Sarah Bernhardt: biography and career of the actress (photo)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Sarah Bernard, a phenomenal actress, the first superstar in history, who for several decades covered countries and continents around the world, was born in Paris on October 22, 1844. Sarah's mother, Jewish Judith (according to other sources, Judit), grew up in the family of Moritz Baruch Bernardt and Sarah Hirsch. As for the father of the great actress, it is not possible to reliably trace his name and origin.

Sarah Bernhardt, whose biography contains pages of various kinds, grew up under the supervision of governesses, since her mother had no profession and was forced to exist at the expense of we althy admirers of female beauty. The life of a beautiful kept woman is usually associated with long trips. A woman does not belong to herself, as she is obliged to fulfill the terms of an unspoken contract. Thus, little Sarah remained in the care of sloppy nannies and grew up in an atmosphere of relative prosperity, but without motherly love.

Anxious childhood

One day a misfortune happened to a girl. Another nanny did not follow, Sarah came too close to the burning fireplace, and her dress flared up. Neighbors came running to the cries of the child, and that's it.managed, although the girl was scared to death. Judith, having learned about what had happened, decided not to leave her daughter anymore. Since then, Sarah has lived with her mother. Fortunately, during that period, Judith had a permanent admirer, Count De Morny, who was a sincere person. He sincerely loved the courtesan and therefore began to take part in the fate of her daughter.

Comedy Francaise

When Sarah was 9 years old, she was sent to a private privileged school Grandchamp. De Morny made sure that the girl received an education and did not need anything. The life of the future actress began to take on quite definite outlines. She graduated and decided to achieve her cherished dream - to become an artist. And again, a family friend, Count De Morny, helped her in this, who took the eighteen-year-old Sarah Bernhardt to the director of the Comedie Francaise theater. He was somewhat puzzled: "Too thin for the stage" - he said. Nevertheless, Sarah Bernard, whose biography then opened a new page, was accepted into the troupe, and this became a great happiness for the girl.

Theatrical debut

Theatrical debut of Sarah Bernard took place on September 1, 1862 in the play "Iphigenia in Aulis" by playwright Jean Baptiste Racine. Before going on stage, the actress was worried. When the curtain began to slowly rise, Sarah almost fainted. The girl was literally shaking with excitement, and it is not surprising that critics unanimously praised the actress for her beautiful appearance and gave her a "deuce" for acting."From now on, the theatrical audience of Paris can come to admire Sarah Bernhardt's magnificent golden hair, but nothing more," the newspapers wrote.

Popularity

However, negative reviews are also reviews. In addition, theater critics did not take into account the iron character of the beginning actress. After some time, Sarah left the Comedie Francaise and began to play the first roles in other theaters. These were "Odeon", "Gimnaz", "Port-Saint-Martin". Each performance in which the actress participated became a masterpiece of stage art. The audience poured on Sarah Bernhardt, and the director of the Comedie Francaise bit his elbows. However, having played almost all the classic roles, Zaire, Desdemona, Phaedra, Andromache and many others, Bernard returned to the House of Moliere as a prima donna, where she was received with open arms.

Sarah Bernard and diamonds

The actress once again shocked the theatrical audience by playing Marguerite Gauthier in the play "Lady of the Camellias" by Alexandre Dumas son. The writer Victor Hugo, shocked by the sincerity of Sarah Bernhardt, presented her with diamonds in the form of tears on a gold chain. "These are the tears of my soul," he said. The actress kept the necklace for a long time as the most expensive gift, as an invaluable recognition of her talent. Sarah Bernhardt loved jewels as a true woman loves them, she worshiped diamonds. The admirers of the actress knew this and shamelessly took advantage of Sarah's weakness, showering her with gifts at a fabulous price.

Bernardnever left her jewelry at home when she had to go on tour. All diamonds were packed in a strong case and followed their mistress everywhere. At the same time, Sarah Bernard did not feel peace of mind, she was afraid of attack and robbery. And in order to resist the robbers, this weak woman always carried a small ladies' revolver with her. A little later, in the twentieth century, Sarah Bernhardt had a follower. It was the world-famous and beloved Consuela Velazquez, the author of the song "Besame mucho", over which time has no power. Consuela took jewelry and money with her all over the world, and there were a lot of them.

Male roles

The revolver in Sarah Bernard's travel purse indirectly spoke of her masculine character. These signs of gender, in a good way, were reflected in the work of the actress. She played many male roles, including Hamlet, Eaglet, Werther, Lorenzaccio, Zanetto.

I must say that Bernard's Hamlet captivated Stanislavsky himself, who at that time was still a very young man, but already understood a lot about theatrical art. Konstantin Sergeevich, too, would certainly have given the actress diamonds if he had them.

Later, Stanislavsky repeatedly noted Sarah Bernhardt as a standard of perfection, her natural voice, impeccable diction, inner culture and, most importantly, a deep understanding of the character.

And indeed, the actress owned the widest palette of humanfeelings, there was no such manifestation of the female soul (and sometimes male) that Bernard could not embody in the image of her character. Organic transitions from grief to joy, from tenderness to rage - this is the true skill of the artist. Actress Sarah Bernard played in such a way that Stanislavsky could only say his famous - "I believe …"

This woman's "talk", her "whisper", the ability to "stoop down to rush", "crawl up to burst out" - this was not just the talent of a great actress, it was a grandiose gift from God. Sarah Bernard, whose photo did not leave the pages of newspapers and magazines, could not take a step, she was besieged from all sides by fans. Articles in newspapers devoted to tours in European countries, and later in America, were similar to reports from the front during the war, the same style, the same terms - "Theatre under siege", "This is a victory, critics are put to shame", "Napoleon did not know such a triumph. Often, materials about the famous theatrical diva crowded out government reports and important economic reports. Sarah Bernhardt, actress and popular favorite, has always been surrounded by reporters, in a tight circle of writing fraternity, and she could never get used to it.

Fans

A lot of time the superstar was taken away by advertising contracts. Perfume and soap, gloves and powder - all the expensive perfumery items had the name of Sarah Bernhardt. But characteristically, she was never an idol. She was idolized, revered, loved and extolled in every possible way, but there was no idolatry. Peoplefelt the open soul of the actress, her friendliness and answered her the same. Unlike her mother, Sarah has distanced herself from we althy men who would like to get close to her.

Sarah Bernard, whose brief biography contains several pages devoted to her home life, led a kind of double existence. After returning from the theater and crossing the threshold of her apartment, the actress left great art outside and immersed herself in her personal space.

Home decor

The actress has created her own little world at home. She painted pictures, sculpted sculptures, wrote short stories and funny plays. Sarah Bernhardt's house was full of all living creatures, dogs and cats got underfoot, snakes crawled everywhere. Once she acquired a real coffin, upholstered in snow-white silk, and almost began to live in it. Lying in a coffin, she taught roles and drank coffee. And, as the actress said, she felt great in it. Such antics could be called outrageous, but the fact is that Sarah Bernhardt did not try to impress for the sake of impressing. In the coffin, she really felt comfortable, and she considered it immoral to step on the tail of cats lying everywhere and tried to bypass them.

Actress about herself

The actress once realized her penchant for extreme sports, having risen into the sky in a balloon in the company of close friends. The wind pretty patted the air travelers, many have already begun to pray for forgiveness, and Sarah Bernhardt drank champagne andprotruded waist-deep overboard. “I love it when guests come to me,” the actress said, “but I don’t like to visit myself. I love to receive letters, but no force will force me to write an answer. I love to give advice, but I hate it when they advise me something”. She never thought about what will happen tomorrow, and forgot about what happened yesterday. If tomorrow is destined to die - so what? Think about it…

Juliet

Time did not spare the famous actress, but in her old age she still looked like a girl Sarah. Modern critics admired the brilliant Bernard, there was a joke in use: "Sarah Bernhardt is Juliet Capulet. If a 70-year-old actress plays the 13-year-old Shakespeare's heroine, the entire theatrical world will believe and cry." And this is not a joke, this could well happen and work out.

Sarah Bernhardt, quotes from sayings, roles and interviews that have lived for many decades, is unforgettable. The grave of the actress in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris is always strewn with flowers. Parisians and admirers of the great actress, who come from all over the world, approach the memorial in complete silence to pay tribute to the memory.