Beatrice Gjertsen Bessesen | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | Beatrice Gjertsen 1886 (1886) Minneapolis,Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 1935(1935-09-07) (aged 48–49) |
| Occupations |
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| Formerly of | St. Olaf Choir |
Spouse | |
Beatrice Gjertsen Bessesen (1886 – September 7, 1935) was an Americanoperatic soprano. She was the president of theTwin City Music and Dramatic Club. Bessesen sang with theSt. Olaf Choir and toured with it in Norway. She made successful concert tours in the U.S. and Europe, appearing with various European opera companies.[1][2] She sang in practically all the leading centers of Europe, and was the prima donna in many big operas. She was a strong factor in developing cultural and artistic appreciation amongNorwegian Minnesotans.[3] She is the namesake of theBessesen Building, which is on theNational Register of Historic Places listings in Minnesota.
Beatrice Gjertsen was born inMinneapolis,Minnesota, 1886.[4] Her parents were SenatorHenry J. Gjertsen of Norway and Marguerite (Goebel) Gjertsen of Germany.[2]
Bessesen was educated at South High School, where she sang at the school and church concerts.[5] She studied voice culture withAnna Smith-Behrens. After graduating from theUniversity of Minnesota, she was sent abroad where she studied with theWagnerian soprano Mathilde Mallinger (1847–1920) in Berlin andAglaja Orgeni inDresden.[2]
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Early in her career, Bessessen made successful concert tours in the U.S. and Europe, appearing with various European opera companies. For several years, she wasprima donna soprano at the Ducal Opera House (now,Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar) inWeimar, Germany. She was decorated by theKaiser of Germany.[2] In 1910, she created a principal role of a new opera in Germany,Das Gelobnes, composed by Baroness Cornelie Van Osterzee.[6] She returned to the U.S. in 1917, just before the start ofWorld War I.[2]
Bessessen served for three years as president of Twin City Music and Dramatic Association which she organized.[2] At the organization's meetings, she was influential toward educating the members to a higher appreciation of music and the opera, by speeches and explanatory remarks. Her main desire was to further home talent.[3]
The Beatrice Bessesen Theater (now,Bessesen Building) opened inAlbert Lea, Minnesota in September 1916. It seated about a thousand people. Its entire front balcony was composed of boxes. Bessesen's studio rooms were on the second floor. Piano, voice and dramatic branches were taught in the conservatory.[7] The theater was used during the season as a movie house, with certain times reserved for concerts and public recitals of the pupils of the school.[8]
In 1931, the Park-Stanford Conservatory in Minneapolis was under Bessesen's direction.[9]
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She married Dr. William A. Bessessen of Albert Lea, Minnesota, January 4, 1915 at the Odin Club, Minneapolis, which was founded by her father. She had six children:[2] sons, William, Jr., Adrian, Truman, and Paul, as well as two daughters, Monica and Beatrice.[10]
The family home was a "mecca" to a large number of artists and music lovers.[3]
She was active in Minnesota State Sunshine Society work and was a member of the Pollyanna Circle, a member of the Zuhrah Ladies and theOrder of the Eastern Star.[2]
Beatrice Gjertsen Bessesen died September 7, 1935.[10] Her personal papers are held by theMinnesota Historical Society.[4]
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