Zelma Hedin

Infobox actor
name = Zelma Hedin


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Zelma Carolina Esolinda Bergnéhr
birthdate = 31 May 1827
location = Stockholm, Sweden
deathdate = 11 February 1874 (age 46)
deathplace = Stockholm, Sweden
height =
othername = Zelma Bergnéhr, Zelma Kinmansson, Zelma Bergmansson
homepage =
spouse = Gustaf Kinmansson, Gustaf Hedin

Zelma Carolina Esolinda Hedin, née "Bergnéhr", also called Zelma Kinmansson and Zelma bergmansson, (Stockholm 31 May 1827- Stockholm 11 February 1874), was a Swedish actress, regarded as one of the greatest stars on the stage of the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Stockholm during the 1840s and 1860s in the mid 19th century.

Biography and career

Zelma Hedin was born in Stockholm to captain Lorentz August Bergnéhr and Charlotta WilhelminaChristina Philp. Her sister Leocadi Bergnéhr-Fossmo became a star as an opera singer in Denmark, and her cousin Laura Bergnéhr, (d.1852), was an actress at Mindre teatern 1847-52. Zelma became a student at Dramatens elevskola in 1840, debuted in 1842 and was given a contract as premier actress in 1845.

She was described as beautiful, gracious and tasteful in her costume, and made her greatest triumphs in so called French salon-comedys, a popular genre where she was seen as the successor of Emilie Högquist, and became the leading actress in the 1850s. She also took over the part of coquette from Charlotta Almlöf: the critics had always critizised Almlöf for being superficial, but for Hedin "Flirtasioness seemed to me to be a profession"; she was considered perfect in false, proud, cunning and plotting parts and called "Truly Parisian".

As a person, she has also ben taken as an example of the infected rivalry within her profession on the royal theatre; In 1856-57, she "was without rivals" and it was said that she played the part of a "Grande Intrigante" both on and outside of the stage and exerted an influence "which was not without oposition" from her colleagues. In 1856, Elise Hwasser was given a salary of 6.000, and Hedin was given the same after threathening to resign; as a comparission, the lead opera singer Louise Michaeli had 8.000 and the star male actor Nils Almlöf 3.000.

Among her parts where Elisabet in "Doktor Wespe" (Doctor Wespe), Georgina in "Qväkaren och dansösen" (The Quaker and the dancer), Richelieu in "Richelieus första vapenbragd", Sofie Arnould in "Jag äter middag hos min mor" (I will be having dinner with my mother), mrs de Nohan in "Den gifte mannen i staden och på landet" (The married man in the city and in the country), and mrs Montjoye in "Montjoye"; she also performed as Rosaura in "Lifvet en dröm" (life is a dream), Mossamor in "Marsk Stigs döttrar" and the "burlesuqe" part of mrs Godard in "En fattig ädling" (A poor noble). She also performed as a singer in concerts, as in Åbo in in Finland in 1857.

Hedin broke her leg in 1865, and retired after the 1867-68 season. She performed as a guest artist in the 1871-72 season. In 1873, she arranged a soaré at the theatre Södra Teatern in Stockholm, where she performed in Public for the last time.

Zelma Hedin was married in 1845 to the actor Gustaf Kinmansson; they divorced after mutual agreement in 1853, and after one year, during which she called herself "Mrs Bergmansson", the both remarried; him with the actor Helfrid Torsslow, child of Sara Torsslow, and she with the accountant Gustaf Hedin, brother of the actor Anders Hedin.

References

* http://runeberg.org/nfaf/0449.html
* http://runeberg.org/sbh/a0474.html
* Österberg, Carin et al., "Svenska kvinnor: föregångare, nyskapare". Lund: Signum 1990. (ISBN 91-87896-03-6)
* http://bibbild.abo.fi/musik/index2.htm
* Georg Nordensvan, "Svensk teater och svenska skådespelare från Gustav III till våra dagar; Andra bandet, 1842-1918."