Anna Helena Dorothea Nielsen, née ''Brenöe'', (September 4, 1803 – July 20, 1856), was a Danish stage actress and

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 ...

(

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

). She was one of the most famous female stage artists in

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

of her time. She was a mentor for many talents, such as for example Louise Phister and her private home was a center of the theatre world.

Biography

Born in Copenhagen to the compass-maker Peter Christian Brenøe and Olave Frederikke Caroline Leth. She was educated in a girls' school until her father was ruined, and was a member in the drama society there. She was also a student of a master of the chapel at the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first s ...

. She was a tall and blue-eyed blonde. She was accepted as a student at the theatre, where she was given

Johanne Rosing Johanne Cathrine Rosing (née Olsen; 2 June 1756 – 15 January 1853) was a Danish stage actress and ballet dancer, one of the most noted of the era. Biography Born in a poor home as the daughter of Herman Olsen and Gundel Marie Abelgreen. She ...

as her mentor. She debuted in the title role of ''Dyveke'' by on the

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

in 1821, and made a great success. She was described as versatile, with a fine singing voice, vivid, and recommended for her natural, sensitive and poetic way of acting, her best interpretation were repressed but strong emotion. Initially much used for the leading roles of heroine, she eventually performed all sorts of parts. She was active on stage until her death. As was common in her time and place, she was active within both opera and theatre. She played heroine in both theatre and opera, often in the part of "Nordic maiden". She was famed for her parts in the work of

Adam Oehlenschläger Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger (; 14 November 177920 January 1850) was a Danish poet and playwright. He introduced romanticism into Danish literature. He wrote the lyrics to the song ''Der er et yndigt land'', which is one of the national anthe ...

, and contributed to the breakthrough for the vaudevilles of J. L. Heiberg.

Søren Kierkegaard Søren Aabye Kierkegaard ( , ; ; 5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a Danes, Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical tex ...

called her an interpreter of femininity. She was one of the strongest speakers in favour of a realistic way of acting at the theatre. She was married in 1823 to the Norwegian violinist Frederik Thorkildsen Wexschall, (separated in 1831) and in 1834 to the actor Peder Nielsen and had one daughter. The fact that she divorced her second spouse in order to marry another was considered scandalous.

List of roles

1820s

* 1821 ''De lystige passagerer'' as Constance * 1821 ''Dyveke'' as Dyveke * 1821 ''Falsk undseelse'' as Emmy * 1821 ''Nonnerne'' as Euphemia * 1821 ''Ringen'' as Henriette von Darring * 1822 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1822 ''Barselstuen'' as Stine Isenkræmmers * 1822 ''

Den politiske kandestøber ''The Political Tinker'' ( Danish: Den politiske kandestøber) is a five-set satirical play published by Norwegian-Danish playwright Ludvig Holberg in 1722. Production history It premiered at Lille Grønnegade Theatre in Copenhagen on 25 Septem ...

'' as Raadsherreinde * 1822 ''Herman Von Unna'' as Ida * 1822 ''Medbejlerne'' as Nancy Ømling * 1822 ''Ulysses von Ithacia'' as Juno * 1823 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1823 ''Barselstuen'' as Stine Isenkræmmers * 1823 ''Den politiske kandestøber'' as Raadsherreinde * 1823 ''Det stille vand har den dybe grund'' as Baronesse von Holmbach, rig ung enke * 1823 ''Dyveke'' as Dyveke, Christians elskede * 1823 ''Nonnerne'' as Euphemia * 1823 ''Ulysses von Ithacia'' as Juno * 1824 ''Barselstuen'' as Stine Isenkræmmers * 1824 ''De lystige passagerer'' as Constance * 1824 ''De to dage'' as Constance * 1824 ''De to poststationer'' as Angelique * 1824 ''Hekseri'' as Terentia, Leanders fæstemø * 1825 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1825 ''Barberen i Sevilla'' as Rosine * 1825 ''Høstgildet'' as Anna * 1826 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1826 ''Entreprenøren i knibe'' as Merline * 1826 ''Ringen'' as Henriette von Darring * 1826 ''Sovedrikken'' as Charlotte * 1827 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1827 ''Barselstuen'' as Ingeborg Blytækkers * 1827 ''De to poststationer'' as Angelique * 1827 ''Gert Westphaler'' as Leonora * 1828 ''Peters bryllup'' as Anna * 1829 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria

1830s

* 1830 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1830 ''Lønkammeret'' as Cecile * 1831 ''Balders død'' as Nanna * 1831 ''Barselstuen'' as Ingeborg Blytækkers * 1831 ''Pigen fra Mrienborg'' as Cathinka * 1831 ''Ringen'' as Ubekendt * 1832 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Maria * 1833 ''Barselstuen'' as Frue * 1833 ''Den sorte mand'' as Mistress, Johnsons kone * 1834 ''Dyveke'' as Dyveke, Christians elskede * 1834 ''Figaros giftermaal'' as Grevinden * 1834 ''Niels Ebbesen af Nørreris'' as Jutta * 1835 ''Barselstuen'' as Ingeborg Blytækkers * 1835 ''Machbeth'' as Lady Macbeth * 1835 ''Herman Von Unna'' as Sophia * 1835 ''Ulysses von Ithacia'' as Juno * 1836 ''Den skinsyge kone'' as Mistress Oakley * 1836 ''Emilie Galotti'' as Grevinde Orsina * 1837 ''De fire formyndere'' as Madam Prim

1840s

* 1843 Macbeth'' as Lady Macbeth * 1844 ''Jægerne'' as Madam Warberger * 1844 ''Kalifen af Bagdad'' as Enke * 1845 ''Romeo og Julie'' as Fru Capulet * 1846 ''Bagtalelsens skole'' as Mistress Candour * 1846 ''Den adelige borger'' as Madame Jourdain * 1847 ''Macbeth'' as Lady Macbeth

1850s

* 1850 Naar enden er god Rousillon * 1851 Hamlet'' as Gertrud * 1856 Kongens læge'' as Grevinden af Rousillon

References

Europas konstnärer

Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nielsen, Anna 1803 births 1856 deaths 19th-century Danish actresses Danish operatic mezzo-sopranos Danish stage actresses 19th-century Danish women opera singers Singers from Copenhagen