Gerda Lundequist
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Gerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist (February 14, 1871 – October 23, 1959) was a legendary Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah Bernhardt".
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[edit] Biography
Lundequist was considered one of Scandinavia's leading tragediennes and dramatic stage actresses, and she originated many famous leading female parts in plays by Ibsen and Strindberg. She enjoyed an amazing 60 year long career as a professional actress (with debut 1889) before she made her last performance in 1949, as Julia Hylténius in the successful staging of the popular comedy The Barons Will by Hjalmar Bergman. She studied at The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school 1886-1989 and already in 1891 she delivered a master performance of Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, a performance that established Lundequist at the top. In 1890 she originated the role of Anne-Marie in Ibsen's A Doll's House and in 1897 the role of Ella Rentheim in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman.
Master performances by Lundequist include the title role in Schiller's Maria Stuart (1910), Goneril in Shakespeare's King Lear (1908), Béline in Moliére's The Imaginary Invalid (1897), the title role in Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna (at the Swedish Theatre 1912), the title role in Hjalmar Söderberg's Gertrud (1907; original staging), Tora in Paul Lange and Tora Parsberg by Bjørnson (1922), Mrs Alving in Ibsen's Ghosts (1938) and Mrs Dowey in The Old Lady Shows Her Medals by J.M. Barrie (1940). In 1923 she also staged and directed Eugene O'Neill's play Anna Christie at Helsingborg City Theatre, one of Sweden's first female stage directors.
Lundequist was an outspoken feminist and fighter for women's emancipation in her field, and was a regular lecturer, as well as an elected member of the school council, at Fogelstad School for Women (a school run by the influential Fogelstad-group that included feminist writer Elin Wägner).
In 1947, at age 76, still as vital as ever, she completely floored the critics with - first - her fiercely sharp and spell bounding portrayal of the Dutchess of York in Richard III, directed by Alf Sjöberg; and - secondly - as Maria Josefa in Lorca's Blood Wedding; unyielding.
Sadly, like most stage actors of her generation, she filmed very little. But her finest contribution in this area probably belongs to one of the strongest and magnificent character actress performances ever to be seen in Swedish movie history: her incredibly vibrant portrayal of the Major's wife, Mrs Margareta Samzelius, in silent film classic The Saga of Gösta Berling (1924).
Lundequist also gives a master supporting role performance in the 1955 Swedish drama film Giftas (based on a novel by August Strindberg), as the old Royal Highness, at age 84.
[edit] Filmography
- 1961 - Maria Angelica (TV-theatre) (aired in Swedish television after Lundequist's passing)
- 1955 - Giftas
- 1947 - Den långa vägen
- 1946 - Onsdagsväninnan
- 1944 - Räkna de lyckliga stunderna blott
- 1940 - Stora famnen
- 1931 - En natt (aka One Night)
- 1924 - Gösta Berlings saga (aka The Saga of Gösta Berling)
[edit] Stage work
A great deal of Gerda Lundequist's stage work are listed here at IMDb.
