Siri von Essen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Siri von Essen
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Siri von Essen in 1880
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| Born |
Sigrid Sofia Matilda Elisabet von Essen
17 August 1850 |
| Died | 21 April 1912 (aged 61) Helsinki, Finland
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| Spouse(s) |
Carl Gustaf Wrangel af Sauss
(m. 1872; div. 1876) |
| Children | 5 (including Karin Smirnov) |
| Relatives | Von Essen family
Carl Reinhold von Essen (father) Elisabeth Charlotta In de Betou (mother) |
Sigrid "Siri" Sofia Matilda Elisabet von Essen (born August 17, 1850 – died April 21, 1912) was a noblewoman and actress from Finland. She spoke Swedish, which is common in Finland. Her acting career lasted for about 15 years. During this time, she performed in several plays written by the famous Swedish writer August Strindberg, who sometimes wrote roles especially for her.
About Siri von Essen
Her Family and Early Life
Siri von Essen was born in Porvoo, Finland. Her father was Carl Reinhold von Essen, a nobleman, captain, and landowner. Her mother was Elisabeth Charlotta In de Betou.
In 1872, Siri married Major Baron Carl Gustaf Wrangel af Sauss. They had one daughter named Sigrid. However, they divorced in 1876.
In 1877, she married the Swedish writer and playwright August Strindberg. They had four children together. Their first daughter, Kerstin, was born in 1878 but sadly passed away soon after birth. They also had two more daughters, Karin Smirnov (born 1880) and Greta (born 1881), and a son named Hans (born 1884). Siri and August divorced in 1891. Their marriage was sometimes difficult, and these experiences even inspired some of Strindberg's plays.
After her divorce, Siri von Essen moved back to Finland in 1893.
Her Acting Career
Siri von Essen had dreamed of becoming an actress since she was a child. However, acting was not seen as a suitable job for a noblewoman at that time. Both her father and her first husband tried to stop her from acting. This was one reason she decided to divorce her first husband.
However, August Strindberg encouraged her to pursue her dream of acting. She did not attend the official Royal Dramatic Training Academy. Instead, she studied acting privately with teachers like Knut Almlöf and Betty Deland.
In early 1877, Siri von Essen made her first appearance at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. She played roles in two different plays. Her debut was considered a good start, and she became an actress at the Royal Dramatic Theatre until 1881.
She also performed at the Swedish theater in Helsinki, Finland, from 1882 to 1893. In 1889, she worked as a director and lead actress at a new experimental theater in Copenhagen, Denmark. There, she played the main role in a play called Miss Julie and another role in The Stronger. From 1894, she taught acting in Helsinki. One of her students was Martha Hedman.
Critics often praised Siri von Essen for her graceful movements, natural acting style, and intelligent performances. They noted that she was very good at understanding her characters. Strindberg wrote several plays especially for her acting style, including Miss Julie and The Creditors. Many believed she performed best in these roles.
After 1877, Siri von Essen also wrote articles for newspapers and translated plays. She worked as a reporter for a newspaper called Morgenbladet in Helsinki in 1876 and in Copenhagen in 1881. She continued her translation work after moving to Finland in 1893. She also gave music performances, known as concert recitals.
