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Beata Sabina Straas or Strass (died 1773) also known as Madame Åberg was a professional stage
actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...
in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. She was a member of the pioneer group of actors in the first Swedish national theatre of
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 ...
.


Life

Beata's birth year and the names of her parents are unknown. Her brother, Eric Jonas Straas (1707-1783, spouse Catharina Höpener) is listed as a lackey of the royal court ('') in 1729, and she herself worked as a lady's maid for the (
lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...
) Josepha Pflueg, and then to a Countess Antoinetta Dorotea Rindsmaul, spouse of the courtier Otto Ludwig Ehrenrecih von Rindsmaul. Her background was reportedly of use to her as an actress, and was considered to have attributed to her acting in so-called
grande dame Grande means "large" or "great" in many of the Romance languages. It may also refer to: Places * Grande, Germany, a municipality in Germany * Grande Communications, a telecommunications firm based in Texas * Grande-Rivière (disambiguation) * Ar ...
- and noblewoman roles.Byström, Tryggve, Svenska komedien 1737-1754: en studie i Stockholmsteaterns historia, Norstedt, Stockholm, 1981


Career

When the first national theatre was founded in the old premises at
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 ...
,
Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
in 1737, where only foreign theatre troupes had previously performed, they were only male actors in the original native troupe, and so the theatre advertised for women to play the female parts before the theatre's formal premiere. In Sweden, unlike in some other countries, there was never any real opposition against women performing on the stage. It was considered natural to have women perform the female parts in the plays, and on 25 May 1737, two women were hired to perform the female parts. One was deemed not suitable, but the other was Straas. Straas is reported to have been hired on 25 May 1737, and she was not only the first known actress to originate from Sweden, but also the first actor regardless of gender from this first native troupe whose name is mentioned in the documents. In June 1737, two other women, known only as "Miss Wijkman" and "Miss Lund" were hired. Wijkman is believed to have been Magdalena Wickman, former maid at the theatre interested household of
Brita Sophia De la Gardie Brita Sophia De la Gardie (22 April 1713 – 1797) was a Swedish noble and amateur actress who later converted to Catholicism and became a nun. She was a central member of the cultural life in Stockholm in her time. She played a part in the his ...
. Wijkman and Lund are not mentioned after 1739. Straas played the female main part of Lotta Enterfelt opposite Johan Palmberg and Birger Hildon in the famous play ''Den Svenska Sprätthöken'' (The Swedish Fop) by
Carl Gyllenborg Count Carl Gyllenborg (7 March 1679 – 9 December 1746) was a Swedish statesman and author. Biography He was born in Stockholm, the son of Count Jacob Gyllenborg (1648-1701). His father was a Member of Parliament and of the Royal Council, who ...
(known as the first original
Swedish language Swedish ( ) is a North Germanic language spoken predominantly in Sweden and in parts of Finland. It has at least 10 million native speakers, the fourth most spoken Germanic language and the first among any other of its type in the Nordic countr ...
comedy), at the official premiere of the national theatre of Bollhuset. This was the first time a Swedish troupe had performed in the Stockholm theatre since the student troupe of 1691, and they were considered to be the first professional native Swedish speaking theatre troupe. Count
Carl Gustaf Tessin Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (5 September 1695 – 7 January 1770) was a Swedish Count and politician and son of architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and Hedvig Eleonora Stenbock. He was one of the most brilliant personages of his day, and the mo ...
gave the judgement that Straas had a gracious forwardness, dressed well, had beautiful feet and conducted herself better than the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
actresses, but worse than the French ones - he adds that she had a natural talent and that her debut had been very successful. Among her other parts were the leading role of Melinda in ''Den otacksamme'' (The ungrateful) by Gyllenborg, Ramborg in ''Den afvundsjuke'' (The Envious) by Olof Dahlin (a performance with the first ballet of Swedish dancers) in 1738, and ''Brynhilda eller den olyckelige kärleken'' (Brynhilda or the unhappy love) by Dahlin in 1739.


Later life

Straas married the royal court servant Andreas Åberg in 1737. In 1738, the theatre was temporarily closed, and although it opened again in 1739, its future was unclear and the actors were in a difficult economic situation. In 1739, she and her husband applied for permission to run a
coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...
house, and she retired from the stage to do this. In 1744, both she and her husband were re-employed on the staff of the Royal court; she was appointed house keeper of the court of
the queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
, a position she kept until her death. Straas is possibly the grandmother of the famous actress and opera singer
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 Theater, between 1787 and 1810. Life Early li ...
, who became a star at the second national theatre when it opened in 1788, and of the actor Gustav Åbergsson. It is not confirmed, though, whether the court servant Jonas Åberg (who became the father of
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 Theater, between 1787 and 1810. Life Early li ...
), was their son – Åberg was a very common name among the staff of the court. Though her career was, in reality, short, she played an important part in her country's theatre history, participating in several of its most important events. She is remembered as the first professional native actress in Sweden to perform on a public stage. Although others before her, whose names are unknown, may have worked earlier in travelling theatre troupes, she was the first to perform on an 'official' stage, and the first one to achieve widespread fame.


References

* Frihetstiden, Signum förlag * Byström, Tryggve, Svenska komedien 1737-1754: en studie i Stockholmsteaterns historia, Norstedt, Stockholm, 1981


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Straas, Beata Sabina 18th-century Swedish actresses Swedish stage actresses 18th-century births 1773 deaths Year of birth unknown Age of Liberty people Swedish courtiers