opera singer and a music composer. She performed the leading female role in the inauguration performance of the Royal Swedish Opera in 1773, and is referred to ...
and
Christoffer Christian Karsten Christoffer Christian (or ''Kristofer Kristian'') Karsten (9 September 1756 – 6 August 1827) was a Swedish opera singer. He was the maternal grandfather of the ballerina Marie Taglioni. Life Born in Ystad, he was discovered by queen ...
) and Iphigenie in ''
Iphigénie en Aulide ''Iphigénie en Aulide'' (''Iphigeneia in Aulis (ancient Greece), Aulis'') is an opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck, the first work he wrote for the Paris stage. The libretto was written by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet ...
'' by
Gluck Christoph Willibald ( Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire at ...
(with
Carl Stenborg Carl Stenborg (8 September 1752 – 1 August 1813) was a Swedish opera singer, composer and theatre director. He belonged to the pioneer generation of the Royal Swedish Opera and was regarded as one of the leading opera singers of the Gustavian e ...
), 1779–80, Cybèle in '' Atys'' by
Piccinni Piccinni is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Niccolò Piccinni (1728–1800), Italian composer ** Teatro Piccinni, Italian theater in Bari, Apulia *Louis Alexandre Piccinni (1779–1850), Italian-French composer, grands ...
(with Carl Stenborg and Kristofer Kristian Karsten), 1784–85, Hermione in ''Andromaque'' by Grétry (with
Franziska Stading Sofia ''Franziska'' Stading (1763 – 8 February 1836) was a Swedish opera singer of German origin. She is referred to as one of the more notable opera singers in Sweden during the Gustavian era. She was a ''Hovsångare'' and member of the ...
), Cecilia av Eka in ''Gustaf Wasa'' by
Johann Gottlieb Naumann Johann Gottlieb Naumann (17 April 1741 – 23 October 1801) was a German composer, conductor, and Kapellmeister. Life Johann Gottlieb Naumann was born in Blasewitz and received his musical training from the teachers at his town school, where h ...
(with Carl Stenborg, Kristofer Kristian Karsten and
Caroline Halle-Müller Caroline may refer to: People * Caroline (singer) (born 1981), Japanese glitch pop musician * Caroline (given name), a feminine given name * J. C. Caroline (1933–2017), American football player * Jamie Caroline (born 1999), British racing drive ...
), 1785–86, Ramfrid in ''Folke Birgersson till Ringstad'' by
Gustav III Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden. Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he saw ...
(with Kristofer Kristian Karsten and
Inga Åberg Inga Åberg (Ingeborg Elisabeth; 1773–1837) was a Swedish actress and opera singer. She was engaged as an opera singer at the Royal Swedish Opera, and as a stage actress at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, between 1787 and 1810. Life Early life ...
), 1792–93, and Minerva in ''Alcides inträde i världen'' (The arrival of Alcide in the world) by Haeffner, 1793–94.


Later life

She made her last performance on the
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 t ...
14 November 1795, in which she had expressed her wish to "receive the encouragement of the public, which she had so beneficially been granted during her career", and made "a startling success by the praise given to her from an overwhelmed audience."Johan Flodmark: Stenborgska skådebanorna: bidrag till Stockholms teaterhistoria, Norstedt, Stockholm, 1893 After this farewell performance, Marie Louise Marcadet left Sweden for France, where she died in Paris.


Legacy

Gustav Löwenhielm mentioned her importance in Swedish theater and opera history in the 19th century, during a discussion about the employment of foreign artists, when he pointed out that several of the artists during the foundation of the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Dramatic Theatre had been foreigners:
"Is it impossible to engage Mr Berg and Miss Schoultz? - Generally, I can not see how we can elude the employment of half grown foreigners. Gustav III's ''
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 ...
'' national theatre started with the '' Danish'' Mrs Müller, the ''
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
'' Mrs Marcadet, the ''
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
'' Mamsell Stading, the ''German'' Mrs Augusti and the ''
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
'' Mrs Karsten. These ladies occupied our stage and kept it from the foundation of the opera and the premature departure of Mrs Olin in the beginning of the 1780s, until the year of 1800, when the school of Mrs Desguillons had created Mamsell Wässelia cum celeris."Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Förra delen, 1772-1842 Swedish theatre and Swedish actors from the days of Gustav III to our days. First Book 1772-1842'Bonnier, Stockholm, 1917


References

* Oscar Levertin: Teater och drama under Gustaf III, Albert Bonniers förlag, Stockholm, Fjärde Upplagan (1920).
Teater och drama under Gustaf III' Teeter or Teater is the surname of: * Archie Boyd Teater (1901–1978), American painter * Earl Teater (1905/06-1972), American horse trainer * Elizabeth Teeter, American actress * Josh Teater (born 1969), American golfer * Karl V. Teeter (1929 ...
* Nordensvan, Georg, Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar. Förra delen, 1772-1842 Swedish theatre and Swedish actors from the days of Gustav III to our days. First Book 1772-1842'Bonnier, Stockholm, 1917 * Kungliga teaterns repertoar 1773-1973 Repertoire of the Royal Theatre 1773-1973' 1974 * Hilleström, Gustaf: Kungl. Musikaliska akademien: matrikel 1771-1971, Nordiska musikförlaget, Stockholm 1971, Publikationer / utgivna av Kungl. Musikaliska akademien, 99-0168608-3 ; 10 (swe). * Österberg, Carin, Lewenhaupt, Inga & Wahlberg, Anna Greta, Svenska kvinnor: föregångare nyskapare, Signum, Lund, 1990 1990 (Swedish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Marcadet, Marie Louise 1758 births Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1804 deaths Swedish operatic sopranos Swedish people of French descent 18th-century Swedish actresses Gustavian era people 18th-century Swedish women opera singers Actresses from Stockholm