Elisabeth Lillström
| Elisabeth Lillström | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Elisabeth Söderman 1717 Sweden |
| Died | 4 April 1791 (age 74) Sweden |
| Other names | Elise Lillström, Lisa Lillström, Madame Lillström |
| Spouse(s) | Petter Lillström |
Elisabeth "Elise" or "Lisa" Lillström, née Söderman (1717 – 4 April 1791) was a Swedish stage actress and opera singer, one of the first professional native female actors in Sweden, mother of Elisabeth Olin, née Lillström. She was one of the group of pioneers and the prima donna of the first native actor generation in the theatre of Bollhuset in from 1737 to 1753 and one of the most famous actresses in Sweden in the mid 18th century.
Her background does not seem to be known. She was married to the musician Petter Lillström (1714–76), who is confirmed as a member of the theatre's orchestra from at least 1744, later as the orchestra's director.
Lillström's employment at the theatre is a part of history as it involves the employment of the first native female actors hired to perform in Scandinavia, and thus, making a new profession available for her gender. It is also the history of the first professional native actors in Sweden altogether, making her a pioneer in both aspects. Until 1737, the acting profession in Sweden had been reserved for foreigners, and the theatre of Bollhuset only hired foreign troupes. In 1737, the first national stage was founded, a project which required the employment and education of native actors. These actors were, according to the British ambassador Edward Finch, made by :"students, clerks and lady's maids".
In Sweden, unlike some other countries, there was never any real opposition against women performing on the stage; it was considered natural to have women perform the female parts in the plays, and on 25 May 1737, two women were hired to perform the female parts. One was deemed not suitable, but the other, Beata Sabina Straas a former lady's maid to a lady-in-waiting at the royal court, is remembered as Sweden's first professional native actress to perform on a public stage. In June 1737, two other women, known only as "Miss Wijkman" and "Miss Lund", were hired. Straas retired in 1739 and Wijkman and Lund are not mentioned after 1739. It was therefore necessary to replace them with long-term actors, and in 1740, a large group of new actors were hired, among them many females to replace the first, temporary actresses. These names are stated in a list from 1741, which names Anna Maria Sualing, Anna Lindbohm, Susanna Catharina Steenberg, and Elisabeth Lillström.
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