"Divine Sarah": an amazing actress who loved both female and male roles
"Divine Sarah": an amazing actress who loved both female and male roles

Video: "Divine Sarah": an amazing actress who loved both female and male roles

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Sarah Bernhardt is the most famous actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Sarah Bernhardt is the most famous actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

"Divine Sarah" - it was there that the audience called one of the most famous actresses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries Sarah Bernhardt … Uncommon appearance, dramatic talent, magical energy made her then famous all over the world. Chekhov wrote: “While playing, she is not chasing natural, but extraordinary. Its purpose is to amaze, surprise, blind …"

Sarah Bernhardt is a French actress
Sarah Bernhardt is a French actress

Sarah Bernhardt (Sarah bernhardt) was born in 1844 in the family of a courtesan milliner and a lawyer. The future actress spent her childhood surrounded by nannies. The girl practically did not see her mother, since she spent time at balls and receptions with her patrons. At the age of 15, learning about the true occupation of her mother, Sarah Bernhardt threw herself at her feet and begged to be sent to the monastery. The Duke de Morny, another adoring mother, witnessed this scene. He exclaimed that this girl's place is not in a monastery, but in a theater. Under his patronage, Sarah was admitted to the National Academy of Music and Recitation, and 2 years later to the Comedie Francaise Theater.

Sarah Bernhardt as Cleopatra and Theodora
Sarah Bernhardt as Cleopatra and Theodora

Thanks to superbly performed dramatic roles and tragic reincarnations, the audience dubbed the actress "Divine Sarah". Audiences from all over Europe, Russia, North and South America bowed before her. Everywhere she was showered with precious gifts, poetry was dedicated.

Sarah Bernhardt loved to rest in a coffin
Sarah Bernhardt loved to rest in a coffin

As a rule, actresses allow themselves liberties, but Sarah Bernhardt shocked the audience with her behavior, not only on stage, but also in life. Even in her youth, when the actress was ill with consumption, she begged her mother to buy her mahogany coffin. The girl was afraid that she would be buried in some ugly coffin. Subsequently, Sarah Bernhardt took this coffin on all tours. She slept in it, learned the roles, posed for photographers, in general, considered him her talisman. The actress had many unusual things in the house. Stuffed birds with skulls in their beaks hung on the walls, and there were cheetah, crocodile, and chameleon as pets.

Lady with Camellias, 1881
Lady with Camellias, 1881

In addition to female roles, the actress brilliantly coped with male roles. The role of Napoleon's son in the play "Eaglet" by Rostand aroused the admiration of the public. And for the performance of the part of a 20-year-old boy, the audience called Sarah Bernhardt (who at that time was 56 years old) for an encore 30 times. With the advent of cinema, Sarah Bernhardt was the first to take part in the filming. At that time, the actress was far from a young woman, and the camera showed all her wrinkles. After watching the film with her participation "Lady of the Camellias" Sarah Bernhardt no longer starred in films.

Sarah Bernhardt is a French actress
Sarah Bernhardt is a French actress

In 1905, while performing at the theater in Rio de Janeiro, Sarah Bernhardt injured her knee. The injury was serious. By 1915, due to gangrene, she had to amputate her entire right leg. The actress was even offered $ 10,000 to demonstrate her limb in front of doctors, but she refused. Despite the lack of a leg, the woman did not stop her performances until 1922.

Sarah Bernhardt is an actress who has performed both female and male roles
Sarah Bernhardt is an actress who has performed both female and male roles

In 1923, the actress died. She even developed the script for her funeral herself. Six of the youngest and most beautiful actors of the theater carried her coffin, and the road along which the funeral procession was going was strewn with camellias - Sarah Bernhardt's favorite flowers.

Sarah Bernhardt is the most famous actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Sarah Bernhardt is the most famous actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Like other actresses of the time, Sarah Bernhardt was a favorite of photographers. One of them was Felix Nadar, who was nicknamed by his contemporaries "Titian of photography".

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