Ira Aldridge
Ira Frederick Aldridge (born July 24, 1807 in New York , † August 7, 1867 in Łódź , Congress Poland , Russian Empire ) was one of the most important African-American actors of his time.
Aldridge was to become a missionary like his father and went to Glasgow in 1825 . Following an inclination to the stage that he had already awakened in New York, he made his debut in a small theater in London in 1826 as Othello , who subsequently played alongside Macbeth , Richard III. , Shylock and the "Mohren" in " Fiesco " was one of his most popular roles.
Aldridge played in the provincial cities of Great Britain until 1852, after which he undertook a trip to the mainland with an acting company he led, visited Amsterdam, Brussels, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Pest, Koenigsberg etc. and was widely acclaimed. In 1857 he was hired as a member of Covent Garden , but found no approval there and then went to Saint Petersburg and Moscow , then to Poland and Hungary and repeatedly to Germany.
He also appeared in France in 1866 and then traveled again to Russia, but died on the way in Łódź, Poland, on August 7th, 1867. The play Aldridge's passionate excitement recalled the often exaggerated manner of the English actors of his time, but he was also a master the expression of softer soul moods.
Awards
- 1979: Induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame
literature
- Ira Aldridge: Life and Artist Career of the Negro Ira Aldridge . General German Publishing House, Berlin 1853.
- Martin Hoyles: Ira Aldridge., Celebrated 19th century actor . Hansib Books, London 2008, ISBN 978-1-906190-03-3 .
- Bernth Lindfors: Ira Aldridge. The African Roscius . University Press, Rochester, NY 2007, ISBN 978-1-58046-258-7 .
- Bernth Lindforsː Ira Aldridge. The Last Years, 1855-1867 . University Press, Rochester, NY 2015.
- Herbert Marshall: Ira Aldridge. The Negro tragedian . University Press, Washington, DC 1993, ISBN 0-88258-150-3 . (Reprinted from 1958 New York edition).
- Mortimer Owen: Speak of me as I am. The story of Ira Aldridge . Self-published, Wangaratta, Vict. (Australia) 1995, ISBN 0-646-08370-8 .
Web links
- Entry on Aldridge, Ira Frederick in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Aldridge, Ira |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Aldridge, Ira Frederick (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | US-American actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 24, 1807 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New York , NY |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 7, 1867 |
| Place of death | Łódź , Congress Poland , Russian Empire |