María Guerrero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
María Guerrero
|
|
|---|---|
Guerrero in 1912
|
|
| Born |
María Ana de Jesús Guerrero Torija
April 17, 1867 Madrid, Spain
|
| Died | 23 January 1928 (aged 60) Madrid, Spain
|
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse(s) | Fernando Díaz de Mendoza |
María Ana de Jesús Guerrero Torija (born April 17, 1867 – died January 23, 1928) was a very important Spanish actress. She was also a theatre producer and director. Most people knew her as María Guerrero.
Contents
Life of María Guerrero
María Guerrero Torija was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1867. She loved the theatre from a young age. She studied acting at the Official School of Declamation. This school was part of the famous Madrid Royal Conservatory. There, she learned a lot from the playwright Teodora Lamadrid.
Early Career and Famous Performances
María Guerrero started her acting career in 1885. She soon became very popular. She performed for important people in Spanish culture, like José Echegaray. She also worked with famous international actors. These included the French actor Benoît-Constant Coquelin and the legendary Sarah Bernhardt.
Marriage and Moving to Argentina
In 1896, María married Fernando Díaz de Mendoza y Aguado. He was a nobleman, the Marquess of San Mamés. A year later, they moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In Buenos Aires, María's theatre company became very successful. They performed at the Teatro Odeón.
Her company put on many shows. They performed zarzuelas, which are Spanish musical plays. They also adapted classic Spanish stories for the stage. She especially loved the plays of Lope de Vega. Her company became famous all over Argentina.
Owning Theatres in Spain and Argentina
Even though they were in Argentina, María and Fernando still worked in Spain. In 1908, they bought a theatre in Madrid. It was called the Teatro de la Princesa.
In 1918, they decided to build a new, grand theatre in Buenos Aires. They used some of their own money for this big project. Important people in Argentina and even Alfonso XIII, the King of Spain, helped them. The King sent special materials for the theatre's construction. They named the theatre after a famous Spanish writer, Miguel de Cervantes.
The Cervantes Theatre
The Cervantes Theatre opened in 1921. The first play they performed was Lope de Vega's La dama boba (The Foolish Lady).
However, Buenos Aires soon had many new theatres. Also, radio became popular. This meant fewer people came to the Cervantes Theatre. By 1926, María and Fernando had to sell the theatre. The Argentine government bought it.
Return to Spain and Legacy
After selling the theatre, María and Fernando went back to Madrid. María Guerrero passed away in 1928. She was 60 years old.
After her death, the Spanish government bought the Teatro de la Princesa. In 1931, they renamed it the Teatro María Guerrero. This was done to honor her amazing contributions to theatre.
María Guerrero's family also included famous actors. Her grandson, Fernando Fernán Gómez, became a well-known Spanish actor.
